Quilting Happiness

Quilting Happiness: Projects, Inspiration & Ideas to Make Quilting More Joyful
By Diane Gilleland and Christina Lane
Gifted by Crown Publishing
www.crownpublishing.com

According to Quilting Happiness, the key to finding joy in your quilting lies in getting to know yourself and your creative tendencies. Co-authors Diane Gilleland and Christina Lane hope to help you accomplish this through a variety of quilting projects, full-color illustrations, and personal reflections on quilting. You'll also learn original techniques for backing and finishing as well as some new stitches.

With two authors, this quilting book packs double the artistic punch. Gilleland is a noted craft writer and designer whose podcasts draw over 40,000 visitors to her website every month. She has contributed to publications like CraftStylish and Sew News, and her content has been featured on websites such as Craftzine.com and HandmadeSpark.com.

Lane is no stranger to the professional crafting world, either. She has been sewing since childhood and quilting for the past seven years. Like her co-author, Lane has contributed to publications including Lunch Bags! and Quilts & More and has written for several websites, including WhipUp.net and FatQuarterly.com.

Quilting Happiness contains 20 quilting projects, including bed quilts, pillows, and even a wall caddy. Every project starts with a brief introduction by the author who designed it. She talks about her inspiration and her experience putting the quilt together. Then, the other author chimes in with what she likes about the design. These designs aren't your run-of-the-mill floral or patchwork projects, either. Some of the more entertaining project names include the "Elevator Music Quilt," the "Can't Help Myself Quilt," and the "Petal Pie Quilt." Every design can be altered for any bed size or purpose. Many of these designs would make fabulous wall hangings.

Quilting Happiness employs several unexpected methods to get you in touch with your quilting muse. There's a "Get to Know Your Inner Quilter" quiz that asks questions such as, "If you were to plant a garden, what would it look like?" Your answers will lead you to a short analysis of your creative process. For instance, you will discover whether your are a detail-oriented, precise quilter or whether you like to take a more spontaneous, improvisational approach to quilting. No matter what your answer, it will lead you to projects that will suit your style.