Start to Quilt

Miriam Edwards comes from a long line of dressmakers and tailors. Her mother taught her to make clothes for her dolls and then for herself, and alter she did the same for her own children. Miriam discovered patchwork when she went to the National Parchwork Championships with friends in 1992. She was enthralled by what she saw and came home weighed down with fabrics. She soon started attending classes and made her first quilt in 1993. In 2001 she became a Young Quilter's Representative, and she now holds regular children's workshops. Her patterns have been published in Patchwork and Quilting and Fabrications magazines.

• ·Make fantastic bags, a wild and wonderful wall hanging, a phone pouch and a fun felt book cover·Simple techniques and lots of creative ideas·Clear instructions and everything you need to know to start quilting

August 07Aimed primarily at teenagers, this super title is one of a series of books by Search Press that teaches basic craft skills combined with fun projects. After a brief introduction to the history of quilting, the book shows the techniques of attaching the quilt layers along with some useful and decorative stitches. Five projects follow for bags, mobile phone holder, book cover and wall hangings. All the projects are young and trendy in style and encourage stitchers to progress with skills that include appliqué, fabric flowers, Sashiko stitching, embroidery and shadow work. Step-by-step instructions and clear photographs throughout make this guide easy to use, and there are lots of examples and ideas for making other items using the same techniques. Other titles in the series include beading, knitting and hand embroidery.