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Patchwork City: 75 Innovative Blocks for the Modern Quilter - 6 Sampler Quilts

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Bored with sewing the same old blocks? Get a bonanza of 75 modern quilt blocks from a bestselling modern designer!

You'll love these fresh angular designs inspired by city life, and the mix-and-match possibilities are endless! Elizabeth Hartman gets you started with six complete sampler quilts to sew. Each block is shown in three different fabric palettes.

The book includes easy-to-follow cutting charts and instructions for every block. Some have links to full-size freezer-paper templates. Change up blocks, sizes, or fabrics to embark on a limitless exploration of modern style.

"The instructions are straightforward . . . an excellent choice for quilting collections." --Library Journal

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

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About the author

Elizabeth Hartman

8 books25 followers

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5 stars
43 (39%)
4 stars
47 (43%)
3 stars
17 (15%)
2 stars
1 (<1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
195 reviews
February 6, 2022
I have this book & hopefully will make something from it soon. It is one of the most impressive quilt books I've seen.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,426 reviews29 followers
October 7, 2017
Who says print fabrics aren't modern! I adore the prints used in the patterns in this book, which feels like a breath of fresh air after all the solid quilts that have been popping up in modern quilting lately.
The pros: There are some really great block ideas in here that would be good for a slightly advanced beginner. More expert quilters will still find lots of great ideas in here too. I love the mixture of square blocks with larger rectangle blocks for a contemporary look. For almost every block, you see multiple color combinations too, which is great for anyone looking to mix it up with what fabrics they already have.
The cons: The square blocks are 5 inches, which seems like an odd size if you were trying to incorporate other blocks into the pattern. Many of the patterns use templates, which are included but not my favorite.
Profile Image for Mhd.
1,982 reviews11 followers
March 16, 2018
Printed in China. This was a mail-order, impulse buy and I regret it a bit. It's good but I'm not sure I'll ever use it for the included projects. On the other hand, I really like the alternative fabric samples: ie, every one of the 75 blocks is presented with 3 very different colors/fabric/value/etc layout. I think I'll use this book most for perusing when looking for motivation or inspiration. It's also especially good for what to do with your fabric stash. Most of the photos are good enough to show how the machine quilting looks on the blocks or printed fabrics.
Profile Image for Star.
70 reviews1 follower
November 23, 2022
Hartman really has an eye for how to make designs pop - Somehow I find myself looking over the cover page, always surprised that the blocks work together. She's got to be a Libra or something!

The patterns beg you to try it - small pieces, easy shapes, scrap-busting and never boring - it really is a joy to make this quilt!
Profile Image for RMEYFE.
74 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2017
I have been a fan of Elizabeth Hartman's patterns for years so I thought I would check out her book. I am always looking for a block pattern book.
Profile Image for Kayte.
102 reviews
August 2, 2019
Berkeley Library Overdrive

Great patchwork designs. Excited to try so many of them
Profile Image for Melissa.
99 reviews5 followers
March 8, 2023
I made every one of the blocks. The diamonds were not easy to do without redesigning the template. They are super precise so quarter inch seams is super important. Scant seams.
Profile Image for Laura.
1,029 reviews18 followers
December 29, 2014
I've sewn one block out of this already ("Favorite Sweater") for Mark's color book cover. The directions were really easy to follow and I ended up with a great block. I have visions of sewing all 75 of these blocks to end up as a quilt for our king size bed. We'll see if that ever happens! In the mean time, I also have a few chosen which I'm hoping to turn into some table runners for our dining room table.
55 reviews
February 8, 2015
As a quilter I LOVE this book. I was hooked the first time I saw the cover. I actually went out and bought it! The author shows three color options for each block and all the blocks are easy to construct. The best part of this book is the variety and pairing of fabrics. I have a new perspective on combining fabrics.
75 reviews2 followers
April 24, 2015
Pleasantly surprised!

I haven't actually tried any of the blocks presented in the book, so that's why it's getting 4 out of 5 stars. I borrowed this book from the library but can see eventually buying it myself.

The blocks look interesting and the 3 different sizes presented can be put together into a quilt. In fact, there are several sampler quilts presented as guidance.
Profile Image for Laural.
192 reviews3 followers
January 16, 2015
Borrowed this from the library and I liked it so much I bought it for myself for Christmas! Innovative blocks, good instruction and tips, interesting fabric choices. I'm super excited for new projects!
Profile Image for Sara.
679 reviews
January 2, 2016
I love the fabrics she uses, but the blocks themselves are... meh. The 6 sampler quilts she makes are quite interesting, but the vast majority of the blocks appear to be useful only for those 6 sampler quilts and not as blocks in and of themselves. I wasn't super inspired to make any of these.
158 reviews
January 31, 2017
I checked this out from my library to see if I would be interested in ordering it as a reference. While it is not a teaching book at all, it would be a great reference for my shelf. I'm putting it in my "to order" list as I think I need a little more experience before I can sew some of them.
Profile Image for Candy.
1,548 reviews22 followers
March 26, 2015
What a brain this quilter has! Fascinating use of fabric and creative piecing. The skill level is beyond me at this point, but I really admire this unusual author.
Profile Image for Anne.
135 reviews
February 9, 2015
Interesting blocks with variations. I can't imagine actually using most of these, though- fussy fussy fussy. And I quilt a lot, designing my own stuff.
1,128 reviews6 followers
September 9, 2015
I first viewed A small quilt made from this book and was intrigued by the design. This book gives many design options and ideas for modern quilts and is an inspiration to a quilter.
19 reviews1 follower
July 8, 2021
definitely have to make one of these quilts! So out of my box, but so intriguing.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews

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