A Book Review by Patricia Cummings
I did not weigh the new volume of quilt designs, The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns, offered by Jinny Beyer, but I can see that my mailman was walking a little more slumped over, after delivering it. The 1 1/2″ thick book with 488 pages offers 4050 unique pieced quilt patterns with their first published names. The author has taken the time of show each block in color, using her own fabric lines, it seems. She describes the gridwork on which each is based, making it easy for a quilter to re-create blocks in any size by understanding how they are composed.
I own her first book, The Quilter’s Album of blocks & Borders that featured 532 pieced blocks and 212 pieced borders and was printed in 1980. She has come a long way since then! This book and all of its carefully-researched documentation would be an invaluable resource for any quilter, appraiser, librarian or other quilt aficionado. The layout is easy to use, and the blocks are graphically-attractive with choices of colors that only an expert in color, like Jinny, could implement.
With so many other pattern identification books in my own library, I wondered if I should take a chance on purchasing this book. I can truthfully tell you that I am so glad I did! I am sure that it is a reference book that I will turn to, again and again. The book has just now become available on amazon. At $32.97, it qualifies for free super shipping.
