Description
Create ancient elegance with modern materials! For centuries scribes have used heavily embellished 'illuminated' letters to decorate and personalize their work. Now those letters have been translated into fabric for today's quilt artists. Based on her award-winning ILLUMINATED ALPHABET quilt, Zena offers full-size patterns and directions for all 26 letters of the alphabet, four alternate letter patterns (L,O,V,E), and the decorative sashing and four corner appliqués of the original quilt. Make the entire alphabet, personalize any quilt with a few letters, or make a small pillow or wallhanging with one or more initials. Follow Zena's patterns or use them as inspiration for your own unique illuminated alphabet masterpiece.
Reviews
One of the most elegant and eloquent of the needlecraft arts applique embellishments. They can take a variety of forms tailored to specific subjects. In the case of "Beautiful Alphabet Applique", needlecraft expert Zena Thorpe has created a beautifully and profusely illustrated 64-page compendium of appliques for each letter of the alphabet. Of special value, especially for the novice, are the general directions provided on the subjects of fabric, needle and thread,...-Midwest Book Review
Reader Reviews
Beautiful Alphabet Appliqué - 06/16/2010
Reviewer: James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief from Oregon, WI, USA
“Beautiful Alphabet Appliqué” tells how to create elegant alphabets using modern materials and full-size patterns and directions based on the author’s award-winning Illuminated Alphabet Quilt. A wallhanging with alternate letter patterns accompany tips on how to make the entire alphabet or blend them into a different quilt using just a few letters. Quilters will relish the full-page color photos throughout! --James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, The Midwest Book Review, “California Bookwatch,” June 2010.
For lovers of traditional appliqué - 05/28/2010
Reviewer: New Zealand Quilter from New Zealand
For lovers of traditional appliqué, “Beautiful Alphabet Appliqué” has full size patterns for 26 letters and two setting blocks created for the quilt ILLUMINATED ALPHABET. Inspired by illuminated letters found in old manuscripts, the quilt won major awards including Best Large Appliqué Wall Quilt at the AQS show in 2008. Although the complete quilt is a daunting project, the individual letter blocks are lovely and have many uses for medallion quilts or brief messages and names. An intermediate level of skill with hand appliqué is required as the detailing in these blocks is small and the appliqués are layered. --New Zealand Quilter, Issue #71, page 35.
Beautiful Alphabet Appliqué - 05/26/2010
Reviewer: Connie Krochmal from USA
If you are an ardent admirer of illuminated manuscripts, you're sure to love this garden quilt book. Now you can turn motifs into gorgeous garden appliqué with Zena Thorpe’s “Beautiful Alphabet Appliqué.” This delightful quilt features a completed appliqué alphabet with the letters beautifully decorated with flowers and foliage. Each of the letters can be used alone as a monogram or made into a pillow. The author explains how to use the entire set for a beautiful garden quilt. Also features other projects, such as wallhangings, using selected letters. It also shows how to do the decorative borders, which are adorned with garden flowers and tendrils of foliage. There are full-size templates for each letter. Complete, color illustrated instructions from beginning to end are included. It covers all of the techniques, including the embroidery, appliqué, and yo-yo flowers. All the basic sewing and quilting techniques are explained. --Connie Krochmal, BellaOnline; http//www.bellaonline.com/articles/art66200.asp
Beautiful illuminated alphabet brought to life by Zena Thorpe - 04/30/2010
Reviewer: Patti Ives, The Appliqué Society from Sequim, WA, USA
Zena’s book “Beautiful Alphabet Appliqué” is a result of her long-held fascination with illuminated manuscripts produced by monastic scribes of late antiquity. Zena was born in England and her work reflects the ancient history of Britain that is so much a part of her heritage. Her book is based on her award-winning quilt “Illuminated Alphabet.” After much research and gaining permission and purchasing the rights to use the letters from Dover-Clip-Art Books, she was able to create her own beautifully illuminated alphabet in fabric. Some of the patterns are quite complicated but they are printed full size and in color. This goes a long way in helping you know which piece goes where. Zena’s instructions are very clear and she deftly walks you through each letter’s difficult areas. The L-O-V-E wallhanging and alternate letter patterns included in the book will get you off to a good start. Patterns for the decorative corners and sashing from the original quilt are also included in the book. - Patti Ives, Editor, "The Appliqué Society" newsletter, March/April 2010, Volume 13, No. 4, page 12.
From A to Z, Zena’s patterns are colorful and creative...a truly glorious book. - 03/15/2010
Reviewer: The Quilter from USA
Zena Thorpe’s fascination with the beautifully embellished letters found in many ancient manuscripts led her to create appliqué patterns inspired by monastic scribes. From A to Z, Zena’s patterns are colorful and creative, perfect for making a whole alphabet quilt or for personalizing any project, including pillows and wallhangings, with just a few letters. All the full-size patterns are based on Zena’s original award-winning “Illuminated Alphabet” quilt. Directions to make a L-O-V-E wallhanging are also included, as well as decorative sashing and corner appliqués--a truly glorious book. --The Quilter, May 2010, page 76.
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