Blue Moon River: Jul 10, 2012

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Give-Away: Win Jane Sassaman’s new book, and some fabric!

Hey, want to win this book? It is Jane Sassaman’s brand new book, Patchwork Sassaman Style: Recipes for Dazzling Quilts! (Dragon Threads, $29.95)

And this? The top cut is 1/3 yard and bottom cut is 24" square. These are a special give-away from the private stash of Dragon Threads publisher Linda Teufel.

In this post, we giving away a copy of the book and the fabric! Keep reading for details.

I remember the first time I heard Jane Sassaman’s name. It was 1997, and her quilt “Willow” was featured on the cover of the March issue of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine. I remember staring at the photo, mesmerized, in awe. Isn’t this an incredible quilt? It was later named one of the best 100 American Quilts of the Century.

“Willow” 75"x75" by Jane Sassaman, 1996

Jane’s fabric designs and art quilts feature graphic garden motifs. You can see her sources of inspiration – 19th century Arts & Crafts designer William Morris, Finnish design company Merimekko, Kaffe Fassett – but they are undeniably Jane. There is just a hint of danger: Dandelions with razor-sharp serrated leaves. Flowers that hint at the man-eating plant from Little Shop of Horrors. Ferns with fiddleheads that bring to mind tentacles. Beauty and the Beast. Jane’s work glorifies everyday beauty found in the garden, but it is mixed with a little darkness, too. It kind of makes me tingle to look at it.

Jane introducing her fabric line “Feather Your Nest” at Fall Quilt Market 2011

Her fabrics, manufactured by FreeSpirit, are brightly colored, with large-scale motifs, so they are easy to love, but difficult to cut into – and it’s sometimes hard for people to know what to make with them. Her new book is an answer. It includes simple recipes for using “big, bold and beautiful fabrics” inspired by simple traditional quilt patterns.

The instructions show you ways to cut up the fabrics for different effects. Jane points out that it is faster and easier to make large quilts using these kinds of fabrics because “the complexity is in the fabric and how you use it, not in the construction.” Many of the quilts in this book are stunningly simple to piece, but they pack a huge design wallop.

Her recipes would work equally well for other large-scale prints, and not just Jane’s own.

But why tell you in words when I can show you in photos? Here are some of the quilt examples in the book. Try not to drool.

“Radiating Diamonds”

“Trading Blanket”

“Circus Bars”

“Checkerboard Plaid”

And now, for the give-away!

This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only; sorry. Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of Jane’s book, plus the fabrics. I’ll pull one name at random on Friday, July 13 at 7 a.m. EST. Please note that it might take a bit for your comment to appear; I have to moderate/approve comments because I’ve been targeted by Japanese porn spammers! Yes, really. We have a winner! Jean O. has won the book and the fabric. Thanks!

For more chances to win, remember to visit the blogs giving away books on the dates below: