The Second Quiltmaker's Handbook: Creative Approaches to Contemporary Quilt Design

by Michael James

Highly articulate workbook demonstrates time-saving techniques for creating beautiful works of folk art. Tips on designing a quilt, selecting colors, constructing the curved seam, suggestions for creating new images, and more. Scores of diagrams, illustrations complement instructions. 40 full-color plates display dazzling examples of the quilterâ s art.

Genres: Quilting

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1981

About the author

Michael Francis James (born 30 June 1949) is an American artist, educator, author, and lecturer. He is best known as a leader of the art quilt movement that began in the 1970s and is currently the Chair and Ardis James Professor of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Erika Mulvenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where the first volume of The Quiltmaker's Handbook is more how-to information, this volume is more about the designing aspects of "Contemporary Quilting." The author applies basic 2-D design principals to quilting, quilt blocks, overall quilt layout, and gives instructions for design assignments to explore shapes and repeat pattern. Also includes a nice chapter on basic color theory as applied to fabrics and quilting. Although the designs are outdated and funky, this is still a pretty great read if you are interested in applying basic design principles to quilting.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fascinating look back to quilting in 1981 by one of the people of the quilting revival period, Michael James.
Their tools were very primitive compared to the quilting tools of today! One advantage to this was that the designs developed slowly, with the manipulation of paper pieces and paste ups of designs.
This book was good for my brain!
Thinking back to 1981, I was busy with a career and a 1 year old, and was totally oblivious to this revival. I only started to learn about all this "quilting business" in 2014, so have had a lot of catching up to do.
It's kind of like binge watching a backlog of shows on TV. I have all these quilting books to read and read and read!! You can't stop with just one :)

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super helpful book. This is truly a workbook and gives you a great start to rethinking traditional quilts.