{book it} Best Books in Fiber Crafts

Library Journal just released their year-end reviews, including the Best of 2011: Fiber Crafts. Among them were a few of our favorites, too– Scrap Therapy: Cut the Scraps! (Taunton Press), The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible (St. Martin’s/Griffin) and Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery (Arsenal Pulp).

The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible by Wendy Gardiner and Lorna Knight
“‘Get to know your sewing machine’ books are a dime a dozen, but few provide the extensive coverage of sewing machine accessories needed by both beginning and experienced sewers. Gardiner and Knight describe the wide variety of sewing machine feet in detail, and photos of each foot allow for easy identification: excellent” (Library Journal 8/11)

Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery by Leanne Prain and Jeff Christenson
“Prain’s examination of the world of alternative, free form embroidery is both inspiring and educational. Part art book, part guide, it will appeal to crafters who are looking for something beyond the stamped patterns available in big-box craft stores.” (Library Journal 10/15/11)

Scrap Therapy by Joan Ford
“Ford’s system, designed to help quilters organize (and use) every last usable bit of fabric, is a godsend for thrifty quilters who cannot seem to throw away scraps. Her book is a fun blend of advice, techniques, and attractive scrap-quilt projects, suitable for quilters of all skill levels.” (Library Journal 5/1/11)

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Library Journal also recommends:
*Charts Made Simple: Understanding Knitting Charts Visually by JC Briar (Glass Iris)
*The Knitter’s Book of Socks: The Yarn Lover’s Ultimate Guide to Creating Socks That Fit Well, Feel Great and Last a Lifetime by Clara Parkes (Potter Craft)
*Extreme Double-Knitting: New Adventures in Reversible Colorwork by Alasdair Post-Quinn (Cooperative)
*Lacemaking: A Step-by-Step Guide by Jan Tregidgo (Crowood)

Brother launches Quattro 2

Brother International recently announced the introduction of the Quattro 2 with innovative and exciting new features. The Quattro 2 is available to authorized Brother Innov-is dealers. Unlike any other sewing and embroidery machine, the Quattro 2 features a built-in scanner that allows users to view the entire embroidery area to be seen on the LCD touch-screen display. This makes precise design placement simple.

The new Quattro 2 has two new features: Stitch-to-Block and Color Shuffling. Stitch-to-Block automatically adjusts the density of stitches needed to replicate designs that have been enlarged or reduced. This reduces the risk of too few or too many stitches for accurate reproduction. The Color Shuffling feature allows for quick changes to a design’s color palette.

Another unique aspect of the Quattro 2 is its accompanying 10″-wide Pen Tablet. It allows for tracing, sketching and even signing one’s name, without the use of a PC.

Interested in becoming an authorized Brother dealer, visit their website.

Designer Embroidery Collections – New from Westminster Fibers

NEW from Westminster Fibers. Westminster Embroidery Design Collections

Limited Edition! • Designs ONLY! Available starting October.
BRAND NEW – MSRP $29.99

Donna Dewberry Daisies EKDD01
Joel Dewberry Modern Motifs EKJD01
Anna Maria Horner Garden Stroll EKAH01
Tina Givens EKTG01
Kaffe Fassett Kaffe’s Bouquets EKGP01

• Beautiful multi-format* machine embroidery designs by some of today’s hottest fabric designers
• Created by designers to coordinate with their best-selling fabric collections
• Includes Electric Quilt 6 compatible files for previewing the embroidery and fabric in your quilt designs
• Design size, stitch count and color sequence information for each design.
• Downloadable project instructions
• Embroidery tips from the experts at Creative Machine Embroidery magazine
• The perfect compliment to your sewing and quilting projects

*Formats include: ART, CSD, DST, EXP, HUS, JEF, PCS, PES, SEW, SHV, VIP, VP3, XXX

Visit: http://www.westminsterfabrics.com/pub/designembroidery.jsp (Live October 1).