Out of the Box with Easy Blocks: Fun with Free-Form Piecing

Out of the Box with Easy Blocks: Fun with Free-Form Piecing
By Mary Lou Weidman and Melanie Bautista McFarland
Gifted by Martingale & Co.
www.ShopMartingale.com
Reviewed by Jessica Nichols, Editor of FaveQuilts.com

Forget the precise measurements and exact geometry of traditional patchwork; it's time to have fun with your quilting! Out of the Box with Easy Blocks: Fun with Free-Form Piecing will show you how to create whimsical blocks that you would have never dreamed you could make with piecework. This book caters to quilters who love the playful pictures you can create with applique but prefer piecework as a method for making quilt tops.

Out of the Box with Easy Blocks encourages quilters to come out of their comfort zones and get creative with their quilts. Instead of giving you a set of quilt patterns that require you to follow the instructions exactly to create the quilts shown in the book, Out of the Box with Easy Blocks provides a method of piecing blocks to create any pictures or shapes you can dream up. This method gives you the freedom to design your own quilts and have fun doing it. Instead of focusing on perfection, this book lets you experiment with quilting and design until you have a quilt block or top that makes you smile.

Out of the Box with Easy Blocks includes directions for piecing free-form blocks, as well as 13 block patterns and 7 quilt patterns that you can use for inspiration and guidance. Although this book does include patterns, they are meant more as starting points for your own quilting adventures than as instructions to make specific quilts. You can feel free to adapt the blocks and quilts in this book however you like. Change the shapes, adjust the angles, and play with the colors to create your own unique quilts that express your creativity.