The It's Okay If You Sit on My Quilt Book

Mary Ellen implies in the title that she wants you to experience your quilt, snuggle up in, carry it in the car, use it! Certainly she doesn't mind if you do make the heirloom type quilt that is gazed upon for enjoyment, untouched. No hand piecing or hand quilting for her, get that machine out and put the pedal to the metal. One amazing discovery you will have is that her quilts look great ... even on the seamed side (especially in the Connecting Up book,which I'll try to review that later). On paging through Mary Ellen's book you would not believe what a wealth of information those thin covers contain. Many chapter members take their books to a place such as Kinko's and have it punched with three holes to fit a binder and make it even more practical. This book can truly bring out the design artist in a person. If you live in an area as I do that is fortunate to have a chapter of "It's OK If You Sit On My Quilt", you not only delve into her philosophy, you will have a leader who has trained with Mary Ellen and you get special patterns and "secrets" that outsiders miss! Best yet,go to one of Mary Ellen's weekend seminars, you will congratulate yourself for the rest of our quilting years for being so smart. Mary Ellen's sense of humor is a match with her quilting talent! It is almost magical the way she has developed what appear to be simple quilt blocks, to nearly unending design possiblities. I hope you will not just get her book and look at it, you need to read and try some of the exercises she recommends, you will be so glad you did.

Highly, highly recommended for any beginning quilter, or for the quilter who is about to create her own designs but still wants a little 'assistance'. Makes the whole process easy to understand with a lot of humor and even more common sense. I return to this book time after time and recommend it to all of my students.

Page after page of simple-to-make quilt blocks based on strips, squares and right triangles (half squares). Strong, graphic patterns would look equally great in contemporary or country interiors; many would also adapt well to garments. Not a lot wasted on basic instruction (if you need that, look elsewhere) but plenty of inspiration. Shows you how to use graph paper to develop your own ideas and design variations.

Whether you are beginning your first project or have a house of fabric, Ms. Hopkins shows you how to simplify your geometry and create visually exciting quilts with minimal brain exertion. I have created several quilts that appear very intricate, but were constucted with ease following the techniques presented (from bow ties and rails to quick snowballs, etc.). I have created over 50 quilts, but I return to this techinques again and again: This is becoming my Bible for ideas! I cannot recommend it enough!

This is a classic. For anyone who loves to piece quilts, this book is a must. It contains patterns and instructions for hundreds of quilt squares, some historic, some contemporary, and in a variety of sizes and configurations. Let your mind wander as you design 2,3, or 4 block combination quilts.... I can stare at this book for hours! Hopkins has lots of good ideas, but some of her instructions leave a bit to be desired and lack the clarity that a beginner needs. But for the experienced quilter who can make half-squares in her sleep, this books is just the beginning of stunning quilts. I have often taken part of her idea and made my own designs from ideas gleaned from this wonderful book.