Quilted Memories: Journaling, Scrapbooking & Creating Keepsakes with Fabric

I love to sew, collage, journal and have many books on all of these art forms. Lesley Riley's Quilted Memories is unique in this genre because she has gone a very important step beyond the instruction of techniques and examines the use of good design. There are many technique books out today, but this one is inspirational and reminds us to consider "how" elements work together. Then the techniques are examined and the projects are showcased. A great book. Donna

I do not even own a sewing machine, but this book still jump started my creativity in ways I never expected. Lesley offers guidance for creativity blocks and how to get around "never having enough time for art" tips that really work! The instructions are clear and the photographs are beautiful! This book has a permanent place on my night stand so I can look at it again and again! - claudine hellmuth author, Collage Discovery Workshop and Collage Discovery Workshop:Beyond the Unexpected

I started out being a doll artist and I have moved on to mixed media. Whether you are a scrapbooker, altered book artist or a dollmaker, you will find something in Leslie's book that will help you to become more creative in your art form. Leslie not only writes from her heart, she writes from her experiences. Out of all the books I have on quilting, dollmaking and other forms of fiber art, I will treasure Quilted Memories over and above them all. Leslie allows the reader to experiment safely and without fear of doing something wrong in their quests to be unique. The beginning of the book describes in great detail how an artist creates and then an in depth study of color follows. The instructions are easy to understand and the pictures help tremendously. I spend many precious moments reading this book and am excited about trying to incorporate these techniques in my dolls, altered books and wallhangings.

I received my copy of Quilting Memories and promptly read through it about three times by the next morning! It's a really nice balance of techniques, thought-provoking discussion, and inspiring samples of artwork. Although I have a lot of books in my 'library' and knew many of the techniques already, I still found that it had alot to offer. Actually, I came away so inspired by it that I was able to overcome some obstacles and complete a project that had been hounding me for weeks. I defy anyone to read through this and not want to run into their studio and create something with fabric! I particulary enjoyed the parts about 'storytelling' and developing your personal style--and the discussion about composition as well. For the newcomer, there are also detailed instructions on different techniques, including transferring photos to fabric--something that Lesley is now well-known for. I also enjoyed the gallery artwork that makes up the second half of the book, with favorites like Claudine Hellmuth, Karen Michel, Rayna Gillman, Lynne Perella, Lisa Engelbrecht...the list goes on! What I liked was that Lesley chose a diverse group of artists, some of whom we don't necessarily associate with fabric. So it was interesting to see how they expressed themselves in this medium, and to hear some of the thought processes that went into the work. I think this book would appeal to both the experienced and the novice alike. And I would highly recommend it to anyone who is considering venturing into fabric, but hasn't quite taken the leap. In her friendly, open manner, Lesley has taken the fear out of fabric--and shown us that it can play a major role in our artwork!

I was a quilter before I was a scrapbooker and I have longed to mix the two. Lesley Riley has written the perfect book to combine my two loves. The colorful magic that she weaves between the covers of this book is everything I hoped it would be and more. There are so many amazing techniques to try and create my own unique personal style, that I can't wait to get started. However, just holding this beautiful book in my hands and turning the gorgeous pages makes me happy enough. Soon, the magic will leave the pages of this book and fill me with inspiration to create my own Quilted Memories. You will NOT be disappointed with this amazing and inspiring book!