Free Expression

Free Expression
By Robbi Joy Ecklow
Published by Search Press
ISBN: 9780976692805
Price: Was £17.99 NOW £12.59
Reviewed by Sandra Wyman

In her first book Robbi Joy Ecklow details the methods she uses to design and make her award-winning art quilts, covering everything from composition and colour-choice to edging and finishing techniques, including a chapter on fabric-dyeing.

The major part of the book deals with fused appliqué and free-machine quilting, techniques aimed to take a design from paper to finished quilt quickly with no loss of quality. Robbi’s explanations are clear and down-to-earth. Fused appliqué techniques are explained via a sample piece (drawn up for the reader to use) illustrating the whole process. The free-machining chapter comes with a range of designs to use and adapt as well as useful tips on troubleshooting. The book moves on to deal with fused edging techniques and making hanging-sleeves and labels.

Though designs for Robbi’s most popular quilts are included, this is far more than a project book. The emphasis throughout is on design and the sections on this - which include both low-tech and computer-aided design methods – are particularly helpful. This would be an ideal book for someone wishing to move into art quilting for the first time; it would also be invaluable to more experienced art quilters.

This is what I would call a generous book – packed with ideas, advice and information and really good value for money. Highly recommended.