Learn to create modern quilts more quickly and easily than ever with this popular method, featuring thirteen projects and twenty-five bonus ideas. Do you believe rules were meant to be broken? If so, this improvisational quilt-as-you-go technique is for you. Instead of dealing with precise paper patterns and cutting measurements, you’ll learn how to piece fabric onto small, manageable batting blocks. Let your creative juices flow as you quilt directly on the blocks (not the whole quilt!), whether in large abstract zigzags or small structured stitches. After the blocks have been joined, all you need to do is add backing fabric and binding, and—voila—it’s finished! A modern approach to quilting that’s fresh, fun, and simpler than it sounds; it will change the way you quilt (for the better) Great for moms or anyone with a busy schedule—these thirteen projects are easy to transport because they make it simple to pick up where you left off Go your own way: This method allows you to use a pattern or improvise, creating a wide variety of design options Save money! Learn how to finish your own quilts without the use of a longarm professional “Quilting is easier than ever with Jera Brandvig’s modern spin on the popular quilt-as-you-go technique.” —Modern Quilts Unlimited “Quilt-as-you-go (QAYG) is one of those techniques that every quilter is curious about trying, but can be daunting as the process is so different to the traditional process of making a quilt top and then quilting it. . . . The book introduces the technique very thoroughly, so you can clearly understand the difference between traditional piecing and quilting and QAYG. Then there’s a great selection of gorgeous quilts that are sure to appeal to the modern quilter. A must if you’ve ever thought about trying QAYG and haven’t had a clue where to start.” —Make Modern Magazine

You can make the furniture you want at a fraction of the price of store-bought furniture. Not only will you save tons of money, but you'll also make environmentally sustainable pieces that are solidly built, using real materials like metal, wood, concrete, and other recycled ready-mades. The projects in this book don't require special skills, prior experience, or even a garage full of tools. You'll be walked step-by-step through the process of making furniture, from where to buy the materials (or where to scavenge) to how to make the most of the tools you own.

Create modern heirlooms using vintage materials—a collection of 35 innovative projects showcasing the exceptional beauty in timeworn textiles. Vintage Made Modern is a book devoted to recycling just as generations before us have, utilizing timeworn textiles with histories of their own. With a little resourcefulness, gentle care, and some creative repurposing, the 35 innovative projects in this book breathe life back into these textiles, refresh their beauty, and create new memories. Whether it be Granny's well-worn apron, a threadbare family quilt, or a tattered tea towel you picked up at the thrift shop, each of these textiles has a tale to tell. Vintage Made Modern will have you collaborating with makers from the past and continuing stories composed long ago, with you becoming part of the narrative.

Sophisticated Style with Simple Piecing. Multiple sizes, alternative colorways, and design tips are included for all 10 project quilts. Patterns range from "quick and easy" to "involved but inspiring". Learn about color theory, fabric selection, and elements of design. Build your skills with step-by-step instruction and tips on piecing, hand or machine appliqué and quilting, and finishing. This is your "go-to" book for contemporary quiltmaking! You'll love the dramatic results you get with this modern approach to quiltmaking. Popular author/designer team of Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr present their design and construction methods with 10 projects, then show you how to transform their ideas into quilts that truly express who you are.

Everett Spruce came to Texas from his Arkansas home in 1925 to study at the Dallas Art Institute. Over the next seven decades, he became one of the most important painters and teachers in the region. One of the “Dallas Nine,” a group of influential Texas Regionalists that included Jerry Bywaters, Otis Dozier, William Lester, and others, Spruce was among the artists who lobbied the Texas Centennial Commission for a greater role in the Centennial Exposition of 1936. These efforts, though unsuccessful, nevertheless led to greater recognition and influence for Texas art and artists. Spruce was assistant director and taught art at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts until 1940 when he joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin. He painted and taught at the university for the next 38 years, guiding and shaping the next generation of Texas artists, including Roger Winter, William Hoey, and others. Spruce died in 2002 at the age of 94. Texas Made Modern: The Art of Everett Spruce traces Spruce’s artistic evolution from his early experimental work of the 1920s through the mysterious, surrealist-imbued landscapes of the 1930s. The work addresses his boldly expressionistic imagery of the 1940s and his abstract expressionist–inspired paintings of the mid-twentieth century. Departing from previous accounts of Spruce, which label him a prototypical regionalist, this study reveals the nuanced meanings behind the artist’s shifting approaches to Texas subject matter and resituates his artwork within the broader narrative of American art.

"Everyone knows the old saying "necessity is the mother of invention," but if you do a paternity test on many of the modern world's most important ideas or institutions, you will find, invariably, that leisure and play were involved in the conception as well." Most history books don't concern themselves with delight. History is the serious business of war, treaties, governments and monarchs. This is a different kind of history book. Steven Johnson argues that if you want to understand how we got to now, you have to understand pleasure and play. A staggering amount of the landscape of modern life is populated by environments and technology designed to entertain and delight us. Here history of popular entertainment, arguing that the pursuit of novelty and wonder is a powerful driver of world-shaping technological change. Throughout history, he locates the cutting edge of innovation wherever people are working the hardest to keep themselves and others amused.He introduces us to the colorful innovators of leisure: the explorers, proprietors, showmen, and artists who changed the trajectory of history with their luxurious wares, exotic meals, taverns, gambling tables, and magic shows.

From the bestselling author of Quilt As-You-Go Made Modern—learn to create vintage quilts more quickly and easily than ever. Get comfortable with basic piecing and machine quilting - one block at a time! Best-selling author Jera Brandvig is back, this time with a romantic take on her quilt-as-you-go designs. Try your hand at nine projects, including an elegant sampler with fifty-one mix-and-match blocks. For quilt as-you-go enthusiasts, Jera shares three optional joining methods, including her new technique that makes your quilt reversible! No matter how busy your schedule, you can set attainable goals and practice quilting patchwork blocks in small, manageable pieces. · Timeless, classic quilts for busy folks! Easily finish quilts on your home machine with quilt-as-you-go · Learn a new way to quilt-as-you-go that decorates the back of your quilt in pretty patchwork squares · Mix and match fifty-one blocks to assemble a one-of-a-kind quilt! “Whilst the first book focused on improvisational techniques in a modern style, this one is about using vintage fabrics in classic block designs. There are useful sections on tools and supplies, working with batting, and choosing your fabrics. Each project is laid out in an easy-to-follow fashion that is packed with photos and diagrams. Overall, a well-considered books that is a delight to look through with a warm, encouraging tone of voice.”—Popular Patchwork