Sorry, Gwen

I love Gwen Marston's books and have three on my shelf, but I have to admit that when I saw she had written 'Liberated Quilting II' I was underwhelmed. I have been conditioned over the years to think that anything with a 'II' after it is less than desirable. If it's a film, it's like 'Home Alone II', and exactly the same plot with slightly different scenarios, and if it's a book, it's just more of the same idea. Still, I had some birthday money so thought I'd treat myself to something I wouldn't normally buy.

How wrong can you be! In Gwen Marston's case this book takes the original idea (that of deliberately creating blocks without precision) resulting in quilts which are more lively and interesting than their perfectly controlled sisters, and pushes it in new directions. There are quilts here for traditionalists, piecers, applique fiends, art quilters, in fact everyone who works with textiles and loves colour. If you haven't yet got your copy, I can't recommend it highly enough. At a meeting this afternoon, I showed it to four people and three said they had to have it - it's that good! Now all I have to do is restrain all the fabulous ideas in my head so I can finish my project challenge. I wonder if I'll make it?!