Rotary Cutting and Speed Piecing (Rodale's Successful Quilting Library)

Rating:
Summary: Great intro for beginners on new quilting techniques
Review: I purchased this book when I first took up quilting over a year ago. I feel that it really INTRODUCED well all of the new ways that quilters are making quilts faster and easier. I never thought of returning it, and I'm surprised with the previous reviewer's comments. While there are a few unhelpful hints -like alternating pieced blocks with whole squares for a faster quilt top(duh!), I am not at all disappointed with the lack of patterns as I prefer to design my own. Don't we get enough of those from the plethora of magazines we quilters hoard? Patterns often take up space in a book that I would prefer be used to instruct more on technique, color choices, or quilter's diary for inspiration. Perhaps that's just a matter of personal choice. I own several Rodale books that I am always pleased with.

PROS:
chapters on Accuracy Guaranteed,
Rotary Cutting Unusual Shapes,
Building Strip Piecing Skills (only interesting for a beginner, like piecing different strips of fabrics together and cutting out shapes from there),
designing blocks with Triangle Squares,
Double Stitches Triangle Squares - an interesting way of stitching strips on both ends, then cutting out triangle squares and you're done,
Fun with Half Rectangles (I liked learning about the idea of tipping your blocks on an angle, then filling with half rectangles),
Foundation Piecing (tips for designing your own and combining it with applique, curved piecing,
Strip-Pieced yardage,
Clues for Cutting and Piecing - encouraging you to disect the quilts you admire and showing you how to copy them

UNHELPFUL, FILLER CHAPTERS:
streamline your workspace,
speedy scrappy nine patch - obvious and boring,
fast faux mini quilts,
speedy big quilts - that's the one with the suggestion to add empty blocks,
the buddy system - obiously two people work faster than one, if you can find one!

BOTTOM LINE: BEGINNERS,WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL NEW WORLD OF MUCH EASIER QUILTING!



Rating:
Summary: No patterns!
Review: If you want to make the quilt on the front cover, don't buy this book. There are no patterns for any of the quilts pictured in this book. This book simply teaches you how to create blocks and does have some tips but very basic and simple tips. I wouldn't buy this book. I am returning it. I have purchased many other quilting books and this one is not worth the money. Buy the execellent book called Rotary Magic by Nancy Johnson-Sebro instead.