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Elegant, Subtle Quilts that Harmonize with Any Décor
• 7 quilts that add elegance to any decorating scheme-in colors that never go out of style!
• Learn to use neutral colors, light/dark contrasts, and a variety of print textures to create beautiful fabric blends
• Scrap-friendly projects designed for confident beginners, plus a chapter on quilting basics
Clear your color palette with a refreshing taste of neutrals! Master quilt teacher Alex shows you how to create subtle visual effects by varying the color, contrast, and texture of your fabrics, then tops it off with 7 easy-to-make quilts that show off all the elegance of tans, grays, creams and whites. You'll see neutrals in a whole new way!
Excerpt from Alex
Several years ago—more than I care to count—I attended a one-day seminar at Empty Spools quilt shop in Alamo, California. Sadly, that wonderful shop is no longer around, but on that particular day, we were charmed by the energy and humor of noted quiltmaker and author Mary Ellen Hopkins. Midway through her trunk show, Mary Ellen jumped on her soapbox to proclaim the absolute necessity of rounding out our fabric stashes with a healthy dollop of neutral fabrics. Her philosophy was twofold: she believed that a well-rounded stash just can't have enough of these versatile pieces and that there just aren't many really good ones out there from season to season.
Eager quilter that I was, I took Mary Ellen's message to heart—and the quest began. As a result of her powerful suggestion, I began to purchase neutral fabrics that previously might not have come home with me, and they seemed to accumulate with astonishing speed! My stash of neutral fabrics was taking serious form.
Not long after, while sitting in church one bright and sunny Sunday morning, I was tapped on the shoulder by my friend Deanna. Deanna was excited that she was going to be a first-time grandma and chose that moment to ask that I make a quilt for the baby. I've got to be honest—at that time, I was still feeling a tiny bit selfish about giving away my quilts. I did not exactly jump with joy at her request. But, wouldn't you know it, the sermon that day was about sharing. Needless to say, I agreed to make the quilt.
Deanna was fairly specific about what she wanted. Her plans included an embroidered Spanish prayer, and I envisioned trumpeting angels. Then I had one of those glorious aha! moments. The neutral fabrics I had been collecting and hoarding would make the perfect background for this quilt. I quickly dug into my ever growing stash and began to cut and randomly piece the neutral background together. Before long, the quilt was completed, and I was totally hooked on using neutral fabric. In fact, I made a slightly modified version of that quilt to keep for my family.
I quickly planned my next neutral quilt with visions of stars and pinwheels dancing in my head. Diana McClun, who was writing her first book—Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!!—with Laura Nownes, saw the quilt taking form on my sewing room wall and asked if it could be included in their book. (The quilt debuted in that book, and now you can see it again—along with the complete instructions to make it—in Neutral Essentials.) My mini group asked me to teach a class on working with neutrals, and, as they say, the rest is history.
About Alex
Alex Anderson's love affair with quiltmaking began in 1978, when she completed her Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt as part of her work toward a degree in art at San Francisco State University. Over the years, her focus has rested on understanding fabric relationships and on an intense appreciation for traditional quilting surface design and star quilts.
For eleven years, Alex hosted television's premier quilt show Simply Quilts and is a spokesperson for Bernina of America. Her quilts have appeared in numerous magazines, often in articles devoted specifically to her work.
Alex has two children and lives in Northern California with her husband, a new kitty, and the challenges of feeding various forms of wildlife in her backyard.
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