Crazy Eights: Fun with 8-Pointed Stars

I took the class with Mary Sue Suit at the Naples Quilt Guild. It was fun and easy with Mary Sue there to demonstrate. We made beautiful Stars. I am a beginner quilter and would have found the directions a bit confusing if I had not seen it in person. Most quilters with some experience would probably love the short-cuts and hints Mary Sue had shown.

this book uses simple 45 degree triangles to make the eight-pointed stars. well, maybe not 'simple' in appearance, but simple in technique. there are a variety of strip piecing suggestions to vary the designs of the stars--the sampler quilt has 12 variations. several of the quilt designs are shown in more than one color scheme, which i always like. there are clever setting and border designs, some pieced, and these ideas could be used in other quilts, and their techniques are also simple to only moderately difficult. none of the techniques are wasteful of fabric, which is something i appreciate. i can waste enough fabric making mistakes, i don't need techniques that increase the waste--to the profit of the fabric manufacturers. a beginner could expand her skill level painlessly while producing dramatic quilts, and the intermediate or even advanced quilter could find some useful techniques and ideas. this is primarily a book on piecing--the quilting and finishing instructions are minimal. the author writes enjoyably, and has some good, common-sense tips and suggestions. one very sensible suggestion concerned ironing--the author, through experience, came to the conclusion that steam pressing or dry pressing can depend on your climate. i would recommend this book to any quilter.