Quilt the Beloved Africa

Karenplatt.co.uk: Bearing testimony to the rich art of African design, this book on quilting explores the quintessential style found on the African continent. It shows a gallery of work from Africa’s top quilters. I love the front cover of this book with its distinctive African colouring and pattern, which sets it apart from the quilt styles of Europe and America. African quilts beat to a different rhythm. This book fully explores this, helping you to create quilts with African themes and symbols. At the end are patterns for African dolls that are really wonderful. This vibrant 113 page book is well worth buying if you wish to infuse your quilts with life and create a different look or if you just wish to get in touch with some African inspiration. The book is beautifully produced with clear photographs, instructions and templates. This is the third book by Jenny Williamson and Pat Barker, who have been quilting together and teaching for 25 years. It includes a gallery of gorgeous quilts and accompanying photographs of African scenes, showing the flora, fauna, landscapes and faces of Africa that have inspired their quilts. There are 13 quilt projects and a set of instructions for making two very sweet African dolls. The quilts are characteristically full of colour and vibrancy and tend to include lots of applique showing images from nature, African scenes and people. Although there are one or two projects involving simple piecing, which are quite contemporary in nature, the book is probably more suitable for fans of applique. The majority of templates need to be enlarged to fit into block sizes which could be a little taxing for novices, but once you are comfortable working out percentages, and have mastered your preferred method of applique, you will be making colourful, lively quilts in no time at all.-Popular Patchwork

Sisters Jenny and Pat were born, grew up and live in Johannesburg. Neither can remember a time when they were not surrounded by fabric and were not involved in one form of handwork or another. They started teaching quilting in 1978 and have taught courses at National Quilt Festivals since 1989. They have won numerous prizes, individually and together, for their quilts. Their work has been exhibited in Britain, Canada and the USA, where they have also successfully conducted classes and lectures.