My New Book

Yippee! I'm really excited to share the cover of my new book - Schoolgirl Sampler - which will be released in October 2020. I've been waiting a looong time to tell you all about it and it can't come soon enough . . . .

If you like making small blocks and antique-looking sampler quilts, then you're going to love this one. Inspired by the antique sampler quilts so many of us love, Schoolgirl Sampler includes simple instructions for making many of the traditional quilt blocks we all love in small scale. And, in addition to the sampler, there are patterns for six other darling mini-quilts using the blocks.

It's a treasure trove of 4" blocks reminiscent of those sewn by schoolgirls during the nineteenth century.  Combine all 72 blocks into a sampler quilt or select a few favorites to use in any of six other charming doll quilts. The blocks are fun and easy to stitch and are perfect for using your reproduction-fabric scraps. You can complete several blocks in one sitting or finish a small quilt in a weekend. The possibilities for making small quilts are endless. The book also includes plenty of tips for sewing small blocks, simple rotary cutting instructions and clear piecing diagrams -  no paper piecing, tracing or cutting templates to make the 4" x 4" blocks. It's very user friendly! 

Here's an excerpt from the book - 

"The sampler quilt with many different blocks has a long history in American quilt making. I've always adored antique sampler quilts and I know I'm not alone. Almost ten years ago I embarked upon the journey of reproducing the "Mother" of all samplers – the remarkable Jane Stickle quilt from 1863, commonly known as the Dear Jane quilt. My quilt is not quite finished yet but I work on it whenever I get the chance, in between writing books and making other projects. I'm getting close. This quilt, the Schoolgirl Sampler, took me a lot less time to complete and I hope it offers some of you an easier alternative to creating an antique-looking sampler quilt comprised of small blocks."

Schoolgirl Sampler is coming out in early October and hopefully will be available at your local quilt shop around then. If you're interested in getting a signed copy, I'll begin taking pre-orders on my website in July. (Pre-ordering is always recommended since it gives me an idea of how many books I need to buy before it comes out. But even if I have to restock and you have to wait a bit, there will still be plenty of copies available.) International quilters may want to visit the Martingale website to purchase an e-book version when it become available.

I know you'll have a lot of fun making this quilt. I sure did. Have a good weekend!