Patchwork Folk Art: Using Applique & Quilting Techniques

by Janet Bolton, Sandra Lousada (Photographer)

"With colorful fabric pieces as your paints, and needle and threads for brushes, anyone can compose beautiful works of patchwork folk art."—American Bookseller. The images Bolton creates with patchwork have a charm far greater than the basic craft techniques utilized...have the appeal and freshness of true folk art, so a beginner need not be intimidated....A delightful primer that should interest a range of crafters coming from either a needlework or a painting orientation. Colorful illustrations complement instructions on both stitchery and arranging motifs in attractive compositions."—Booklist. 128 pages (all in color), 10 5/8 X 9 3/4.

Genres: Quilting, Art, Nonfiction

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1995

Reviews

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janet's applique pictures are so interesting. Right away I found myself making up stories about what was going on.
She explains her process simply with words and examples, and then gives more details.
A really enjoyable book.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

My preference is appliqué that is a little more realistic than folk art tends to be. Nevertheless, Janet Bolton’s art has an element of storytelling that will teach me to become a little freer, I hope. Even if I don’t catch that storytelling ability, I think this a book that is inspiring as well as fun to look through. I will visit it often. I haven’t attempted any blocks yet, but I will. I believe any quilt who loves appliqué whether a beginner or very experienced could learn from this book.

[Margo Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars for the instructional text and four stars for the pictures. I've looked through this book many times, fascinated by Bolton's style and artwork. I've been thinking about a project which would be perfect for this technique, so I read it. She has some really good tips at looking for inspiration and patterns for fabric pictures. She also has some templates so that you can replicate work in her style (which is cool because her style is fantastic). What I found lacking was the discussion of materials. She went into enough detail about fabrics, but I am not sure about threads. I think maybe she just uses sewing thread? Anyway, I thought reading the book would give me what I needed to know to attempt a big piece. But it seems as though I am going to have to take her advice and experiment a little on some smaller pieces first, because I don't quite understand how it all goes together. Her last chapter, showing a piece from beginning to end helped. I'll never be Janet Bolton, so my work won't have her beautiful whimsy and subtlety, but I am looking forward to using this book as a jumping off point. Her work is inspiring!

[Katherine Cowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patchwork Folk Art is truly about using fabric as art, to make what I would call "fabric paintings." In some ways, this is the exact opposite about the techniques I'm learning in my quilting class. The goal is not to make a perfectly uniform quilt with straight-edges off of a pattern. Instead, it's about putting pieces together into a very small final project (often 6 by 6 inches) and using hand applique (done in a traditional, folk style) to turn it into an art piece that could be hung on a wall or displayed in a gallery.

I love the photographs of the art throughout--almost all of the featured pieces are by Bolton, who had training in classical art but switched from paints to fabrics and has had her art displayed in museums all over the world. I'm not currently planning on making patchwork folk-inspired art, but if I ever am I'll come back to this book. It's filled with detailed instruction on technique and theory.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not very inspiring. I did not like her trying so hard to look like her quilts & banners were something made by someone 100 yrs or more ago.

Not my appealing to my asethitic palate.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just ok for me. I was hoping for more folk art that included household items and scenes.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the ideas in this book but think it would be lots easier, and faster, to use fusible web instead of tucking under seams. Inspiring though.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked her discussion of her technique, even though I'm not really a fan of her work.