Red Hats & the Women Who Wear Them
Foreword by Exalted Queen Mother Sue Ellen Cooper

128 pages
ISBN: 1-57990-994-9
ISBN 13: 9781579909949
$14.95 US
$19.95 Canadian
Paperback
8 7/8" x 8 7/8"

A fun and vibrant celebration of red hats and the women who wear them. On festive display here are some of the most amazing, unique, elegant, and just plain wacky works of millinery art ever designed since the first red hat was donned in 1997. Best of all, the models showing off the impressive headgear are the very inspirational ladies who created them. These women happily offer colorful commentary on their handiwork, from information on the hats’ construction to anecdotes about the reactions they evoke. Irresistible, proud Red Hat hattitude shines through in chapters such as Hoity Toity Crowning Glories, Mad Hatter Tea-Time Toppers, Blooming Brims, and, best of all, Over-the-Top Hats.

An introduction by Founder and Exalted Queen Mother Sue Ellen Cooper (author of the bestselling Fun and Friendship After Fifty) focuses on the history of the hat, fun hat facts, and the basics of embellishing a hat.

Embellished Mini-Quilts
Creative Little Works of Art
Jamie Fingal

128 pages
ISBN: 1-60059-104-3
ISBN 13: 9781600591044
$24.95 US
$29.95 Canadian
Hardcover with Jacket
8 1/2" x 10"

The quilts may be small, but the design innovations are BIG! Each one of these mini-quilts measures less than 36" long by 36" wide, and features the most creative, detailed, and beautiful embellishments you’ve ever seen. Created by top-name quilters, and with spectacular images by an acclaimed quilt photographer, they showcase both traditional and contemporary techniques for personalizing your work: the quilts are adorned with beads and buttons, sequins and jewels, metallic cording, foil stamping, wire, photo transfers, fabric painting, seashells, and Crackerjack prizes, as well as lovely ribbons, lace, and embroidery. Many of the projects have appeared in gallery collections, and the designers provide detailed instructions and materials lists so quilters can easily replicate the embellishments on their own pieces of art.

 

Collaborative Quilting
Freddy Moran & Gwen Marston

256 pages
ISBN: 1-4027-3043-8
ISBN 13: 9781402730436
$19.95 US
$25.95 Canadian
Paper with flaps
8 1/2" x 11"

A bold and unconventional tribute to artistic collaboration by two internationally recognized, award-winning authors. Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston have made beautiful quilts together despite their physical distance from each other — the stunning photos of their many creations prove it. They reveal the secrets of their success, including how to bridge style differences and use each person’s strengths to best advantage. Freddy, an expert in color, discusses her specialty, while Gwen talks about design principles. In addition, each artist offers ten personal tips and structured and unstructured projects to try, as well as ideas for putting them all together. A gorgeous gallery of quilts is sure to inspire needleworkers to combine forces.

A Selection of the Crafters Choice Book Club.

Make It in Minutes: Felt Accessories
Taylor Hagerty

128 pages
ISBN: 1-60059-127-2
ISBN 13: 9781600591273
$12.95 US
$14.95 Canadian
Concealed Spiral-Bound Hardcover
6" x 9"

Lovely and vibrant, embroidered felted wool is the perfect material for delightful, durable accessories. Each of these small projects can be made using readily available felted wool sheets, but more ambitious crafters will find a handy primer on creating and dyeing felt from scratch. (There’s even a shortcut for shrinking an old knitted item into “fast felt.”) Explore a simple guide to fundamental embroidery stitches, including beading techniques. Lovely watercolors illustrate each stitch. Forty projects range from a change purse and cell phone cover to a pincushion, needle holder, and sewing kit.

 

Photo Album Quilts
Wendy Butler Berns

128 pages
ISBN: 1-60059-189-2
ISBN 13: 9781600591891
$24.95 US
$29.95 Canadian
Hardcover with Jacket
8 1/2" x 10"

What do quilting and photography have in common? Both are time-honored ways of preserving cherished memories — and they both come together in a very special one-of-a-kind volume. Written by popular quilt designer Wendy Butler Berns, it shows how to incorporate your most precious pictures, from beloved snapshots of ancestors to children’s artwork, into a unique quilt. Anyone, from beginners to confident, experienced quilters can master the creative techniques, which include creating a line-drawn template from the enlarged original image, breaking down the dark and light tones, choosing the fabrics for each piece of the design, then reassembling and appliquéing the image onto a backing. The 25 quilts are all perfect for hangings, and each is shown with the photo that inspired it.