Cotton Way Classics: Fresh Quilts for a Charming Home

Kindle vs. Book Differences: I purchased both. I use the Kindle app for Samsung. I have a Galaxy SM T800 tablet. I much prefer the book version. On the Kindle version, the page layouts spread out the text and photos differently. I find it too choppy and hard to follow. But what is most missed in the Kindle version are the full-page edge-to-edge photos of each quilt. Also, the credits on the copyright page are missing in the Kindle version.You know Bonnie Olavesom from her contributions to the Bonnie and Camille fabric design team at Moda. Cotton Way Classics, named for the street where she lived, contains Ms. Olaveson’s personal favorites from the 400 patterns she has created over her lengthy quilting career.If you listen carefully, you can hear the fervent clicking, either of ignition keys or “add to cart” buttons. Predictions are high there will be an interest, either suddenly acquired or madly renewed, in these bright, sort of contemporary, sort of retro fabrics.But here is an important FYI: these projects are not so jelly-roll friendly. Better off to invest in fat quarters or yardage. Layer Cakes will be handy for 2 quilts. “All Aflutter” (65.5”x79.5”) uses a cutting diagram to get 7 sub-pieces from each delicious layer. “Wish” (49.5”x 58”) can use layers to cut the required 4 quarter-circle appliques (either raw-edge or fusible web, your choice) for each block.Visually, these colorful cheery quilts are on the large side, primarily. Nearly all use layouts of repeated blocks or alternating bocks. The reps can be daunting; “Lazy Days” (72”x72”) requires 100 blocks. Photos show off lovely quilting lines on these 13 scrappy projects. Unusual borders are frequent; the aforementioned “Wish” employs a 5-part built-up border.Closer inspection reveals helpful tips, tricks, directional arrows for pressing, and cause for a few wows and gulps. Folded corners are alarmingly plentiful. “Topsy Turvy” (57.75”x61.75”) employs 280 of them. Squares, sub-cut from strips of cutting diagrams, can number over 1000. Such is the case with “Modern Vintage” (70.5”x70.5”), which is featured on the cover. It calls for 1239 squares to be cut, and will provide great practice for seam-matching and point matching. Several quilts involve curved seams and stretchy bias-cuts. There are no set-in or partial seams.The top stand-out quilts, IMO, are the last 2 in the book. “Sweet Talk” (76.5”x92.5”) uses a single nifty block repeated to give it an interwoven look. (It also uses 80 Flying Geese made the slow way.) “Sherbet Stars” (84.5”x 96.5”) is ethereal in its simple beauty. Its challenge is in making the star points for both the bocks and the outer border. Great visual tip is provided for them. However, with careful measuring and piecing, the border triangles can be re-jigged using and equilateral triangle or pyramid ruler.Any special notions or tools to have on hand? For the curved seam projects, you’ll need template plastic and very fine thin pins, plus access to a photocopier (being mindful of the stated copyright restrictions, of course). Fusible web is needed for applique in “Baskets of Marmalade” (62”x62”). It is a brisk and snappy quilt with baskets made of pinwheels set within a pinwheel border. Fusible web is optional for the aforementioned “Wish”, depending on your choice of raw-edge or fusible applique.

I purchased this book while participating in a Quilting Bee; one of our Queens chose a pattern in this book. There a quite a few other patterns I am considering putting on my own "To Make Someday" list. Bonnie's designs tend to use classic quilt blocks in fresh compositions. I'm more of a modern quilter, however I think this book finds itself somewhere between classic and modern. Good value for the number of patterns included.

The quilt patterns, instructions and photos are great and look easy to follow.But a few quilts in all the quilts appear very similar since they are all made from the exact same fabrics. It comes off feeling as if the book is an advertisement for a fabric line.

It has several beautiful quilt patterns in the Book. Instructions are easy to follow and the pictures help you see what the finished quilt will look like.

Great resource

Very easy patterns and great ides.

Excellent book with lovely patterns and colors. Very inspirational.

Love the book

Reasonably good book. Good value. More suitable for a beginne

Liked everything about it. For the price I could have had more illustrations and projects, that's all.