Simple Geometric Quilting, a book review and project

I LOVE books of all kinds, especially quilting books. Since I work in a quilt shop, I often get to see the latest books “hot off the press”. Last October, I was asked to review a recently-published book, Simple Geometric Quilting, by Laura Preston (affiliate link). I’m happy to share my thoughts and impressions with you (albeit a little late) and a fun little project I made from the book.

Note: I have not been compensated for this review. I was given a free copy of Simple Geometric Quilting to review, but all thoughts are based on my own experience with the book.

Simple Geometric Quilting book review

I read Simple Geometric Quilting from cover to cover. I don’t often do that with a quilting book, but since I wanted to do an honest and thorough review, I dove right in. Laura’s artistic path and her unique perspective on quilting drew me in from the beginning and it was a delight to read.

This book is full of beautiful photos and lovely quilt projects that range from pillows and wall hangings to queen-size quilts, all with a modern and simplistic feel. Laura based each of the projects on her travels across America in her Airstream trailer. Many of her destinations are within a few hours drive of my house in the Bay Area of California, so I really enjoyed seeing them come to life in quilt form.

Laura uses simple geometric shapes, solid colors and plenty of negative space in her designs which are based on traditional quilting techniques with a minimalist approach. I consider myself a traditional quilter with a hint of modern whimsy, so I was really drawn to some of her projects while others were outside of my comfort zone. That’s exactly why I’ll keep this book in my library. Because I think it’s good to push myself outside of those comfortable boundaries, because I’m learning new techniques along the way and because I love the story behind each design.

The first section of the book gives you everything you need to know to build a quilt – from tools and supplies to piecing, basting and quilting. The remainder of the book is separated into four sections: squares and rectangles, triangles, curves, and finally combinations of all of those. The progression of projects starts with easy piecing techniques and ends with more advanced ones.

One quilt that I would love to make is the Minnesota Throw Quilt. I love the large scale design, and it has an Amish feel to it. I think this would be a quick make and it has lots of machine quilting potential either with a walking foot or free motion quilting.

Oregon Crib Quilt

The project I made for this review, is the Oregon Crib Quilt. I chose this design because I liked it (of course), but more importantly, because it provided me with an opportunity to learn a new skill. Laura has a straight forward approach to sewing a set-in circle, which I hadn’t tried before. It was a success and I’d like to try more.

I made a smaller version of the crib quilt; mine is a wall hanging size that measures 16″ x 23″. I basically cut all of the dimensions in half. I love how it turned out! My son is a rock climber and this will be a perfect birthday present for him.

I used Essex Linen for the background and three prints from my Alison Glass fabric collection. I like how the colors play together and the background fabric is a perfect neutral.

The quilting was done all free motion. I chose organic wavy lines across the background and I followed the geometric shapes of the triangles and circle. I even stitched in the ditch with FMQ. I chose a yellow variegated thread, King Tut, by Superior Threads.

This was a super fun project to make and it only took me three days! The instructions were just right and easy to follow. I’m looking forward to spending more time with Simple Geometric Quilting and exploring a new adventure in quilting.

Thanks for hanging out with me and taking the time to read about my thoughts and experience with this new quilting book by Laura Preston. Laura stays true to her minimalist style which pairs perfectly with today’s modern quilt designs. She is also the founder of Vacilando Quilting Co. where she shares more of her art and adventures.