Monday, July 23, 2012

Jane Sassaman's new book gives you recipes for quilt fun and success!





Award-winning designer Jane Sassaman just introduced a new book entitled Patchwork Sassaman Style, Recipes for Dazzling Quilts. She shares with you 20 ‘recipes’ of different techniques to make beautiful quilts that look complex but are truly very simple in origin. This new book is available now at your local retailer. 

Jane, who designs fabric for FreeSpirit, is excited to share with you beautiful quilting ideas for her yummy fabrics.  In true Jane fashion, she uses basic blocks and minimal piecing, sharing with you her innovative process of selecting and combining colors and prints. Everybody—from beginning stitcher to advanced quilter—can create dazzling quilt designs. She offers her true recipe for quilting success.
According to Jane, "Designing the fabric is only half the fun. Sharing with you my 'recipes' for easily turning fabric into quilts for you and your family and friends to enjoy makes my heart smile.  I love sharing the fabric's potential with all of you!"

Do you have a quilt recipe you would like to share? It is a particular way you combine fabrics, a favorite quilt pattern or maybe one of Jane's patterns. Post you comments here by July 25 and we will randomly select two commentators to win Jane's new book and perhaps a bit of fabric too.  Get in on the fun and share you best quilt recipe now!




63 comments:

  1. My recipe is to use a lot of different fabrics. Jane's big designs are such that I don't need as many fabrics. Hey, I want to win this book as I would love to know what she thinks after the fabric is designed.

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  2. Vary textures and scale of prints, add something a little unexpected in color.

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  3. I love strong colors and buy fabric instinctively with no particular project in mind. The majority of my stash is Westminister/FreeSpirit so when I make a quilt - everything just works! All I have to add is just a sprinkle of neutral to give the eye a place to rest.

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  4. I don't have any secrets as I am rather new to quilting but a life long sewer. I guess I could say that you just keep giving it your best effort and finding ways to repose (recycle) the practice that you aren't happy about the way it looks. I would love to learn more with this book.

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  5. I find. Designer I like and make several of her patterns.

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  6. I like to use simple shapes with bright prints, usually squares, with lots of batiks to pick up the colors. I know I would love Jane's book for more ideas.

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  7. The first thing I do when planing a quilt is to focus on who and/or what it is for. What I make for a grandchild vs an adult = very different quilts. I then take into account preferences of color. From there I choose a focus fabric I love (If I don't love it, I won't use it) to inspire the rest. I love to add a surprise color to the mix - the unexpected! From there I draw from my stash and lay the fabrics out. THEN I choose the pattern. For me, the fabrics tell me what to do. I'm not into matchy-matchy, but love a spectrum of related colors. It rarely bothers me if I don't have enough of a certain fabric. It just means I get to try to make something else work with what I have. The more fabrics the merrier! I play for a long time before I actually cut pieces and even then I play with the cut pieces. Electric Quilt helps but there's nothing like the real fabric in my hands. Construction of the 1st block goes the slowest but once I know the blocks, it goes much faster. LOVE to quilt!

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  8. Olá,gosto de fazer colchas,mas eu amo Hexágonos ,então combino as duas coisa fazendo blocos que normalmente seriam feitos na máquina,para a tecnica de papel ingles,fica muito bonito e é legal de fazer,alguns são desafiadores.Gostaria de ter este livro para ter mais um desafio.Obrigada.
    tiacarminhapezzuto@gmail.com

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  9. I have a lot of Jane's fabrics and love them. Would be great to have the book to go along with them! With large motif fabrics I sometimes cut out the motifs to use as appliques. Thanks for counting me in!

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  10. Currently my favorite quilt pattern is Spiral Burst Bargello designed by Becky Botello. I love the clever way she uses strip piecing to get the most use out of the fabric, while adding depth, movement, and complexity to the pattern. One of the very few patterns I have purchased that I plan to use more than once.

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  11. Well, you see, that's the problem. I don't have a "quilt recipe"....I find a fabric then have to hunt for a pattern that will accommodate it. That's why I need to win this beautiful book! Connie in California

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  12. My quilt recipe is to share the fun with your friends! We share, compare,& bounce ideas off each other. Makes each piece a blast!

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  13. Harriette T. The first ingredient in my recipe for a great quilt is to be passionate about the subject matter/design. Then I pick delicious colors (the more, the better). Rework parts that don't please me. Believe in my instincts. Use what I have, be clever in solving problems. Hopefully end up with beautiful art.

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  14. I still consider myself really new to quilting. i like to view as many recipes as I can and I like to use them to inspire my quilts. I am still trying to decide if it is better to have the fabric before the recipe or not??? So many beautiful fabrics!!!

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  15. I love the large prints so my pattern collection is mostly those that show off these fabrics well and applique patterns. I also tend not to use only one line in my quilts, half the fun/challenge is searching for the perfect fabrics. I can't wait to have Jane's book in hand.

    P.S. More fabric stores need to carry Jane's fabrics!

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  16. I would LOVE a chance to win the book and some of Jane's fabrics.

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  17. I cut scrap fabric into 2 1/2" squares & then make 99-patches. Especially when I am in between projects. The 9-patches are then quick to set up with alternate squares of a fun fabric, add a border and a baby quilt is born.

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  18. I like one big bold print, a few smaller coordinating prints, some solids in coordinating color then one that just gives negative space (black or white.)

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  19. One of my favorite ways to use large scale prints is with the "BQ" patterns. They work well for prints as well as blocks.
    One of my other favorite patterns is the "warm wishes" from Quilter's Newsletter, or quiltmaker (can't remember exactly which one!), which would also work well with fabrics like Janes.

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  20. I like to take classes to learn techniques...some favorite teachers: Laura Wasilowski, Jane Sassaman, Katie PM, Jean Wells, and Valerie Wells. Then you try to come up with a quilt of your own to justify the class. Thanks for the opportunity to blog hop and possibly win the new book by Jane.

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  21. I take a class to learn new techniques. Some of my favorite teachers: Laura Wasilowski, Jane Sassaman, Katie PM, Jean Wells, and Valerie Wells. Then make a your own quilt to justify the class...I never was very good at following directions "exactly," so the quilts are really mine.

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  22. I love sewing, but the quilt thing is still fairly new to me. I've made 5 so far, and I'm finally feeling comfortable with it, and ready to advance to more complicated "blocks" and the building of them, rather than just simple squares. Although you can't go wrong with the simple beauty of a simple square, can you. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win the book. Sounds like it could be a real inspiration for me to continue on with something more challenging.
    tilleybl@aol.com

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  23. My current fun recipe is to pull colors from one source of inspiration, but use many different fabrics. I'm making a quilt inspired by an amaryllis that I grew this spring. The colors are lime green, cream and cherry red. So I've got a red & green quilt that is decidedly NOT for Christmas.

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  24. I feel like I am just learning to cook. I can now boil water, but it is time to advance to adding the ingredients. I am just beginning to experiment with vibrant colors and large scale prints. I have the ingredients in stock, now it is time to have the courage to mix them together!

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  25. My recipe is contrast, contrast, contrast. A shame to go to all that work cutting up and sewing together if you can't even tell :)

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  26. I love bright colors in my quilts. I'd love to look through Jane's new book to get more ideas.

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  27. I love bright colors. Would love to check Jane's new book out to get her ideas.

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  28. I like big prints with big shapes and then mix with solids that are inticate. I would love jane's new book.

    Pete

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  29. I have just discovered what all the "buzz" is over this book and Jane's fabric and techniques. Hope to win the book so I can investigate further!

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  30. You know, I think the best recipe for quilty success is picking a focal fabric that just screams "Pick me! Pick me!" and draws your eye right to it. From there you can have fun and mix and match coordinates. But find that focal fabric that you truly love, and the rest simply falls into place.

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  31. My best recipe for quilty success is to find a focal fabrics that just screams "Pick me! Pick me!" If it's a fabric you truly love, then selecting complimentary and contrasting coordinates will be easy and the project will fall into place. Just get that focal fabric right, and the rest is magic!

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  32. Such fabulous colors and patterns in her book! I am a beginner and choose fabrics and projects by instinct. I'd love to see how to use such bold prints!

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  33. Made a comment that did not show up for some reason... but my recipe is scrappy. I love to mix colors, print scales, value. Jane's bold prints are often in the mix.

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  34. My recipe is to slow down. I take my time, sew a sample block, let the quilt organically take shape.

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  35. I am just a sucker for patchwork and love bright, vibrant colors!

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  36. I don't think I have a fabric recipe. I just use what I like most times.
    thanks for a chance to win Jane's book.

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  37. Add in a color you think doesn't really go.

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  38. I love florals and patterns that use large scale prints. I love your fabrics lines and would love a copy of Jane's book.

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  39. I've never made a quilt before. But, I've been reading a few blogs and signed up for Crafty Block a Month, so I'm thinking about giving it a try.

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  40. My quilt recipe: once I've selected fabrics, ask my mother to give it a "taste test." I live with the Julia Childs of quilting. My mother is one of those quilters who has a great sense of color and more than 65 years of quilting expertise.

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  41. I love the look of Jane's fabrics and quilts. Thanks for the chance to win a book!

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  42. I love the concept of kaleidoscope in quilting. Brilliant!

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  43. I am fairly new to quilting so don't really have any secrets. When it comes to fabrics I think that choosing one line of fabric is the easiest as you know that everything will work together.

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  44. My recipe is artsy. Think traditional with an outside the box twist. Mixing it up is always interesting! Thanks for a great giveaway, I love Jane's book. :)

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  45. No, I don't have a recipe to share; I'm not the best of cooks, I mean, quilters! I NEED Jane's recipes. This blog has opened my eyes to wonderful appetizers and now I just need the entree! :)

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  46. My recipe for choosing fabrics: day light, a lot of room at the floor and a very patient husband + a little help from my daughter (aged 4 - she loves selecting fabrics! Sometimes she distracts me, but anyway I love how she helps me).

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  47. I have started to save left-overs from quilts and bring them together for something new and scrappy! I now try not to be as well-matched, but a bit more daring, in putting together a bit more unexpected fabric. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  48. No big secrets/recipes to share but would love to win this book to increase my knowledge; thanks for the chance! (EMAIL: marshudson at comcast dot net)

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  49. I have been trying to use more color and vary the scale of prints I use. I try not to rely on the same patterns, and throw in a color I wouldn't normally use. I figure that is the best way for me to "grow" as a quilter. Thanks for the chance to win Jane's book!!

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  50. I always begin with grand ideas and plenty of inspiration but then have to tone things down a bit to match my skill level - dang!
    For example, I made a quilt using jane's fabrics, BUT....ended up cutting them in to small pieces just so I could actually accomplish the project without a ton of help. I do feel like I certainly didn't do justice to the fabrics, but at least I used them and didn't sit on them!

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  51. I usually start with a blast of inspiration and then have to tone it all down a bit to match my skill level! I bet I could really learn some great techniques with jane's book. ...and her fabrics...oh my.....

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  52. A recipe that was given to me by a good quilting friend is to always use a little bit of red in every scrappy quilt-- and I think she's right. The red always seems to make the pattern "POP"! :-) Thank you so much for the chance to win!

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  53. I am still new enough that I am trying different patterns and figuring out how to mix colors and patterns. It is so much fun. Fabrics today are just amazing.

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  54. I like to use a lot of negative space in my quilt. Gives the eye somewhere to rest! Especially when using a lot of prints.

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  55. I don't have a recipe - each of my quilts are quite different. But for a quick quilt, bright charm squares sashed with a neutral solid.

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  56. No recipe...depends upon the inspiration. I'm drawn to greens, blues and purples, but keep trying to expand my palette.

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  57. what a great opportunity to win a wonderful book. krisy

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  58. it's a thrill to see such vibrancy and designs...eyecandy.kristy i'd love to win the book

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  59. Chop up lots of fabric,
    Stir in all kinds of color,
    Add a dash of white.

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  60. I love to mix modern fabrics with traditional patterns!
    Thanks for the give-away-
    Deb
    dr392809@gmail.com

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  61. Look at the fabrics in different lights in the room where it will be displayed. The colors may look different once you get them home from the store. I like to make quilts with small pieces. Recently I've gotten hooked on applique so I prefer small prints or tone on tone.

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  62. Nope, no recipe; I just see something I love and buy it. I tend to buy a lot of prints, and it's surprising how many of my fabrics end up coordinating with each other!

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