9 Patch Pizzazz

Judy Sisneros's first memory of sewing is making a rag doll and doll clothes as a child. She took her first sewing lessons in 1964 but didn't start quilting until 1987. Her first quilting lessons were through the local adult school. After a move to California's far north coast, she began making landscape quilts. Her first book, Simply Landscapes, was published in 1994. Her second book, the popular 9-Patch Pizzazz: Fast, Fun & Finished in a Day, was published in 2006, followed by Rectangle Pizzazz in 2008, both from C&T Publishing. Judy loves teaching and feels fortunate to be making a living doing something she loves. Judy tries to add a new workshop every year because so many of her students are repeat customers. She is available to teach and lecture nationwide. Her love of people, travel, and fabric makes her an enthusiastic teacher! Kits are available for purchase. Visit her website at www.judysisneros.com. She also organizes cruises for quilters. Judy has three grown children and seven grandchildren. She lives in Rocklin, California, near Sacramento.

Sept 06This book is suitable for absolute beginners: most quilts only use three or four fabrics and only squares and rectangles are used in their design but the results look much more complex than that would suggest. I haven't believed that a quilt can be made in a day since it took me nearly a year to complete a log-cabin quilt so described! However, this book uses panels and large squares and rectangles combined with 9-patch blocks and that gives me hope that the subtitle is accurate. The choice of fabrics and design guidelines at the beginning of the book are well illustrated, simple to comprehend and can be adapted to produce quilts of any size. Many manufacturers now produce focus fabrics and panels which come with associated companion fabrics. They are ideal for these quilts and give hesitant shoppers an easy way of coming to a decision. The six projects given in the second part are for small quilts which can be used as large wall-hangings or lap quilts. Precise fabric requirements are given and cutting and piecing instructions are clear as is the information on how to complete each quilt.