Little Bits Quilting Bee: 20 Quilts Using Charm Squares, Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, and Fat Quarters

by Kathreen Ricketson, Robert Shugg (Illustrator), John Paul Urizar (Photographer)

“The colourful photographs, vibrant fabrics, and charming vintage-modern styling give this book a warm and inviting feel.” —Ellen Luckett Baker, author of 1, 2, 3 Sew   Sewing with pre-cut fabric packs is all the rage. It allows for endless creativity and makes it a cinch to stitch up lovely quilts without breaking the bank. Little Bits Quilting Bee features twenty projects for small fabric scraps and bundles including jelly rolls, charm squares, layer cakes, and fat quarters. From king-sized quilts to wall hangings, and more, this beautifully illustrated book has something for sewers of every skill level. To top it all off, author Kathreen Ricketson founder of the hugely popular craft site WhipUp.net offers expert shortcuts and step-by-step instructions.  “Kathreen has produced a book full of original, interesting and diverse designs that don’t look like pre-cuts at all.” —Sarah Fielke, bestselling author of The Collection  “Beautifully written and charmingly hand illustrated . . . Begins with a look at the community aspect of quilting, from quilting bees and swaps to guilds and charity quilts . . .  [The quilts] are fresh, fun, modern and inspiring. Put together but not too put together if you know what I mean.” —Aneela Hoey, author of Stitched Sewing Organizers  “Along with being super informative, if I had to use one adjective for the book, it would be cozy. There’s just something about the photography and the great hand drawn illustrations that make reading this book a comfy way to spend some time!” —Alissa Haight Carlton, author of Block Party—The Modern Quilting Bee

Genres: Quilting, Nonfiction, Crafts, Sewing, Adult

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2011

Reviews

[Tandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a technical manual for beginners, it's as the title suggests - bits n' pieces with pages and pages of inspiring quilting ideas and tips.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas in this. I read lots of these books and there is usually a design or two I like. Nothing here made it onto my serious short list.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book used because I enjoyed another one she wrote. I am struggling to read this one because the print is so small.

[Jeannine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a book of simple patterns for pre-cut fabrics (charms, layer cakes, jelly rolls, etc), and maybe not even patterns per se, but methods, for making improvised quilts. This book was not that book. The projects were only ok, not very intriguing. The first one looked to me like a light bulb quilt, but the accompanying blurb said it was a hot air balloon. Yikes!

The book is hardcover with a little envelope of, I guess, templates (I didn't look - most templates make me twitch). The book pages were matte and flat, and the photographs were - eh. Some photographs didn't even capture the entirety of the project - kind of like a cookbook with macro shots of celery shavings but not the entire dish.

I didn't really get anything out of this, but I suspect if you are brand new to quilting and haven't seen any other quilting books (see the two recent ones on my shelves) then this is as good as any other. I returned it to amazon.

(I may have to stop reviewing - my reviews this year are so crabby. Sorry about that).

[Polly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book about quilts with lots of tips and a few brief essays about community quilting. I've read a few resources about quilting, and Ricketson does a great job of explaining the basics of a quilt as well as the intricacies of some of the more difficult quilts in this book.

I like how the sections are defined by fabric size. Now I know the value of a jelly roll and a charm square!

The quilts are gorgeous and photograph well. I just wish, however, that images of the full quilts were included. To get the big picture, I am just given a rough sketch which does not do justice to her beautiful designs.

After the introduction, the book loses its "quilting bee" appeal. I had hoped to learn tips for a quiltalong to share with friends. So for that reason, I am giving this book a lower rating.

Cute projects worth noting: Rhombus, Dress Circle, and Prismatic.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

the best thing about this book was that it was similar in style to the debbie stoller stitch n' bitch books, with lots of history and overall info about the quilting community included, and lots of technical information right up front. some of the patterns were nice, many were too cutesy for my taste, but prob great for kids. i was surprised to see the lack of technical info in the specific patterns, the pictures were more model-y than helpful for construction, and the construction charts were hand drawn sketches. this might not bother some, but it made a beginner like me nervous!

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must buy for my collection book. Modern, great colors and designs, and wonderful instructions. Pleasing to the eye to read. Relaxing to read, too.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the patterns organized around different pre-cuts. Madly in love with the jelly roll patterns. Must make!

[Jkrontirislitowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Constructivist quilt on p. 199. It is an abstract wall hanging of a large triangle block.