Dec
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Baltimore Basics
Filed Under Baltimore Album, Books, Borders, Designers, Hand appliqué, History, Needleturn, Patterns, Prizes
Have I got a good one to show you this time! It’s Mimi Dietrich’s classic, Baltimore Basics: Album Quilts from Start to Finish.
What a delight for the appliqué enthusiast! Mimi, a Baltimore native and lifelong resident, is an authority on this amazing quilt form that has hooked so many of us on appliqué.
Mimi begins by presenting food for thought in planning your quilt, considering options, making decisions, and getting organized. This is not your quick-and-easy type o’ deal. These are more like thoughtful, measured, long-range projects that you should enjoy all along the way.
Next comes a great idea — printed layout mockups! You can photocopy the block thumbnails, cut them apart, and try them out in several pre-printed arrangements to see what you like best. Very cool.
Then there’s a whole beautiful section giving fabric yardage and cutting instructions for a wide variety of sizes and settings. Mimi really helps you design your own quilt.
After giving information on fabrics and supplies, Mimi takes you step-by-step through several methods of preparation for hand appliqué. She encourages you to try them all to see which is your favorite. Then comes detailed information on hand stitching, plus sections on the stems, circles, baskets, and bows that we see so commonly in Baltimore Album. Since Mimi also knows dimensional appliqué, she throws in folded rosebuds and ruched flowers.
Then, of course, there are the 12 beautiful block patterns reminiscent of old, each one accompanied by a color photo of the stitched design.
The book ends with how to sew your blocks together, how to make appliquéd borders, and quilting and finishing your big or little masterpiece.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Comments
48 Responses to “Baltimore Basics”
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I would love a chance to win this book. Please include me in the give away and thank you for offering such a wonderful give away.
I have been doing Applique for a year now and would love a chance to win a book that shows so much. A baltimore album is my dream quilt!
That sounds like a really cool book. I’ve been thinking about a Baltimore, something nice to have intentionally stretch over a long period of time.
I am just beginning my journey into applique and would absolutely LOVE to win either of those two books!!!!!!
I would love to win! I’ve just started learning to applique in the last month. Thanks!
What a great review, Kay. I have long admired the Baltimore album quilts. This book sounds like a delight and gentle guiding hand. And your book too – what a treat! I’ve been a good girl, pick me:)
Thanks sooo much for another opportunity to participate in a great giveaway !!!
Very cool! I’ve just learned about this style and I wanted to try it! I was thinking about doing the Baltimore Bliss BOM but this book is really nice too!
I am hooked on applique. This book seems like a very fine guide to a beautiful art form. I am particularly excited to learn that there is so much background teaching. I can never get enough of that. Barb on Oahu
I am a great fan of Baltimore albums quilt.
Ik love to win this book. I never won a giveaway. I hope hope hope.
By by, Hennie
I would be honored to have the opportunitiy to win such wonderful books. I’ve long admired your work and that of Mimi Dietrich. My first applique was done from Irma Gail Hatcher’s Conway Album Quilt book, and since then I’ve made some one-block album quilts. Hand applique is a very peaceful occupation for me to do; I have “planned” a whole album quilt in my mind many times and hope to make one some day.
Kathleen C.
Fantastic prizes…I’d love to win!
Oooo – gotta love a good Applique book! I love Mimi’s applique techniques!
I love Baltimore appliqués. It will be nice to win the books. Thanks!
I’ve been eying Mimi’s book for some time now. I’d love to have it. However, I already own your book. If you choose me as the winner, maybe you could choose a second person to give your book! Anyway, thanks for all the great inspiration.
I love this book and love to applique. I’ll be teaching my cousin to applique soon and this would sure come in handy! Put my name in to win!
I have been impressed (and more than a little intimidated!) by the Baltimore Album pattern for quite a while. But your close-up pictures make it seem easier than I thought. I’d love to have this book.
What a great looking book. Applique is such a wonderful way to spend a day, week, year.
Hi Kay:
I would love to receive this book as I have looked at it recently with longing! Another copy of your book would be excellent as well – a great gift for a special quilty friend of mine.
Wow! A chance to win both books. I’d love to be the lucky winner. Thanks so much for such a wonderful prize.
I too would love to add these books to my collection- what a great reference book for all things Baltimore!
Three-dimensional applique! Wonderful! I have stuffed before with poly batting, but can’t wait to read other techniques for interesting effects. <3
Love to do applique. This looks like a gorgeous book. Thanks for the chance to won these 2 books.
Looks like a great book – would be wonderful to win it. Enjoy reading your blog.
Sounds like a great book! Hope I win it.
After admiring beautifully appliqued quilts for some time, I’m finally taking the plunge and trying to teach myself how to applique. It would be such a thrill to win the drawing.
As you can see by my e-mail address, I am a knitter, but I am starting my first applque quilt – Ladies of the Sea. I think this book would be a great help to me, and would love to win it.
Thanks,
Laureen, Illinois
This would truly be an amazing Christmas gift to me:) – oh wait, maybe I shouldn’t say that – how about a wonderful birthday gift to me – I just started to applique’ this year, and my birthday is Sunday – thank you for the opportunity and for your blog.
Love Mimi Dietrich’s books and yours! Have Teapots 2 and lovely retro 40s/50s cherries fabrics and plaids to make the blocks on my to do list!
I love Baltimore Album quilts. Would love to win. Thank you!
I love to work on Baltimore quilts, including your BOM which I have worked on all year…Thanks for a chance to win…
Kay. This is a beautiful book and I would love to win it. And you book as part of the give-away is a great addition. Thank you for offering these to us. Take care and God bless, Cory
Kay – I just love your work and I would love to win your books that you are giving out! So please please draw my name. Thanks, Deb
I love to do applique, but I certainly would love to learn more about it and better ways to do it. I would enjoy these books very much!
I just found your blog today when looking for one that features applique. Wonderful blog! Great review of the book. It makes me want to do a Baltimore Album quilt. I love the peaceful feeling you get when appliquing. Please consider me for your drawing. Thanks, Debbie
ohh..would love to do a Baltimore Album..and your applique blocks look yummy too…applique is my favorite part of quilting!
Baltimore Basics looks like a wonderful book. I am so happy for the chance to win and hope that I am the lucky girl!
I just ordered a book through the library on Baltimore quilts–I want to learn more about this special style. WoW! It would be wonderful to have a copy of this book! I love to applique–and baltimore quilts so honor this quilting technique!
As I have just begun trying applique (so far fused and machine or hand edged) I would love the chance to win a book that showcases where I can go with it.
Oh my gosh..I hope I get in.. I adore applique & quilting.. I would Loooooove this book. I have have had low computer signal and could not send this til now so Hoping it get thru.
good & thanks for the opportunity.
k
waahoo-what a gorgeous book-this could actually be the ticket to helping me turn the corner to tweaking my `errors’. maybe?
—– I could really use this book. well toss my name into the name barrell and lets see give it a whirl.
Oh kay, I would Love your book and the other would be a bonus. What a blessed holiday gift this would be. THis would keep anyone in fine spirits for a very long time. You really are a wonderful Santa. I have good thoughts going out to the most deserved. (But I dont have a book colection, so I hope its me :)
any which way your site is such an inspiration..i LOVE YA FOR IT.
2 books of such delightful works!
I cant believe my eyes. A Christmas miracle.
I have a bunny that is hopping around the house usually my muse. We will hope together we are the lucky ones.
please submit me for your drawing
have been learning this at the hand of my gran but can never seem to leran enough.
o my o my, this is too much, such a shock to the system to even think of. heehee. I just cant believe I actually got to a site `before’ a drawing’ it NEVER happens. I get to sites when they announce the winners. So I am just excited to get here and enter and to a an actual site that I adore.
I will hunker down and hope for the best.
I would love to win this book. If I don’t, I know what my next book purchase wiil be. I am working on making the blocks in Kay’s book, “Baskets to applique”. I am finding that some of the baskets are presenting some new challenges to me. I learned to needle turn applique just one year ago. The biggest challenge is the basket on page 9 of the book, ting elements. Those tiny leaves are driving me crazy.
I am struggling with making the gathered flowers. Can anyone give me any tips or show me where I can watch a video as to how to make this work. I have made 3 before, but all of a sudden, it is not working and I don’t know what I am doing wrong.
Greetings Jean! If you Google “how to make ruched flowers” you will see tons of tutorials and videos. I’m sure it’s something simple and you’ll get them working again!