A post from Kelli–
Last weekend when I was at Mom’s (yes I go there every weekend) I stumbled across this beauty by Edyta Sitar with Laundry Basket Quilts called Scrappy Firework Quilts.  The good people over at Landauer Publishing provided us with a review copy.  Well I snatched it up and volunteered to write the review if I could keep the book.
I always like a challenge and this book has some awesome challenge quilts. Â One thing that I tend to shy away from is quilts that aren’t the normal squares and half square triangles. Â This beauty would definitely encourage me to try something new. Â One thing that would make me feel really comfortable doing this quilt is the wonderful diagrams. Â In the beginning of the book, they cover many general things such as 8-pointed stars with inset seams, binding, and applique. Â Then, with each pattern, there are additional diagrams that further explain the techniques used in that quilt.
This beautiful log cabin quilt would look wonderful done in batiks–another one of my bucket list items! Â I also love the non-traditional barn raising type layout.
The final quilt that did me in was this one! Â It’s everything that I look for in a quilt. Â I love the wonderful variety of fabrics that could be used throughout this quilt. Â It is a really easy layout with super easy instructions. Â I think that it would be great to use as a therapy quilt–one that doesn’t require tons of thought when making or lots of planning when cutting.
Sad to say though, I am keeping this one….But stay tuned! Â I have a strange feeling that you will be seeing this one again–only completed with a beagle–probably Ruby–sitting on it. Â The other two dogs don’t seem to be too interested in taking pictures!
The log cabin setting reminds me of one of Bonnie Hunter’s, Perkiomen (?) Dreams? I think it’s a traditional setting from a community in a certain valley. I’d have to look it up on her blog, but it’s 2 a.m. and I need to get back to bed. I believe Bonnie used the setting for her Split Nine Patch leaders and enders challenge quilt.
I fell in love with that book when I saw it at Joann’s last year and spent two weeks trying to talk myself out of it because I’ve got SO many books already… But like you said, it’s got lots of great quilts for stretching skills and using up stash. I’d almost forgotten about it until I saw your post. Hopefully my copy is still where I think I left it! :-)
Looks like a challenging book, challenging quilts, but you can do it! By the way, Jo and Kelli, you have a quilt showing at Quilty Pleasures blog! Love it!