The Quilter's Negative Space Handbook: Step-by-Step Design Instruction and 8 Modern Projects

by Sylvia Schaefer

Break down the process of modern quilt design with a scientific approach to design principles. Applying the concept of negative space in 8 key ways, you'll start with traditional blocks or quilts and transform them into modern masterpieces, step -by -step. Each chapter teaches skills, such as removing elements or disintegration, with a quilt project for each technique! Complete with tips on piecing, choosing fabrics, and machine quilting for an artistic finish, this book has something for every quilter.

Genres: Quilting, Crafts, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

Published February 25, 2019

About the author

Sylvia Schaefer is an author, pattern designer and award-winning quilter. She holds a PhD in marine science, and her background in science often inspires her quilt designs, both directly and indirectly. Her quilts and patterns have been published in magazines both online and in print, and her work has been exhibited and won awards regionally and nationally, including ribbons at Pacific International Quilt Festival, the American Quilter’s Society show in Paducah, and MQX, among others. In 2017, she was awarded the second annual Craftsy Quilt Designer Fellowship, allowing her to start her own line of printed patterns sold in quilt shops around the world. She has also appeared on camera in Fresh Quilting and Patchwork Nation. Her first book, The Quilter’s Negative Space Handbook, is a guide to designing modern quilts using traditional quilt blocks. See more of her work on her blog.

Reviews

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling book!
I had to look at her web site flyingparrotquilts.com. She has a PhD in marine science, so many of her quilts are based on science.
What I like about the concept of negative space in quilts is that instead of a bunch of identical blocks all lined up, you can spread them out or put them in clumps- so you can really see and enjoy them.
Sylvia takes you step by step and shows how to go from a traditional quilt, step by step, to make it a quilt with more open space.
Her web site has patterns for the quilts in the book. Intriguing!

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first saw Sylvia Schaefer on a YouTube tutorial and I loved her quilts! They were inovative, balanced, and had lots of open space for the eye to roam. My second thought upon seeing Sylvia's quilts was, "There's no way I can design a quilt like that."

Although I am fairly new to quilting, I enjoy the design process the most. And now Sylvia has presented this lovely book full of detailed instruction in designing my own modern quilt - one that I know will appeal to me.

If you understand the basics of quilting, this book is for you.

There are also eight detailed projects (quilts) utilizing her concepts. So do yourself a favor and buy this book.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quilting book is an excellent resource for my current self-designed quilt. Many techniques I had done the same and much of the instruction complied with my thinking. The quilting book I have gained the most from in a year.

[Barbette Tohline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jumpstart your creative juices

Purchased the "e" version since my interest is in process, not duplicating projects, and this format is perfect for me. I have never tried making a modern style quilt, but am fascinated by some that I have seen in recent years, and this book uses as teaching tools many designs that appeal to me. I much prefer doing all my needlework by hand and more and more frequently in recent years find myself including embroidery (and hope to also try big stitch quilting). That said, there is much that inspires me in this book and I can see myself sitting for hours playing with the possibilities. I might even be able to try some of the suggestions provided with applique. For those who are looking for projects to copy, there is one provided at the end of each of the "design play" chapters (9, I think).

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of things to think about modern quilting that are hard for someone who is either self taught or who comes from a traditional quilting background to wrap their heads around.
Negative space is something that people who come from a art background have experience with, but not so much for me, and the concepts of how to think about it in a quilt, what the advantages are, what elements to incorporate, when is it too little, when is it too much and how to get the right balance are all concepts that I am working on being more informed about. My thinking is still expanding and this book helped a lot. It explains and demonstrates these concepts in ways that I can understand and follow--I initially got it out of the library but there was so much in it that I wanted to go back to that I bought it from a used book store.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great explanation of simple design principles to create interesting, modern-looking quilts by creating breathing room via negative space. Lots of inspiration that can be applied to many different blocks.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on designing modern quilts. It got my creative juices flowing.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool ideas, probably too hard for me!

[Amberwench · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent examples of using color in addition to block style for visual movement. While the practice is that same as Grandmas, the result is decidedly modern!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Variety of layouts and patters with clear explanations and photos. Would recommend this book.

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very unique and interesting ideas to be more creative, for those that want to design their own.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the idea of modernizing traditional patterns. Removing borders (which I often do), but also removing blocks to add negative space, or cutting off a main focal point block and having it “hang/continue” off the quilt. More of a perspective I would use in sighting a photograph for an interesting POV.