Description
A MUST HAVE for every machine quilter. At last, a detailed road map to skilled machine quilting, written by one of the top quilters in the field. Distinguished quilter Diane Gaudynski serves up a practical new approach to quilting by machine. Based on her popular machine quilting series in American Quilter magazine, this book gives readers the ins and outs of creating a design that instantly improves accuracy and fluidity of line. This international prize-winning quilter, author, lecturer, and teacher debunks six common myths about machine quilting. Holding nothing back, Diane includes techniques for several charming unmarked free-hand, free-motion designs, such as 'headbands,' 'bananas,' 'Dianeshiko,' spirals, leaves, fronds, and clamshells. Quilters will especially enjoy the author's detailed description of echo quilting and echo-quilted feathers. Diane states her goal is to add to the quilter's knowledge of machine-quilting skills and solve some common problems. She says, 'Dispelling some myths, learning some simple aids and techniques, and tackling the job in an organized and informed way will allow you to master this most basic of machine tasks.'
Reviews
If you can only afford one "machine quilting" guide book, then let it be this one. Author takes you through every step of machine quilting. A must read BEFORE you quilt that top! Great for the beginner and experienced quilter as well. Tips and techniques throughout; Diane leaves nothing to question. Read about "plowing through a brick wall" or why you get "bird's nest" under your stitching...-A. Spragg
Reader Reviews
Quilt Savvy - 04/16/2009
Reviewer: Amy Horsfall from North Carolina
This wonderful book is full of details to help you get started machine quilting. I like the spiral spine which helps keep book open when using it at the machine.
The best part of the book though, are the gorgeous detailed pictures of the quilts that the author has made. They are so detailed and exquisite. Lots of fun to just enjoy them.
Review Quilt Savvy: Gaudynski's Machine Quilting Guidebook - 05/24/2007
Reviewer: Anonymous from Newport, VA, US
Perfect your machine quilting skills with this informative handbook from expert machine quilter Diane Gaudynski. Diane walks you step-by-step through preparing your quilt, selecting the right thread, and setting up your machine. She then moves on to discuss a number of designs including echo quilting, feathers, scallops, spirals, swirls, plus a number of great background and fill patterns. While most of the patterns are not marked ahead of time on the fabric, by combining a drawn grid with free-motion techniques, you’ll learn to create a lovely free-motion sashiko design. Additionally, Diane dispels many common machine quilting myths and helps you find answers to your questions by finding solutions to many pitfalls. Review Source: Quilts with Style, July/August 2006, page 45
Review of Quilt Savvy: Gaudynski's Machine Quilting Guideboo - 02/21/2007
Reviewer: Anonymous from Paducah, KY, US
Award-winning quilter Diane Gaudynski offers a detailed guide to mastering machine quilting on your domestic sewing machine in this latest entry in AQS’s Quilt Savvy series. Diane covers techniques from echo quilting and echo feathers to spirals and clamshells. She introduces a shape she calls bouncing bananas that is a great background design. She also dispels six common myths and troubleshoots a number of problems. I especially liked the really large, close-up photos that I could follow and the fact that the book has a spiral binding that will lie flat next to my sewing machine. Review Source: The Professional Quilter, Spring 2006, page 24.
Review: Quilt Savvy: Gaudynski's Machine Quilting Guidebook - 02/21/2007
Reviewer: Anonymous from Paducah, KY, US
Diane Gaudynski has written an excellent instruction manual. It is an extremely clear exposition of her techniques, accompanied by very sharp close-up photographs of stitching and patterns. The author likens her control of the sewing machine to driving a car, slowly into the garage but faster when overtaking. She starts by covering machine preparation and discusses threads, needle sizes, fabrics, batting and tension thoroughly. She assumes we are competent at stippling and shows other methods to fill in areas such as spirals, leaves, “bananas,” and “Diane-shiko,” a machine version of Japanese Sashiko. The book is written with humor and we learn new names: “hairbands” are ever increasing arcs and “puddles” are places where several lines of quilting meet. We learn to “visualize the puff” and avoid snow plowing (pushing excess fabric along). Knots are described as “thinking caps” because the machinist stopped and the stitches piled up. The book points out the pitfalls to avoid and recommends practicing designs on pencil and paper and warming up on a practice sample. There is a great deal of information on threads, Gaudynski preferring the skinny ones. A final chapter shows trapunto using water-soluble thread. This is a superb book and to be recommended strongly. Review Source: "Patchwork & Quilting" magazine, Issue 152, September 2006, page 75.
