Patchwork City

November 1, 2014

Sampler quilts aren't unique to the modern quilting movement--they've been around for years--but they're a growing trend in modern quilting, spurred on by popular books like Tula Pink's City Sampler. The basic premise: mix-and-match blocks with a cohesive aesthetic so quilters can take any combination and make a unique quilt. Hartman's (The Practical Guide to Patchwork) entry is ambitious--75 blocks in three different sizes (a traditional 8" 8" square, as well as rectangular blocks that finish at 5" 8" and 5" 14"). She provides three different examples of each block in three diverse color palettes, demonstrating how fabric choice can affect the finished block. The instructions are straightforward, and each block has its own cutting chart, as well as piecing diagrams as needed. The blocks vary in difficulty and techniques used range from simple straight-line piecing to freezer-paper-template piecing (pull-out pages are included). Six sample layouts are provided, each using a different combination of blocks and setting. VERDICT Hartman has name recognition among modern quilters, and, that, combined with the growing interest in sampler quilts, make this an excellent choice for quilting collections.

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