East-Meets-West Quilts

Book excerpt: Fourteen simple projects: “Readers will be awestruck by the brilliant designs and . . . sidebars on famous stitcher Ayako Miyawaki, yukata cottons, and more.” —Booklist (starred review) Improv quilting—in which quilt designs emerge organi­cally as fabric is cut and stitched—is easy, popular, and fun. In this book, expert quilter Patricia Belyea offers improv instruction and shares her appealing Quilt Manifesto of five simple rules. While providing quilters with a starting point, the fifth rule of the Manifesto, “Break any rule you like,” opens the door to creative freedom. (However, the solid instructions allow even the rule-breakers to create beautiful quilts on the first try!) Fourteen projects combine authentic Japanese yukata cottons and contemporary fabrics; each is finished with bold hand-stitching. The quilt-making process is presented in detail, and each quilt shows the irresistible wabi-sabi influence of Japanese design. “With fresh designs and useful directions, Belyea's book is both practical and aspirational.” —Publishers Weekly