Now Touring: Making Connections, A Free-Motion Quilting Workbook

melissa • September 09, 2017 • 24 Comments

There have been some really fine quilting books published lately, and here’s another strong one! We’re joining in on the blog hop for Dorie Hruska’s new book, Making Connections, A Free-Motion Quilting Workbook: 12 Design Suites for Longarm or Domestic Machines (C & T Publishing, 2017, $27.95).

The long-ish book title and subtitle promise exactly what the book delivers: comprehensive exercises to take the reader step-by-step through the process of learning how to choose the different designs for the blocks/quilts they want to quilt.

Now, this is a hard-core workbook. In fact, there’s only one quilt project (50” x 50”) in the book, but there are design ideas for more than 18 basic blocks that can be worked up in sample sizes to help you learn and experiment.

Saving time while creating amazing quilting designs is another theme in Dorie’s workbook. As an award-winning quilter and long-time teacher, she has plenty of wisdom to share. Her objectives for the book make this pretty clear:

·         Learn how to use connecting designs to connect stitching lines with fewer stops and starts.

·         Complete the quilting faster by using freehand designs (versus ruler work).

·         Limit or eliminate stitch-in-the-ditch quilting.

Award-winning quilter and author Dorie Hruska. She is also an APQS dealer and the southern Missouri distributor for Legacy Quilt Batting.

Many of the other stops on the blog hop will show you experimentation with Dorie’s quilting principles, but because we are just as curious about the quilter as the quilting/quilt book, we decided to lob a few personal questions at Dorie:

top 3 flavors of ice cream?

Peanut Butter Party by Blue Bunny ….Totally addicted! Which I completely blame for my inability to control my weight! Next favorite would be white ice cream covered with fresh strawberries, then good old-fashioned chocolate.

what do  you listen to in the studio?

Southern gospel music, the Bible, jazz and any a cappella group.

how many quilts do you have going at one time?

I am a list maker, but when I try to make a list of my UFOs I get very overwhelmed! If I must confess, there are probably more than 50 quilt projects at various stages in my studio. I know…total chaos. And that does not include the ones swarming around in my head.

Game of Thrones or No?

No. I don’t allow myself much time for TV. There are too many things I want to make or do and TV tends to cloud my mind and make it hard to be creative.

quilters who influenced you or whom you admire?

My mother, grandmothers and great-grandmother. They all had a passion for loving and giving, which showed when they would do things and make things for others. This passion flowed down to me and became something I naturally wanted to do. I dabbled in all things crafty as I grew up but quilting is my passion!

Other quilters who influenced me would have to be Sue Patten and ”Quiltin’ Bill” Fullerton. I am a perfectionist, or at least I try to be when it comes to how I quilt. When I first started quilting, I tried to have everything equally spaced, mirror imaged, equal in size …. blah blah blah ….. These two quilters taught me how much fun it is to free-motion quilt with no plan in mind and with no stitch regulator.  Now, if you follow me online and have seen my quilting then you will know that I still like a ”plan.”.

one final tip for quilters?

Where ever you are in your quilting journey, never stop learning. Take a quilting class or buy a book. Watch a video. Try a new design.  Inspiration is everywhere! Find what ignites your passion and then share that passion and love with others.

 

your turn to win!

You can win a copy of this book just by making a comment on this post. Let’s see….how about telling us what project you’re sewing on right now. (Note: U.S winners will receive a hard copy of the book, and winners outside the U.S. will receive an electronic copy.) Giveaway is open until midnight on Sept. 15. Then we’ll pick a winner at random.

Oh, and don’t forget to visit these other stops on the blog tour! Many minds, many glimpses of a book!

Friday September 1st
C&T Publishing Blog: http://www.ctpub.com/blog/

Monday September 4th
Holly Anne Knight Blog: https://www.stringandstory.com/
Susan Arnold Blog: www.quiltfabrication.com

Tuesday September 5th
Becca Fenstermaker Blog: www.prettypiney.com
Teri Lucas Blog: www.generationqmagazine.com

Wednesday September 6th
Sherry Shish Blog: https://poweredbyquilting.com
Pam Morgan Blog: www.mysweetlittlestitches.com

Thursday September 7th
Katy S Blog: www.katyquilts.net
Laura Piland Blog: www.sliceofpiquilts.com

Friday September 8th
Suzy Webster Blog: https://websterquilt.blogspot.com
Bernie Kringel Blog: https://needleandfoot.com

Monday September 11th
Jamie Mueller Blog: www.sunflower-quilts.com
Nancy Scott Blog: http://masterpiecequilting.blogspot.com

Tuesday September 12th
Sherri Noel Blog: www.rebeccamaedesigns.com
Anorina Morris Blog: www.sameliasmum.com

Wednesday September 13th
Yvonne Fuchs Blog: https://quiltingjetgirl.com
Barbie Mills Blog: https://thequiltingmill.blogspot.com

Thursday September 14th
Afton Warrick Blog: www.quiltingmod.com
Kathy Bruckman Blog: https://kathyskwiltsandmore.blogspot.com

Friday September 15th
Susan Arnold Blog: www.quiltfabrication.com
Dorie Hruska Blog: http://www.forever-quilting.com/blog

Quilt. Sew. Live. Breathe.

 

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24 Comments

  • Lizzie • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #1

    I’m finishing up my Long Time Gone quilt, that I’m enlarging to a king size!

  • Brenda Stultz • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #2

    I am working on a handpieced quilt with honeycomb shapes forming diamonds. No clue how I am going to quilt it.

  • Kathy E. • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #3

    I know I’d enjoy this book and gain some valuable knowledge to improve my FMQ skills. Currently, I’m almost finished with an order for 2 personalized baby bibs for a new little guy named Henry! I love orders when I am given free will to make “something cute” like this one!

  • suzanne guthrie • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #4

    this year it is all charity quilts, just started one that will focus on wonky stars, with the hope of getting good at piecing random star points in an Ohio Star format, then assembling a quilt of randomly placed stars.

  • mlmasters2014 • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #5

    On my, for Me is a quilter after my own heart! Love the ufo chaos as I am also one with many projects and more swimming in my head. The Quilting designs on my tops will take me longer to decide on than anything. Would Love to get making connections to help me in this process. Thank you for the opportunity!

    • mlmasters2014 • 7 years ago
      COMMENT #

      Darn spell check. I wanted to say oh my Dorie is a quilter after my own heart

  • Jackie McKenzie • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #6

    As well I have many quilt projects on the go and yes it is overwhelming and it feels chaotic. But every fabric demands a different quilt pattern and demands it NOW! The quilters in my life are my 2 grandmothers and they were prolific. Yes, TV dulls the creativity and I do get caught up in it. My question to the community is how many quilt receivers will Irma create for us. Jackie

  • farmquilter • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #7

    I am working on a commission quilt for a friend in Florida…from the safety of the high mountain desert in Nevada!!

  • Jayne P • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #8

    I’ve just finished a Shimmering Triangles and not sure what to do for the quilting so seems like this is just the book I need

  • plymouthknits • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #9

    I would love to win this book! I have a twin triangle quilt and a Star Wars quilt ready to quilt. Plus almost finished churn dash baby quilt. My biggest problem is how to quilt my quilts but still have then sift and comforting.

  • Kim P. • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #10

    I have been working on pillow cases for the St. Jude’s Hospital. One of the women in my quilt group’s son is a pediatric oncologist and he gives the pillowcases to his patients.

  • Angela J Short • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #11

    I am making little zip quilted bags at the moment. Pretty quilt. Awesome book. angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom

  • Allison in Alabama • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #12

    Hi – I’m working on a teal miniquilt swap for ovarian cancer and a miniquilt swap for Quilting Art Design addicts!

  • Janis T • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #13

    I’m working on some fall projects right now, a table runner and a couple small wall hangings.

  • Dolores Clark • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #14

    Quilting a quilt for my daughter’s birthday at the end of the month.

  • Donna Howard • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #15

    Great blog about this new book. Re: no watching tv series as way too much quilting to do. I tell my husband tv sucks the life out of you.

  • Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #16

    I am currently working on about half a dozen projects. The major one is for the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long. The one I should finish is the elephant baby quilt. But I also have the Art with Fabric one that needs to be finished too. So much quilting so little time. Karen

  • Rosie Westerhold • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #17

    LOVED all your other books, and this one will be just as good as previous books. Also loved your video of how to work through a whole quilt with only one start and stop. WOW! Think I need some more practice to do that.

  • Chris • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #18

    I am putting a King sized Lockwood Bargello quilt together. I am at the half way point. I think I will celebrate when it’s done.

  • Cathy Bremer • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #19

    Love your quilt style

  • Jean McKinstry • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #20

    To learn from another generation, or more, thinking that they didn’t have a fancy machine, no long arm, no internet for finding help, designs, and other quilts to “talk to” is wonderful. Thank you for sharing some of your life with us.

  • Sharon B. • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #21

    I am working on a bunch of different projects but the one I am concentrating on the most is a small wall quilt I am about to hand quilt.

  • Cynthia Allen • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #22

    Working on a Double Wedding Ring right now…but always looking for new FMQ designs.

  • Cathy L Wilson • 7 years ago
    COMMENT #23

    I still have a few small things to make for my first grandchild, (due any day now !) but after those are done, I’m working on a queen sized Eureka for my bedroom. I really need this book to be able to quilt it so it will look as beautiful as I see it in my mind!

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