Nancy Purvis ( owen’s olivia ) is a quilt designer and maker I have been following for awhile. Her designs speak to me. They are clean, modern, bold and interesting. The minute I knew she had a book being released I preordered and when it arrived an interesting thing happened, I felt compelled to make not just one item using her beautiful designs but TWO. In reality it was hard for me to pick from the gorgeous patterns featured and I am sure there will be more to come.
Quilting from Every Angle: 16 Geometric Designs
By Nancy Purvis
Interweave/F+W;
http://bit.ly/1jw4098
Nancy was kind enough to include me with some amazing other makers in her blog tour. Make sure to check the rest out for what are guaranteed to be inspiring creations and more opportunities for book giveaways.
BLOG TOUR
11/10- Michelle Wilkie of Factotum of Arts
11/11- Hillary Goodwin (ME!!)
11/12- Karen Lewis of Karen Lewis Textiles
11/13- Anna Graham of Noodlehead
11/16- Rachel McCormack of wooden spoon quilts
11/17- Tara Larson of RAD & HAPPY
11/18- Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane
11/19- Holly Hughes of Holly Gets Quilty –
11/20- Nicole Daksiewicz of Modern Handcraft
11/23- Pat Bravo of Pat Bravo Fabric Design and Jesse Maloney of Art School Dropout
11/24- Astrid Slagle of Red Red Completely Red
11/25- Holly DeGroot of Bijou Lovely
11/26- Christopher Thompson of the tattooed quilter
11/27- Spoonflower of Spoonflower Blog
Those who know me understand that I have a special passion for bag making. I decided that my first make would be a bag using Nancy’s Stones Quilt pattern. I sized the pattern down to three quarters size, used 9 “stones” instead of 15 and utilized a bag design of my own. I also used Pellon Flex Foam Stabilzer for the first time-a wonderful discovery. It gives my bag some nice heft and shows off the quilting beautifully. I will be using this more in my makes. In any case, I grabbed some bright Kona solids and used a Carolyn Friedlander print as background with new black leather for the base and handle. I am pretty pleased with how it turned out and think it shows how different this pattern can go with varied color themes and fabrics.
A fun discovery that may be obvious for many experienced makers but was a lightbulb moment for me as I was making this bag was how to make the fabric pattern around the “stones” orient in the same direction as the overall background fabric. I chose a PATTERNED background and SOLID “stones” in contrast to the opposite shown in the book which made the fabric orientation an issue. I really wanted the background fabric to all be oriented in the same direction so as to make the piecing less obvious (these kind of details are ridiculously fun fodder for me). To solve this dilemma while cutting the “stones” for the pattern, I lined up the background fabric scraps behind the solid “stone” fabric IN THE SAME ORIENTATION as the overall background at each corner then cut on the line simultaneously across both “stone” and background and pieced. I think and hope this makes the quilted bag front look cohesive and it is definitely a technique I will keep in mind for future makes.
As I said, surprisingly I couldn’t stop at one design from Nancy’s book. We have just completed a huge remodel including finishing a closed deck and setting up a hammock underneath it. It is a perfect place to lay down and take naps but was in dire need of a winter pillow to snuggle up with. Using elements from the book’s Mesa Quilt and fun hand dyed printed fabric from Kelsey Boes (Lovely and Enough) and yarn dyed fabric from Jennifer Sampou (Jennifer Sampou ), I made a yummy pillow. I flipped the light and dark fabrics on the left side and right side to give the pillow symmetry making it a little different then the Mesa Quilt but unmistakably Nancy. The pillow has recieved my husband’s approvel, and he is a tough sell, so I know it is a good one.
This pillow is pretty fun with points up and down.
I heartily recommend this book and am excited to share a copy with one special blog reader. (hard copy for those in the US or digital copy for those outside the states). To enter, please tell me about the first craft/quilting book(s) you remember sewing from and how your style is now compared to then. (For the record, I started with Kaffe Fassett’s Quilting books, still have every copy and continue to find inspiration from all of them). I will pick a winner randomly by 5 PM Monday, November 16th. If you are a no-reply blogger please make sure to include your email address so I may contact you.
For the Record: I was given a free copy of this book to help me make projects but before I even received it or asked to participate in the blog hop, I had already purchased the book and started to make. My opinions are and will always be my own.
Hillary
Addendum: THE WINNER BY RANDOM DRAW IS BUNTYW. I WILL EMAIL TO SEE IF YOU WANT A HARD COPY IN THE STATES VS A DIGITAL COPY IF OVERSEAS. IF NO ANSWER BY NEXT MONDAY, I WILL PICK A NEW WINNER.
Entropy Always Wins 
My first crafty sewing book was Elizabeth Hartman’s The Practical Guide To Patchwork. I immediately LOVED the book & was completely inspired by the projects but more importantly the book really is full of practical information & became my go-to reference. I continue to be inspired by Elizabeth’s books, patterns & now her fabric line.
Your technique for getting a directional background to look right in a pieced quilt is sheer brilliance! I’ll definitely be using that. I also love how flipping the direction in the pillow resulted in a cute ‘arrow’ in the center.
I’m a bit of a book ‘junkie’ and collect as many as I can. I can’t really remember the first book I bought beyond a quilting basics book, but I love to look through them for inspiration. I probably use my quilting pattern books the most.
I love how you’ve taken these and really made them your own, Hillary. That cushion especially is calling to me.
I’m not exactly sure what my first quilting book was (well, I had an 80s one that my mum loaned me, wow, there were some shockers in there) but I suspect my first was also Elizabeth Hartman’s, or maybe Weeks Ringle/Bill Kerr’s Quilts Made Modern. Both books are great and I used them for colour theory and technique more than copying exact patterns. I’m not really sure how my style has changed, it’s a bit hard when you’re so close to the work, but I know that I’ve still kept my love of geometry. I love lines over florals, but who knows maybe that will change as I get older and crankier 😉
My first craft book was so long ago I can’t remember the name of it but the most recent book is Zakka Style.
I love these projects! That bag is wonderful and I love your quilting! I have got to get me some of that Pellon; the texture is amazing. Your decision and explanation of placing the pebbles is great. It looks seamless and without your meticulous work, it would have been obvious. Just wonderful!
Gorgeous! I love the stones…love! My first book was a Kaffe book. Since then I have kept with the ‘bright and bold’, but found I love solids most!
I love them!! Thank you so much for participating!! And thank you for showing the readers how to match the prints. Super helpful! xx
I love this book and everything I’ve seen from it as well. There is something so organic about the designs; it’s incredibly appealing to me. One of the first books that really influenced me was Mary Mashuta’s Cotton Candy Quilts. I fell in love with it back when I first began quilting and still love the clean designs in that book – it is one of my go-to’s when I’m looking for inspiration. I love your bag designs – really think you should teach bag-making at QuiltCon – I guess it’s too late for 2016, but in 2017 anyway…just a thought, Hillary. (But if you do, you have to save a space for me in the class since it was my idea 😉
I’m a brand new quilter who got started with a copy of Sherri Lynn Wood’s Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters. Now I’m obsessed. Thanks for all the inspiration you give me here on your blog!
What a wonderful book. I love the projects you made from the book. My first quilt book goes back many years ago. The book was “Little Quilts”. Ironically little quilts are back. Thank you
Such lovely bags, as always. You’re going to have to learn to make shoes now, with all that fun fabric and leather. I’m pretty sure that the first quilting books I used are no longer in print. I did a rather brutal cull of my sewing library a few months back and gave away all the books I no longer used. I’m sorry to say, since I hadn’t looked through the pages in years, I don’t remember their names. I did however retain my original 1949 and 1953 Singer sewing books. Although much of the sewing technique remains valid and unchanged in 60 years, the whole concept of sewing has. Both books belonged to long time sewers before they came into my possession and I love how they wrote their names in perfect penmanship inside the cover. I use many sewing techniques in my design and construction, and am often drawn to both types of books. I’m guess I’m not the only one (including you) to also own the Kaffe Fasset books- the colors inspire me to this day and I find myself looking at pictures and applauding his masterful choice of fabric and pattern.
It was fun for me to see the front side of the quilting you posted a while back on IG. At the time I thought it looked like a snowflake, it’s nice to see the whole picture and gives an entirely new perspective. The pillow is also a wonderful addition to all the good things happening at chez goodwin.
It will be fun to see all the other makes. Thank for hosting and the giveaway.
When I first started quilting I usually was just purchasing patterns. My most recent purchases have been Sherri Lynn Wood and Krista Hennebury’s books.
your purse is wonderful and your pillow is just too cool. thanks for sharing and inspiring
Great question – the first book I sewed from was called Watercolor Quilts – and I wanted to make a baby quilt as I was pregnant at the time, and, poor as a church mouse! I ended up making a flannel baby quilt rather than a gorgeous Liberty prints watercolor quilt, but I was off and running, anyway – well… waddling! That was 34 years ago!! I now alternate between improv and traditional quilting with a lot of bag-sewing in between!
I would be delighted to win this book – thanks as ever for a terrific blog!
The projects you featured from the book are so fresh! I love that lantern block on the cover – I saw a similar one recently in a kids clothes catalog that I was thinking of reproducing. My first crafting book was for knitting baby items when I was pregnant with my first. I was so proud of myself for knitting two tiny socks. Lol.
I only started collecting quilting books a few years ago, so they’re all still quite dear
Kaffe Fasset’s books were my first books too – I still love his work!
Congrats!! You won the book by random draw. Let me know if you are in the US to get a paper copy (and if so your address) or overseas to get a digital copy. If I do not hear from you by Monday November 23rd at 5 PM PST I will pick a new winner.
Regards,
Hillary
I think maybe my first quilting book was one by Darlene Zimmerman and used reproduction 30’s. Now, it’s all about modern fabrics and design! Thanks!
My first quilting book I used for a pattern was one loaned to me by my MIL, so it is back with her and I don’t know the name of it – it was a star quilt made with charm squares that I cut in half diagonally (ugh, the hard way, but I didn’t know any other way!). Very scrappy and rainbow…I still love it! But most of my stars were pointless 🙂 Now I am really into the modern quilts and the quilting I get to do in the negative space! I love this book and want to make every single quilt I have seen in it!!
My first quilting book was Quilting with Flannel or something along that line….I still have it but now buy more technique books than pattern books. I do have a large soft spot for great geometric patterns tho!
The first quilt book I bought was actually an extended magazine put out by McCalls in honor of the Bicentennial in 1976. I made a baby quilt from the book for my oldest niece a year or two later. She still has it, and it remains her favorite “Star Blankie.” I actually learned to sew about 15 years before that, first in 4-H and then in Home Ec. classes. I probably bought stitchery books prior to that quilt one, but really don’t remember. ;/
My first experience with a book on quilting was Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel in the early ’80s. She was also on PBS and I watched her show. At this time I was in college and had turned to quilting to deal with stress. Still using it this way 30 years later! I have moved on and have learned to machine quilt but I will always be a lover of handwork. I love a more traditional looking pattern or block with modern twists and fabrics. Crafting helps to counter-act the chaos in my life!
I don’t know what my first quilt book was but one of the latest that I enjoy a lot is patchwork city 🙂
Beautiful as always! I love how you have made the techniques your own.
The first book I remember using and enjoying was the colour book by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr -my introduction to the wonder of modern quilts. I think my style is still evolving and becoming my own. I’m most satisfied when I manage to depart from someone else’s idea and try my own twist and it works…! Not often yet but we’re working on it
I also try to orient background fabric pattern whenever I can. Your bag looks much better for it. My methods usually involve freezer paper as they are less improv, but I really like your technique.
I had a small, thin book of sewing for beginners when I was a child. I had it until recently but gave it to a friend who is learning. Australian Family Circle Patchwork, bought at a magazine stand, started me quilting. It looks so old and dated now, but the techniques still apply.
Yes! These are fantastic. Absolutely loving the use of Lovely&Enough fabrix! My first quilt book was The Quilt ID book (4,000 blocks to something something something) by Judy Rehmel (1980’s). I used to get that sucker out from the library over and over and over until I finally bought it. I like to copy the blocks out of it and arrange and color them to see the bigger picture. Thank you for sharing your process and for the giveaway!
I don’t remember exactly which books were my first when I started quilting, but I know I have a bunch of older books that are much more traditional than the quilts I favor now. I don’t know if the difference has to do with my taste changing or with a change in what type of books that are/were available. And I think there is so much more fabric to choose from now, so that can make a difference too. Nancy’s book looks fresh and inspiring!
I have been quilting a long time and remember some Debbie Mumm patterns. I have been a member of the Modern Quilt Guild for several years now so you can imagine how much my tastes have changed.
I’m rearranging my sewing area and can’t find the very first book I used to plan blocks with. It was organized the number of pieces in a block as I recall. Toward the end the blocks had many many pieces. I had plans of aways putting a bow on the back of quilts as my signature, but my only attempt took so much effort and in the end I used paint to correct the colors so the bow effect would appear! My newest book that I will be continuing on my journey with is Sujata’s Cultural Fusion.
The peeks you shared about this new book Quilting from Every Angle look so fabulous! Hope you will pick me! Thanks for the chance.
I love your bag and how you oriented the background fabric to line up. My first quilting book was such a long time ago. I was some sort of fast/weekend quilts type book. Thanks for the chance to win!
sarah123quilt AT gmail
I never learnt it and wish to learn it
My first book was so long along ago that I don’t remember it, but my sewing style was really crafty when I first started. Now my tastes are a little more modern.
My first book was Kaffe Fassett as well! Love the pillow you made from Quilting from Every Angle – hope to win a copy so I can make one too! 😉
More amazing creations. I have been watching your posts on this book and now a wonderful review. Beautiful work as always. RxQuilter
I love your versions of these quilts! I think the first book I made a project from was “Quilting Modern”.
My first quilting book was from the library – I don’t remember it’s title – but I do know I found many others from its bibliography! Trapunto by Machine by Hari Walner was the first book I used for project ideas.
Your careful background piecing is inspiring, Hillary, because having those bits going every which way would perplex me. I think the first book was American Heritage Quilts. They were all antique, I disliked many styles, but the how to sew them sections taught me lots. Also An Amish Adventure, much more my style with solids. Both back in the late 1900s. Quilting from every angle intrigues me because I see excellent design work and angles I have not attempted.
My first craft/quilt book was purchased at K-Mart many years ago.
It called for 3/8″ seam allowance. The book has been disposed.
My first sewing book was an Amy Butler book with many different bag projects – my first quilting centric book was a modern log cabin book, which I still love! My quilting style has certainly evolved though, especially when it comes to selecting fabrics. I’d love to own a copy of this book!
Hmmmm first quilting books – probably something from Harriet Hargrave and definitely Fons & Porter. I am still struggling to break out of the traditional to the improvisational. Help!
This looks like a great book. Very interesting patterns that aren’t the same old same old. My first inspiration was a magazine, and not a book. American Patchwork and Quilting. My style is more eclectic now that I know about modern, improv, art and other styles of quilting.