Fresh Quiliting by Malka Dubrawsky - Review and Giveaway

Malka Dubrawksy's new book Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design and Inspiration arrived a few days ago and I am so excited to share it with you. I've been following Malka and her work for a few years and I am always bowled over by the way she uses color and pattern to create beautiful quilted objects. This book is no exception - it's jam-packed with great projects in bright, crisp colors that all have a modern aesthetic. It showcases Malka's signature style with projects that are inventive and inspiring.

The book includes a very thorough section on material and tools and another on technique. These parts are extremely informative and are a great resource for newer quilters and those of us who have more experience, too. There are also two project sections. The first one has small patchwork projects for home, family and friends. In this part, you can find everything from a knitting needle case to a crib bumper and everything in between. All the projects are fantastic and live up to the book's title. One of my favorite projects is the mix it up patchwork scarf. I love how Malka combined different types of fabrics - silks, corduroy, cotton prints - in an interesting pattern. I can see making this for just about anyone on my list. Using subdued colors, plaids and stripes would make it great for a man. I also love the strings attached potholders and trivet. These projects are great for using up scraps - perfect for anyone like me who has a hard time letting the little leftovers go.

The second project section includes quilts for wall, bed and baby. Malka has included a wonderful variety of patterns that use different techniques. I think one of the strengths of this book is Malka's ability to transform a traditional patchwork pattern into something updated and modern. I especially love the honeycomb hexagon quilt for this very reason. Not only is the scale of the hexagons larger than you'd traditionally find, Malka also walks you through how to piece them by machine, not hand. Awesome.

Malka's fresh approach to quilting and patchwork is inspiring. Looking through the projects in this book, it is immediately evident that they are all versatile and adaptable to other items. I really love the look of the whirlygig quilt - it's simple and understated but there is some great play with pattern and color that appeals to me. Unfortunately, I don't have time to make any kind of quilt at the moment so I took the whirlygig pattern and used it for a potholder instead.

This came together easily and pretty fast. I pieced the front and then followed the quilting and assembly directions from the strings attached potholders. All the fabrics came from the scrap bin with the exception of the binding fabric, which is also on the back. Easy, fun, fresh. I am sure I'll be making more.

I have one copy of Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design and Inspiration to give away. If you would like a chance to win it, please leave a comment on this post before 5:00 p.m. EST, Sunday, December 12th. I'll use the random number generator to choose a winner.

For more information about Malka and her book, visit her blog, A Stitch in Dye, and visit the other stops on her blog tour.