String Quilts

Book excerpt: Award-winning quilt maker, Elsie Campbell, loves to take homemade fabric yardage and turn it into stunning, pieced, string quilts, whose leftover yardage can then spawn an appliqued "sister" quilt. Ten patterns for all skill levels. String Quilts is one part innovation, one part thrift, and a whole lot of fun. When author, educator, and award-winning quilt-maker Elsie M. Campbell needs a break from creating precision pieced and -appliquéd beauties, she turns to making string quilts. "This is my playtime," she says. String Quilts is an innovative approach to quilt-making that involves creating your own fabric yardage from new or leftover strips of fabric. This new yardage becomes the basis for creating stunning pieced quilts, whose leftover yardage can then spawn an appliquéd "sister" quilt. The 10 quilts are shown in brilliant full color photography with easy-to-follow instructions, patterns, and diagrams. Also included are "Elsie's Top Tips for Successful String Quilts" and a full-color Gallery of 12 additional quilts by Campbell and other playful quilters, all demonstrating the range and charm of string quilts. Patterns for all skill levels.