Adorable Animal Quilting: 20+ Charming Patterns for Paper-Pieced Dogs, Cats, Turtles, Monkeys and More

Alteneder, who blogs about crafts at Joe, June, and Mae, delivers an enthusiastic, if somewhat intimidating, primer on using foundation paper piecing to create “cute, colorful” quilt blocks with animal designs, promising crafters that the technique allows for both ease and accuracy. “It may seem daunting,” she writes, “but once you grasp the general concept, it’s actually really fun, relaxing, and may prove addictive.” Alteneder first lists the necessary supplies—sewing machine and needles, iron (not steam), and fabric (she recommends using smaller pieces of material, such as found in fat-quarters). She cites paper choices, from regular printer paper (her favorite) to foundation paper (easy to remove). Alteneder also outlines plenty of pleasingly whimsical designs to make, starting with Dominic the Dog (recommended for beginners), and continuing on with Ali the Alpaca, Bell the Bunny, and other alliterative animal patterns. Despite the care she takes with describing the process, however, paper piecing still looks hard, involving numerous small pieces being assembled in a patchwork technique. As a result, any readers previously unexposed to the practice may be left wanting some hands-on tutoring before trying Alteneder’s projects for themselves. But for quilters looking for a challenge, this should fit the bill. (Aug.)