The lovely Sarah Fielke has done it again. If you thought that Material Obsession & Material Obsession 2 were fantastic quilting books then wait until you see her new offering – Quilting from little things.
Quilting from little things is nothing short of a triumph and I am thrilled to be taking part in her blog tour.
As you would expect from Sarah, the quilts featured in the book are a stunning marriage of colour and design. All include comprehensive instructions and diagrams as well as extensive notes on the basics of patchwork and quilting.
Q: How did you come about making your first quilt?
Sarah: My mum taught me to quilt. She always sewed everything, clothes and quilts, embroidery, and she knitted and crocheted besides. She bought me a little pink sewing machine when I was very small and taught me how to sew. I made lots of patchwork bits when I was little and tied them to make quilts for my teddies, and I made some lap sized quilts and things, but I didn’t make my first real, full sized bed quilt until I was much older – I made a Queen size quilt for my best friend’s 21st birthday.
Q: Which part of the quilt making process do you enjoy most?
Sarah: The hand quilting. I really love it. I love the designing and the fabrics and the machining, and I LOVE the hand applique, but most of all I love to be curled up on the couch on a cold day with the dog in my lap and something to hand quilt.
Q: Are there any other crafts you would like to try?
Sarah: I have tried a lot, including scrapbooking (NOT for me), silver jewellery and peyote beading! There aren’t any I would go back to particularly excepting knitting – I would love to be able to knit well, and make beautiful jumpers and things. At the moment my knitting stretches to very simple scarves and that’s about it
Q: Do you have any advice for the new quilters out there?
Sarah: Just enjoy yourselves. There are some great books around to help you out, and do take the time to learn some basic things about patchwork from them – you will be much happier with your results if you do. But really just not to get all hung up about it all, and just enjoy the process of making something with your hands.
Well done Sarah! Your book is beautiful (and a welcome) addition to my library. It is fantastic to see a fellow Aussie doing so well!
Giveaway: Sarah has generously offered one of my readers a bundle of eight fat quarters from her debut fabric range ‘from little things‘. The giveaway is open to all but you must have a valid email address. To enter I would like you to leave a comment and tell me in 25 words or less what YOU love the most about quilting. A winner will be drawn on Thursday 21st April.
Giveaway has now closed.
{ 116 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow what a wonderful giveaway and what gorgeous quilts and fabrics! What I love most about quilting is being able to combine colours and fabrics in unexpected combinations and playing with colours, prints and patterns to make something fun and exciting!
So very generous! What I love most about quilting is designing – of course I love every part of the process but that’s my favourite!
I love the fact that those I love have a forever piece of me. My great grandfather was a tailor and his scrap quilts hold great memories!
Great looking book! What I love most about quilting is that it’s repetitive and there’s a comfort in sitting quietly, doing the same thing, over and over, and ending up with a beautiful product in the end!
I just love the time I spend creating a quilt and the satisfaction of knowing “I made that” when I look at it.
I love seeing the process of designing, choosing fabric, sewing – sometimes fraught with self doubt – culminate in a quilt loved so much by the recipient.
Love this book. I bought it AQC and can’t wait to get home to NSW next week, to put it to use.
The thing I love most about quilting is using my creativity to have something wonderful and comforting to use at the end.
I love that it is a special heritage I leave for my family. Quilts are sweet coverings that bring love and warmth :)
What I like about quilting is the friendship quilters immediately have with a newly met quilter.
I love being able to express my love for my family and friends in a tangible way. What says “I care for you” more than wrapping them up in a warm, cozy quilt that you designed and sewed with your own heart and hands?
I’d love to get my hands on this book! My favorite thing: the satisfaction of seeing the finished product!
I love being able to create from start to finish and watch the evolution of my style and tastes in a tangible way.
I would likt to havie this book one day… It’s wonderful and everyday I admire the Sarah’s work…
I love all the “new” fabrics that are available now. I have sewn all of my life, and never dreamed that I would ever quilt.
The thing I like most about quilting is playing with all the delicious colors!
Looking forward to seeing inside this book, I’m sure it won’t disappoint! My favourite things about making a quilt is firstly the excitement and fun of choosing exactly the right fabrics then I love adding hand quilting detail at the end.
Hmm, I love creating something from nothing. And I can’t wait to check out that book. It looks fabulous!
I love every part of making a quilt, but especially choosing the fabrics and making people happy when I give them quilts. Thanks for the chance to win!
Oh there is so much I love about quilting….I don’t know where to begin. The combination of colors and design…the light and dark….the shapes that create secondary patterns. The quilting…and the texture it brings to a quilt. There is so much to love!
What I like best about quilting is the freedom to make it your own. It’s how I relax and express myself.
I think this book is sensational – what a great addition to the world of quilting!!
I love the whole process of quilting – choosing the colours, arranging and rearranging them and ending up with a precious treasured quilt…
My favourit thing about quilting is enjoying the finished quilt once its done, so snuggly! I also enjoy hand stitching the binding and dreaming about the quilt before I start.
Beyond the beautiful fabrics, I love the history and always the story behind the art of quilting.
I love the peace making quilts gives me. Thanks for the beautiful giveaway!
Oh gosh what I love about quilting in 25 words or less… I love the endless bounds there are from destructing something, putting it back together ,and in the end making a work of art.
Thanks for a wonderful giveaway!
Thank you for a great book review.
I love how we, as quilters, can express ourselves so differently. We can be given the same fabric but each quilt will be different…..I marvel at how blogs have connected people from all over the world.
I especially like how quilters the world over are fun, friendly and the most helpful bunch of people. Keep on quilting.
What I love about quilting is that it is creative, you can make it whatever you want and I love giving them to people I care about….a bit of handmade me :)
I love the creative outlet and the amazing online community.
Everything – the planning, pulling fabrics, cutting, piecing and I hope that I like the actual quilting when I try it in the near future! Thanks!!!
Why do I love it…. well, I’ve always been a crafty person…when I made my first quilt about a year ago, it was immediately my most favouritest thing I had ever made. So, had to do more of that! Now I’m in love with certain fabrics, and matching up fabric lines with people that I know will love them, making something special just for them.
Quilting is a way to relax, be creative and have a finished product that can either be a great gift, a decoration for my home or something to keep me warm!
i love that each quilt is a new beginning…may not end up where I thought, but i always enjoy the journey.
I love how empowered I feel picking out fabrics and deciding on design. I’m an artist in my quilting moments and it feels really good.
It is a generous offer, one of Sarah’s books would be great, thanks for the opportunity to have a go.
Thanks for your review on Sarahs new book, she is a clever girl.
Lyn
I love every aspect of making the quilts. From the idea in my head, the colors and fabrics I use, the cutting and piecing, right down to the quilting and binding. The ultimate love comes from when I put it on the bed or give it to someone as a gift!
I am not great at designing things myself – so I love how creative quilting makes me feel. I love the fabircs and the colours and the chopping all the fabrics up and sewing them back together again. I love having produced something that I have put a part of myself in and giving it to someone i love. What’s not to love about quilting!
I love doing the binding best – stitching with the walking foot, and hand stitching to the back. Love it!
I loved the examples from the book and truly think that Sarah is a gifted quilter. What I love, love, love about quilting is the fabric. I am always the happiest when all of my little pieces are once again one big piece!!
I love the freedom of being able to piece together whatever size or shape fabric.
There are no right or wrong ways of doing it!
I love playing with scraps of fabric, putting them together is different ways to make beautiful runs of colour, and interesting shapes.
I love taking scraps of fabric and putting them together to make beautiful runs of colour and interesting shapes.
I enjoy making a quilt from all the tiny bits of coloured fabric, and handquilt it to make it all complete!!
I love the process of choosing fabrics and enjoy to include oldies with my newer stash.
I love the process of choosing fabrics and enjoy to include oldies with my newer stash.
I love the endless possibilities. The fabric combinations and designs which make each quilt unique and a personal expression of the maker.
And I am so taken by that wall hanging in the last image. It’s amazing.
:)
What a lovely book. I hope I win it and learn to make some lovely quilts.
Leena
my favourite thing about quilting is the opportunity it gives me to escape from the chores and the noise of the day, even if only for a little while. It really helps me to recharge
What I love most about quilting being able to put colours together and make something that makes me smile, even if it has flaws and little “issues” :-)
I love every step of the quilting process from choosing a design, the fabric, cutting, piecing and sewing, layering, pinning, hand quilting, binding, and finally to giving the quilt piece as a gift!
I love that you can create a piece of art without knowing how to draw.
I enjoy hand quilting – it’s relaxing and the results are exceptional!
I love……designing patterns…..playing with color……..seeing a final product that is so much more than all the little pieces.
When I gather up handfuls of fabric, mixing and matching, standing back and squinting my eyes, deciding on a color scheme for a quilt, my heart simply sings! I suspect it’s the same gratifying, addicting feeling people get who love to bungee or skydive or paint.
I love creating a finished product and giving it to someone who will love it!
My favorite parts of quilting are planning the quilt project, buying the fabric, and piecing. I am learning to machine quilt (free motion) and that is now a favorite part too.
The fabrics enticed me into quilting. They keep me sewing. I love handling them all the way to the finished quilt and using them everywhere.
What i love about quilting is the idea that you can small pieces if fabric people would normally throw away and turn it into art!
i love quilting for the satisfaction of creating something that will hopefully be used and enjoyed for many years to come.
thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for the great interview! I love Sarah’s new line and look forward to getting my hands on her new book. :)
I think what I love most is having handmade things to gift. I keep making things, thinking they are for me, and then giving them away to wonderful homes.
I love the process of taking a large piece of fabric cutting into bits and sewing together to make something altogether new and beautiful!
what i love most about quilting is the ability to combine the things you love the most into a work of art!
karenjserna(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love the fact that I can make something individual and I love the hours of pondering!
Well done Sarah, looks like another beautiful book.
Clare
I love the intricacy and depth of the process – from planning to piecing to quilting and binding. And the beautiful end result!
What I love most: the labour of love, the hours spent making something that is worth more than all the money in the world. thanks for the chance to win
Choose FABRIC; cut into little things; piece to bigger things; get tips from friends about things and LAUGH; create beautiful things; LOVE these things!
Thanks :)
I love that there’s so much diversity of styles, and even within an individual style, people all have such unique interpretations on it. There’s so much room for creativity.
What i love the most about quilting is , after blending beautiful colors and wonderful fabrics into a fun pattern , leaving some small hidden message or design in my quilting or hand embroidery on the quilt. THEN i get to play “i spy with my little eye ” with the person i give it to! LOVE IT !! and so do they!
In 25 words…. I could say you in 10000 words why I love the most above quilting. Sarah’s quilt are colored, original, poetic. I have the material obsession 1 and 2 and itis a real dream to read the third book.
What I love the most about quilting is discover the works of the others, their mixture of fabrics and color, their imagintion, to discover new techniques and to sew, to to sew, to to sew….
The thing I love the most about quilting is take tiny bits of “scraps”and turning them into a work of art which also doubles as snuggleness for the kids ( little one and big ones)
What I love most about quilting is giving away what I make and knowing that it is one of a kind and special.
I love that when not snuggled in my arms my children are snuggled in their beds surrounded by something I made them, wonky stitching and all! Thanks for the giveaway :)
I love the piecing and seeing the quilt come together and how the colors blend and transform.
blessed.mama4 at yahoo.com
The possibilities. With just a little bit of beautiful fabric it’s possible to create whatever my mind can imagine :)
What I love about quilting and also drives me insane with frustration are the same…………choosing the fabric combinations for my next project. Don’t ya just love it!!!!!!!!
untidyaunty@hotmail.com
I lose all track of time when I’m quilting because I get so immersed in it. That makes me happy.
I absolutely love the color play of a scrappy quilt, seeing the colors jump out.
Sharing the joy and surprise when I give away a quilt – that’s what I like most!
But, of course, there is the fondness of fondling new fabric and all of the quilting possibilities that dance in my head when I see scarlet reds or polka dots, or when I hold my breath in awe as I view another quilter’s piece completed and signed.
I love the creativity of quilting. I love that you can give the same fabrics and the same pattern to 5 different quilters and get 5 different quilts! And I love meeting with my quilt group ladies and seeing the uniqueness of what each one has made.
i love seeing the large piece go from large to smaller pieces, then sewn back together to make a very lovely, creative large piece again … i love laying it all out, backing, batting, top, spray basting (LOL) and quilting it …. i love the finished, after being washed quilt … that’s what i love about quilting …. oh, yes, giving it away, too ….. love your fabric, it’s so colorful and lovely!
I love everything about quilting but I must say choosing the fabrics is my favorite thing to do.
Well, since my 63rd birthday is the 21st, I really think I should be the winner!
Quilting is being unique – a one and only creation!
Quilting calms chaotic days. I love arranging colorful fabric to form patterns, to create something beautiful to share with the world.
I love seeing my vision come to life in the fabrics.
Thanks for the chance to win!!
I love how quilting leaves a more durable piece of myself in this world.
Making a quilt for someone gives me a chance to say I love you in a very unique and meaningful way. :) Love in every stitch!
I love the look on people’s face when I give them one of my quilts- it is my way of giving a hug to loved ones.
Thanks for the opportunity to win such nice fabrics. May you long enjoy the pleasure of creating quilts.
Warmest regards from Western Canada,
Anna
I love handstitching the binding. I just tried machining the whole thing and I really dislike the look. Back to the handstitching for me!
Quilting means a lot to me..its planning is exciting…the making relaxing…the finishing warms the heart, home and soul..What more can I say…I just love it.
I loove that I can forget about anything, completly clear my mind while cutting and thinking about ton of other things while sewing :)
Quilting are the islands in time where I am sure to find peace, joy, a restful mind and fun.
What I love most about quilting is the fact that I can combine my love of fabric, colour, and sewing into individual works of art while engaging in much needed “me” time and what do I get at the end? Beautiful heirlooms which are treasured forever and keep my loved ones warm and cosy. (Not to mention that the beautiful end result justifies the money I spend on my hobby! That’s what I keep telling my husband each time the postman arrives…..hehehe)
Its a challenging colourful puzzle, figuring all the bits out to make something beautiful. A workout for the right & left side of the brain!
am strictly beginner, starting my first,
why
1. keep product forever,
2. total stretch for my crafting persona
3. somewhere else to blow cash! yegods its an expensive hobby!
I love taking small pieces of fabric and turning them into something beautiful, the whole being greater than the sum of it’s parts.
Thanks so much for the giveaway, it’s such a marvellous book
Ooo, thanks for the chance to win some lovely fabric! What I love the most about quilting is the coming together of all that lovely fabric to create something truly unique.
What I love most about quilting are the fabrics and the element of surprise in how they will look once cut up and sewn back together again.
My favourite thing about quilting is choosing fabrics, I love seeing that bundle there all ready to cut into.
This book looks great!
What I love most about quilting is seeing something I made, flaws and all, being used every day. Thanks for a wonderful giveaway!
I love seeing the different fabrics come together to make ONE beautiful piece of fabric!!
The most rewarding aspect for me is the way it allows me to express my love in a tangible way. The most exciting part of quilting for me is the way my imagination soars when I’m designing or choosing fabric. Which of those is my favorite, depends on the day.
I love the entire quilting process. But, what I love the most is when someone tells me years later that the quilt I made their child is their most precious possession.
P.S. I’d love to make my first grandchild a little something with your fabric!
I love that the opportunities are endless to express yourself in quilting! From designing fabric, to the pattern and quilting them.
I love piecing a quilt the best. Thanks for a chance!
Working with my mother to make quilts is what I love most about quilting. I love her, and we both love quilting.
what I love most about quilting is the fabric – the colour, the texture, the fact that you can cut some shapes from fabric, sew a little, and you have a gorgeous quilt (or other item) to keep forever (oops I think I’ve gone over the 25 words!)
thanks for the chance to win Sarah’s gorgeous book
I absolutely LOVE that i have finally been given TIME to do what i have dreamt about for years. A relative new comer to the quilting world, the wonderful inspiration that is so generously offered and people like yourself so often giving their time to share. Thank you.
I think I love everything, from buying fabric to archieving the quilt and then the quilting, recently I’m totally crazy about handpiecing, so very relaxing
Now, I am new to quilting, but I love how I am constantly finding things I’ve got to try. New blocks & patterns, quilting stitches, It is just so fun to be learning so much all the time!
The way the fabrics marry together and make something totally new looking from individual pieces. And the sense of accomplishment when done! :)
The thing i love the most about quilting is that it is so very tactile, the hand quilting process…i simply love the repetitive action of the needle and thread going in and out, the whole time handling the cloth….precious!!
What a great giveaway! Thank you!!
I love fabric full stop so anything involving fabric is great by me
quilting is time away from the world, to dream, drift away and imagine colour, fun and beauty away from the realities of everyday life, being a mum and a wife! love it!
Thanks for a great interview with Sarah Fielke.
Quilting – I love the design & process of making something functional & gorgeous, and the pleasure of giving the finished product to family & friends.
Oh, the color, the color! Soda pop and summer. Thanks for the fun draw.