Inspirational Applique

Inspirational Applique: Reflections of Faith, Hope, and Love
By Cheryl Almgren Taylor
Gifted by Martingale & Company
martingale-pub.com
Reviewed by Jessica Nichols, Editor of FaveQuilts.com

Inspirational Applique: Reflections of Faith, Hope, and Love by Cheryl Almgren Taylor is a beautiful quilting and applique book with 11 quilt patterns that express both your love of quilting and your faith. Religious and nonreligious quilters alike will appreciate the inspiring and attractive quilts in this collection. A Bible verse provides the theme for every pattern, giving each quilt profound spiritual meaning.

The quilts in Inspirational Applique are full of symbolic motifs that allude to Bible stories and individual verses that hold religious and spiritual significance. While the Bible verses behind each design impart the quilts with lovely meanings, the underlying message is not immediately apparent. If you especially love the Bible verses paired with a quilt pattern, we suggest embroidering or quilting it somewhere on the quilt to let everyone know how special it is to you. If not, you can simply enjoy the quilt pattern for its beautiful appliques. Birds, flowers, fruit, and animals adorn these gorgeous quilt patterns, accented by simple piecework and quilting.

Each of the 11 quilt patterns in Inspirational Applique includes a full-color photo of the finished project, a materials list, step-by-step instructions, and colored diagrams to help you put the quilt together properly. Full-size, shaded applique templates are provided for each quilt as well, so you won't have to do any resizing or guesswork. The book ends with a section of Quiltmaking Basics as a refresher for any quilters who may be unfamiliar with some of the techniques used in the book.

The patterns of Inspirational Applique are all designed for home decor and include table toppers, wall hangings, and pillows. They are separated into Old Testament and New Testament depending on where the stories and verses that inspired them are located in the Bible. The We Are His Sheep Wall Hanging, from the Old Testament section, is especially adorable for a baby's room and carries a comforting message. This section of the book also contains the As for Me and My House Wall Hanging, which is a great quilt to make for a foyer or living room. The wall hanging proclaims your faith and devotion to everyone who visits your home. In the New Testament section, Taylor has included many more quilt projects inspired by Scripture. Her Daily Bread Wall Hanging and her Daily Bread Table Runner are the perfect decorations for a kitchen. It will remind the whole family to be thankful for everything God has provided for them. The I Am the Vine Table Topper, covered in beautiful bunches of grapes, is also a choice for the kitchen that is both meaningful and stylish!