Kaffe Fassett's Bold Blooms

September 5, 2016
In this gorgeous coffee-table book for crafters, textile designer Fassett celebrates the special role that flowers play in inspiring his vibrant fabrics and other works of art. He sees flowers as bold bits of botany that are transferrable into decorative arts: ribbons, patchwork, pillows, flower arrangements, and needlepoint. The book includes instructions for projects, which are organized into moods, such as “Bright Pastels,” “Brilliant Highs,” and “Smoldering Deep Tones.” Each section begins with Fassett’s explanation of the mood; in these introductions, Fassett writes invitingly, distinguishing easy projects from challenges. In the last section, he expands instructions and includes quilting and needlepoint basics as well as templates. Patterson’s photographs enhance the artistic aspect, making the book not just a craft guide but a beautiful keepsake of its own. The whole book is just smashing. Color photos.

October 1, 2016

In his five decades of professional work, Fassett has become known as a pioneer in the use of color in knitting, quilting, floral design, painting, and needlework. This title focuses on flowers, which have been a primary source of inspiration throughout the author's career. Each section examines a specific floral color palette, such as bright pastels, through a series of photographs, an essay on color inspiration, and quilting and needlepoint projects. The quilting plans include traditional patchwork and applique, and the needlepoint projects use beginner-friendly tent stitch in a variety of colorful wools. VERDICT Like many of Fassett's books, this one provides crafters with a look inside his studio and process, giving insight into how one of the field's most prolific designers and creators works.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Kaffe Fassett is renowned for his passion for and use of color as a textile designer and painter, and his fearless, bold style makes his work instantly recognizable. Flowers have long been a source of inspiration for Fassett, and in this book he shares the ways in which he incorporates them into his creative process. The focus is on large-scale blossoms with unique shapes, conducive to a distinctive, confident effect. First, Fassett details how he finds inspiration through examples of florals in decorative art, how he stitches needlepoint flowers, how he draws blossoms when designing fabric, how he makes and paints floral arrangements, and more. Second, he uses examples of his work to demonstrate how he approaches the various color families he prefers as well as how to use high contrast for effect. Finally, he provides instructions for making the 18 quilts and seven needlepoint pillows used as examples in the second section. Beautifully designed, this book is sure to be inspirational and instructional for quilters, needlepointers, and flower enthusiasts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)