Book Review: Material Obesession
Book Review from Judy L.
This book is still available on line, along with many others by these authors.
I received this book for my birthday in 2010. My lady/house quilt was inspired by the pattern called ‘The Burbs’ in this book. The pattern is called a ‘recipe’, and you are encouraged to ‘let yourself go!’ They wrote: Don’t ‘worry about measuring’. It’s hard to stop oneself, when you always use a ruler, and tend to plan quilts, but it was freeing. It was also hard to make crooked houses, like they suggested. When putting the flowers on they wrote, ‘Put them in place when you are happy.’ I enjoyed the writing style, and found the directions clear and easy to follow. Their website/blog is equally interesting: www.materialobsession.com
And here is a bit about Judy L. herself:
How long have you been sewing/quilting?
I could say that I started sewing when I was 3 years old. I had picked out the inside seam of my yellow rompers, and my mother made me sew them back up. I sewed my dolls clothes by hand, and when I was 6, I sewed an apron for my aunt all by hand. When I was 12, I sewed myself a top by hand. That’s when my mother finally allowed me to use her sewing machine. I sewed most of my clothes for many years. Then I discovered quilting…
In 1990, I decided to make a quilt similar to one that is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. It is 84 inches square, and took about 13 years to quilt by hand. I entered it into the Saanich Fair, and won 1st prize for 1st quilt category. Since then, I’ve made about one quilt per year.
Favourite quilt you’ve made?
My favourite quilt is my log cabin quilt in the warm browns, yellows & greens of fall, and pinkish red for the centres. Each fabric reminds me of nature.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on a quilt for my father. The pattern reminds me of a mosaic floor, to which I added a twist. The black and white 8-pointed stars have bright coloured fish swimming through them. The surrounding fabric is in pale blue, brown, yellow and green with a splash of colour in places.
I’m also working on a machine appliquéd quilt for a friend that we designed together. It’s lap-sized, and is covered in realistic cats, flowers and birds. I discovered that if you can take a picture of it, you can cut the image up into fabric shapes. There’s no end to possibilities.
I’m also crazy quilting a large bag, which I’ve shown at a meeting. It’s a lot of fun using beads, parts of old necklaces, embroidery, ribbon embroidery, and buttons.
I made 2 quilts out of the blocks that I’d won. I hope to have the binding on before the next meeting.
Thanks Judy for the book review!