1, 2, 3 Quilt: Shape Up Your Skills with 24 Stylish Projects

Baker’s book is good to have, especially for teachers—not because anyone needs another tote or coaster, but because the book is as much about process as product. Baker (1,2,3 Sew) sets out to hone sewists’ skills with 24 quilting projects, including table runners and duffels, that don’t require a room’s width to produce. As she notes, “You don’t need to take on a daunting project like a full-size quilt to get started.” She organizes the book by shapes: squares (a game mat), rectangles (a “rail fence” tote), triangles (a “flying geese” pillow), hexagons (a soft toy), and diamonds (an apron) with stars (a tablet case) and flowers (a skirt) thrown in. Each project is slightly more difficult than the previous one, and each presents an opportunity to learn or sharpen a skill, such as inserting a zipper or mitering a corner, or to try a technique, such as string piecing or freezer-paper appliqué. Baker leads with basics of quilting, including selecting fabric and sizing the quilt, as well as putting the quilt sandwich together. The spiral book includes an envelope of templates. (Sept.)