First Look: Quiltmaker November/December 2021

When I started quilting, hand quilting was the norm. I loved the rhythmic task of quilting the layers together. I found it relaxing. Fast-forward twenty years, arthritis has taken away most of the pleasure from hand quilting, but I appreciate those who love the portability and enjoyment of slow-sewing a project. In this issue, we focus on different aspects of creating quilts using hand-sewing techniques—but fear not if you think “hand” is a four-letter word. We share more than just hand quilting projects and all the handwork in this issue can certainly be done by machine.

The November/December issue of Quiltmaker Magazine.

The Artist Q & A by Jenni Grover is with Heidi Parkes, who you may know from QuiltCon. Heidi is a certified yoga instructor who specializes in hand yoga. Her quilts are stunning and all done by hand. Heidi also shares her top tips for hand care with us.

The *Artist Q & A* with Heidi Parkes by Jenni Grover

Butterfly Migration by Kristen Clay features appliqué and beautiful hand quilting. The appliqué can be done by hand or machine—whichever you prefer.

Cross Stitch Flower by Olesya Lebendenko is a fun play on handwork. Inspired by a traditional cross stitch design, this quilt is stunning!

Cross Stitch Flower quilt pattern by Olesya Lebendenko.

Look closely at Cozy Cottages by Jen Daly. I hope you will notice the nuances in her sweet ornaments. Jen is a brilliant embroiderer, isn’t she?

Cozy Cottages ornament pattern by Jen Daly.

Since it is already the November/December issue, let’s look at the holiday-themed quilt patterns in this issue. Hanukkah falls on November 28th this year, and I was thrilled to see Hannukah Lights by Constanze Toplansky in our submissions (note her spelling—I learned that there are 28 different ways to spell Hanukkah).