Book Review: Petal by Petal, Appli-bond Flowers by Joan Shay

If you want to know how to create realistic 3-D flowers easily and simply, then this is the book for you. Quilter Joan Shay's innovative technique, Appli-bond, is the fusing together of two layers of fabric, eliminating the need to turn under allowances or finish the edges. Once you have fused, you cut out the parts of your flower, be it petals or leaves, and then applique these to your background with decorative embroidery stitches. You've got the first 3-D flower in your fabric garden.

This book is a pleasure to read. It's well written in an informal, accessible style. It's instructions are logically set out and easy to follow. Hidden throughout the text are gems of particularly useful information, for example, to bond your fabrics before before you cut out the templates. Or to place a bit of card covered with sandpaper under your fabric when you mark it as this will prevent the fabric from slipping. Or that you should cut your templates on the bias as your pieces will lie flatter and the curves will turn more smoothly.

Simple line drawings to help explain essential points in the techniques. Each of the ten flowers (plus a Nuntucket Lightship basket) has full-size templates, each part of which is numbered so you know exactly which piece you need for each step of the construction. The colour photographs of the individual flowers are magnificent. The photographer deserves special credit for getting the 3-D effect of the flowers across on a 2-D page. An extra bonus is the gallery at the back of the book showing completed quilts by the authors and other quilters using her techniques. These show you that creating a flower is only a beginning. The possibilities are tremendous.

The only problem I can see with this technique is in the author's repeating of the words "if the fabrics are properly bonded" which, given that the author recommends a particular brand, obviously is the catch to this easy technique. But that's no excuse for not trying it, just don't start with your last bit of a particularly favourite fabric!

So, if you're looking for a present for a fabric person who also loves gardening, look no further. If you're looking for a present for an appliquer who loves trying new techniques, look no further. And if you're looking for new inspiration for yourself, do yourself a favour and investigate this book.

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