Karen McTavish machine quilting books

Autographed copies of Quilting for Show ~ A Practical Guide to Successful Competition Quilting are available for preorder.

The new Quilting for Show showcases a collection of the nations’ best quilts and quiltmakers. Karen explains what it means to quilt for show, how to go about finding a show, what to expect from judges, what kind of behavior is ethical, what to do about photography, how to ship your quilt to a show and why appraisals are important. She also shares practical, quilt construction knowledge such as how to bury your threads, how to block a quilt, how to add a sleeve and how to quilt like a hand quilter.

This book is organized into 4 main sections to guide the reader towards successful competition quilting: Inspiration, Before the Show, Into the Minds of Judges and Quilting Concepts - the practical guide to quilting. Each section includes multiple examples of award winning quilts with comments and advice from the quiltmakers. Helen Squire, Caryl Bryer Fallert, Diane Gaudynski, Ricky Tims, Sharon Schamber, Hollis Chatelain, Linda Taylor, Linda McCuean, Carol Selepec, Myrna Ficken, Kim Brunner, Carie Shields, Anita Kris Mattson, Jean Carlton (quilt appraiser) and Pepper Cory (judge) add their collective wisdom to Karen's instruction on what it takes to quilt for show.

The book and DVD include lessons in blocking a quilt, applying a sleeve, quilting feathers, rope and cable and straight line quilting such as crosshatching, enabling the reader to enhance any kind of quilt with show quality quilting. Quilters who have been asking Karen to re-release Quilting for Show will be delighted with this new book and accompanying DVD*.

This book is softcover, 112 pages, features 25 award winning quilts in full color with close-up pictures of quilting details, and includes a DVD* with detailed lessons in blocking a quilt, applying a sleeve and learning to quilt like a hand quilter.

*DVD's have been formatted to play on NTSC machines in North America. An NTSC formatted disc should also play in newer DVD players and TV's from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, but it does not always work. If you are from a country which supports PAL formatting, and you can't get the DVD to play, or it plays in black and white, try playing the DVD in your computer or on a newer DVD player with an NTSC compatible TV. (NTSC compatibility is standard on newer TV's and DVD players in countries which formerly only supported PAL formatting.)

Karen's new book, The Secrets of Elemental Quilting ~ Innovative Quilting Designs plus Trapunto Tips & Tricks, showcases the author's creative design ideas through multiple element and pattern examples. These patterns will enhance Appliqué and Pieced quilts or can stand alone as a Wholecloth design. Longarmers, domestic machine quilters and hand quilters alike can use these elements (as many times as they like). The book includes a detailed 60 minute DVD* of Karen teaching the techniques, step-by-step, of Trapunto, Shadow Trapunto and Color Trapunto.

This book is organized in 3 main sections to guide the reader in using the elements in their quilting: How to Use Elements which includes Supplies and Getting Started, Patterns which includes Fundamental Feathers, Seashells, Victorian Feathers, Seussian, Primordial and Wholecloth Patterns and Trapunto How-To which includes instruction on Basic Trapunto, Shadow Trapunto and Color Trapunto. The accompanying DVD* offers a private lesson with Karen on these 3 Trapunto techniques.

The Secrets of Elemental Quilting offers a peek into the unlimited potential of quilting design. The author shares her secrets for creating complex motifs out of a single, simple design. The book and DVD include 3 trapunto lessons, enabling the reader to enhance any kind of quilt. Quilters who have been asking Karen to teach her trapunto techniques will be delighted with this new book and accompanying DVD*.

This book is softcover, 112 pages, 120 unlimited use compound elements, and a 60 minute DVD* which features 3 trapunto lessons.

Karen's new book, Mastering the Art of McTavishing ~ The Official Guide to Adding this Stitch to Your Quilts, showcases the author's signature stitch on Apparel and Art, Appliqué, Wholecloth, and Pieced quilts. Contributing quilters are longarmers, domestic machine quilters and hand quilters. The book includes a detailed 90 minute DVD of Karen teaching the process, step-by-step, of McTavishing.

McTavishing is the most popular new design concept in quilting. This innovative stitching technique is inspiring quilters from New York to Australia. The author’s namesake stitch makes a quilt look and feel as if it has motion and texture.

The inspiration for this style of quilting comes from Art Nouveau artist, Alfonse Mucha. Author, Karen McTavish, adapted Mucha’s curvy, stylized art form into a free-hand background filler quilting design. The effect was electric on the quilting community and in judged competition. Quilters started to emulate her form and dubbed it “McTavishing.”

Her newest book is a compilation of masterpiece quilts that highlight McTavishing in all its complex forms. Mastering the Art of McTavishing instructs the quilter on adding this technique to any quilt or garment, from traditional wholecloth to contemporary art quilts, for use by hand, domestic machine, or longarm quilters.

Seven how-to chapters, twenty-two quilts, and four garments from thirty-two contributing quilt artists help illustrate the many ways to use McTavishing: add the stitch to an open quilt block, use it in a border, highlight complex appliqué, custom tailor your favourite garment, make a large over-all design or quilt it tightly packed to emphasize trapunto - every aspect of how to use McTavishing is compiled in the book and in the accompanying DVD. The book is softcover, full colour, 96 pages, includes a DVD.

Lessons from the author combined with interviews of accomplished hand and domestic machine quilters on the DVD give the reader an unparalleled view of the quilting process. Quilters who have been asking Karen to teach her technique will be delighted with this new book and accompanying DVD.

Whitework Quilting

by Karen C. McTavish

Whitework Quilting, Karen McTavish’s reprinted book, combines the best of how-to, history and art. Karen has amassed 60 award-winning quilts and each is displayed on their own two-page spread. This book is more than a how-to book; it is a comprehensive guide to wholecloth quilting. Karen’s insight, from the first chapter on using architecture to influence design to the last on incorporating her techniques to a pieced quilt top, clearly explains the concepts for creating custom heirloom quilts.

This book moves beyond the typical how-to instructional guide. The photography was done by one of the counties best quilt photographers. His expertise is evident in the incredibly detailed pictures of the quilts; some shots allow the reader to see each quilted stitch. In addition to these studio shots you will see sumptuous location photography. A select number of quilts were taken to two wonderfully preserved Victorian mansions; one operating as a B&B and the other a museum. The quilts were then photographed in natural light, draped on antique furniture and placed in settings that offer the reader a glimpse into a long-ago world of wholecloth elegance.

Whitework Quilting comes with a hardcover, 192 pages, and page-marker ribbon. It is full colour throughout and jam-packed with information.

Just want to tell you I LOVE my copy of Whitework Quilting that I bought from you. It is the book I show to non-quilting friends who like a "non-folksy" look in their decor. They are stunned by the elegance and beauty of the quilts pictured. Of course, I am always asked to explain how the trapunto is done! But this book makes explaining it easy with its clear photographs. Yet another classic McTavish book - she does a great job!.

GST of 10% is included in the above prices for all orders from Australian residents. Overseas orders will have this tax deducted from the total price when completing the shopping cart.

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