Sunbonnet Sue Goes Abroad!

Sunbonnet Sue recently discovered a love of travel thanks to first-time author Debra Kimball, M.D.


Deb fell in love with hand applique and created a Kimono Sue quilt, which was shown in the Des Moines Area Quilt Guild's show during the first AQS show in Des Moines. I saw Kimono Sue and instantly thought about the rest of the world. When I contacted Deb to ask her if she'd be interested in creating a bunch of "International Sues," she didn't hesitate. Of course she'd be delighted to help Sunbonnet Sue hit the road!

And here it is, a book of 49 brand new Sunbonnet Sues. Each one wears an iconic costume and most hold a souvenir or symbol from her native land or from one of seven parts of the USA. Best of all, you can use these patterns with any type of applique!


Think of all the different ways you can express your life with International Sunbonnet Sues! Make a quilt that celebrates your family's cultural heritage. Sew a block for every place you've traveled. Send a memento to friends in far away places to remind them of where you are from.

Yes, indeed. Sue has left the comfort and safety of home and garden and is out and about. There's no stopping her now! You can use Deb's patterns as presented or tweak them to make blocks that are highly personalized. Either way, enjoy accompanying Sunbonnet Sue on her latest adventure!
AQS# 8347. 1-800-626-5420.

And here's a fun question: which is your favorite International Sue pattern? If you'll tell me yours, I'll tell you mine! Let me know by Valentine's Day and we'll see which Sues are faves.

Old and New

AQS's two most recent books span quilting's timeline in America from the very old to the latest rage.

A Baltimore Album: 25 Applique Patterns by Marsha D. Radtke came about serendipitously. Marsha discovered a Baltimore Album quilt in the attic of the rural Maryland parsonage she shared with her husband. On close examination, she realized there were two inked names on the quilt, and they were locally common names. A certified quilt appraiser dated the quilt as circa 1850! This means Marsha found a truly original Baltimore Album quilt in the area this style was created and made popular.

When the old beauty began to deteriorate, she decided to replicate the quilt. Both new and old quilts are shown in the book. The original had 25 blocks, one of which was a duplicate pattern. The color palette is red, green, and gold -- typical of the era. Just as the work on the original was very fine, so is Marsha's rendition.

Baltimore Album and applique lovers will want this book as a library of genuine, dated patterns created near the source of this ever-popular applique style. Ask for AQS item #7927 and enjoy creating a piece of history yourself!

And as time has gone by, quilters now create masterpieces using machines. To help your quilts stand out anywhere, Nan Moore wrote Machine Freehand Patterns. Every one of the 95 pages has one or more machine patterns drawn freehand. You can follow these exactly, shrink them or enlarge them, alter them or use them as inspiration to create your own freehand quilting designs.

Nan provides a very basic guide to using continuous motion patterns - it's almost entirely visual, so if you've wanted to try machine quilting, this could be the very book you're looking for. Her book is AQS item #8022.

From Across the Atlantic

AQS is delighted to announce delivery of Quilt the Beloved Country by Jenny Williamson and Pat Parker. These South African sisters co-authored Quilt Africa in 2004, and we were privileged to be the North American distributor for that title, also.

Their quilting style is distinctive and their fabric and color choices are unusual to us Yanks, but their quilts are fun, fresh and deeply reflective of their home country. Wild Dog Press, their publisher, has produced a beautiful book with stunning photographs of the land and people that inspire the sisters' 13 pieced and appliqued original designs, including a few dolls.

If you like to travel vicariously, if you're interested in other cultures, and if appreciating new looks in quilting revs your creativity engine, Quilt the Beloved Country is a book you will enjoy.

Good Things Come in Threes

We are pleased to announce the release of three new books from AQS Publishing:

Piecing with Pixels by Sandra Hart and Gudny Campbell; Hearts & Tulips by Margaret Docherty; and Fussy-cut Mariner's Compass by Ann S. Lainhart.

It's no secret that there is a happy marriage between photos and quilts, and between computers and quilts. Sandy and Gudny have combined their passion for all three and their years of experience teaching into an excellent reference book that includes nine great projects. Using Adobe Photoshop Elements software, they show how you can take a favorite photo and transform it into beautiful fabric to incorporate into a quilt. Piecing with Pixels is not printing photos on fabric; it's sophisticated design work simplified and explained. This is a must-have book for quilters on the cutting edge.

Margaret Docherty has added a third Applique Masterpiece series book to her body of work. Like Little Brown Bird and Birds 'n Roses, Hearts & Tulips is a pattern book for a single, exquisite quilt, or a resource for the 42 patterns for any elegant project calling for applique. As always, Margaret's directions are easy to follow and her fabric and color use is extraordinary and instructive. Applique fans, whether beginners or experienced, will love Hearts & Tulips.

If you've admired Mariner's Compass quilts and you love the elegant look of fussy-cutting fabrics to achieve stunning designs, Ann S. Lainhart has read your mind. Her straightforward method for drafting your own Mariner's Compass blocks will put you at ease creating super sharp points. Use her 12-inch, 18-inch or 30-inch instructions or templates to create wallhangings, framed "pictures," or quilts. Ann's tips for choosing the right fabrics for fussy-cutting and calculating yardage will work equally well in any project. Fussy-cut Mariner's Compass is a marvelous book for beginners wanting to spread their wings and experienced quilters alike.

All three of these books are now available at www.americanquilter.com or 1-800-626-5420.

Teacher of the Year Nominee

Congratulations to AQS author Margie Engel! She's been nominated for Professional Teacher's magazine's Teacher of the Year 2009 honors! Margie's 2008 book, Bodacious Applique a la Carte, is a colorful feast for the eye and full of great tips for using fusibles in applique. She's been teaching adults and kids for many years and is perennially popular in her home state of Florida (where she'd rather stay inside and sew than walk on the beach just outside her door). If her classes are half as informative as her book, this is a well-deserved nomination.

Faux Applique is in the House!

Our latest book, Faux Applique, by Helen Stubbings, is available and what perfect timing for a holiday gift! Helen's Colourque (a registered name) technique allows anyone - anyone! - to master perfect applique by using colored pencils, shading, machine quilting and textile medium. No needle turning, no raw edges, no fraying! Helen creates her show-stopping, award-winning masterpiece quilts with her sister, Tracey Browning, from their homes in Tasmania, Australia. Pick up a copy (or several) of her elegant book today from our web site: www.americanquilter.com to make your holiday gift-giving even to the non-quilters on your list complete.