This is a fun and inspiring book for those who like to sew. My students enjoy crafts, and I hope to bring sewing into the mix and teach a fun skill that is being lost.

Fearless with Fabric was exactly the quilting book I was looking for. I had recently gotten interested in quilting but couldn't find any quilt patterns that stood out as something that was "my style" nor was I able to find much help online in the way of making old patterns new again - enter Fearless with Fabric!

While none of the projects in this book specifically stood out to me, the concepts and ideas behind them did. The book takes a handful of traditional quilt blocks and creates modern looks by turning pieces around or changing the traditional ways of combining colors for a particular pattern. The tips and tricks outlined in this book did wonders for my creative thinking in terms of how to make quilt blocks work for me.

This is definitely a book I would purchase for future reference!

This quilting book contains several different unique patterns. It features quilts that are modernized while still using traditional ideas, and is aimed at intermediate quilters. The book has great graphics - the diagrams were clear and easy to read, and the directions were also very straightforward. Great for anyone looking to branch out who isn't sure how to do so.

Nonfiction | Adult
It takes great courage to make a quilt, let me tell ya. It’s not just the sewing skills, the patience in putting together the pieces into blocks, and the challenge of following a pattern only to discover it has a mistake in the instructions. Grrrr! No. The real courage is in figuring out the fabrics and the colours. Unless you buy a kit (which comes with all the fabric ready for you to cut and sew back together in new and beautiful ways), you are likely going to create a quilt using fabric that sorta matches the instructions (3/4 yard aqua, 1/2 yard teal, 1/2 yard orange), and you don’t really know how well they’ll work together till you are near the end. I have been surprised by how well some work, and devastated when a planned quilt design fails miserably because of my colour choices.
So this book is a godsend, promising to help me figure out the play between fabric and colour to make quilting a joyous process, and taking a traditional quilt block pattern and giving it a new and modern twist with bright colour and bold placement choices. Using 14 quilt projects with step-by-step instructions, Maxwell guides the reader through the design process, showing a traditional quilt design that is upended when you deconstruct the blocks and introduce some “negative space” in the form of a solid background, or changing the colours within a block to create a scattered look that is bright, fresh, and modern. Here’s one example of a traditional design made modern:
All that has happened here is that those very same traditional diamond blocks are now put together using new colours, creating lines, blocks, and lovely patterns. Voila! Maxwell gives excellent guidance in helping you choose colours, and occasionally presents alternative colour options, letting you “see” the pattern and not just the colours. She offers tips, in the form of “Fearless Takeways” and “Confidence Boosters.” These are suggestions for changing a traditional pattern, making use of colour, and being brave with placement at the design stage (before you start sewing all the blocks together). Each project spans six to 15 pages, and Maxwell includes step-by-step instructions for cutting and piecing, very clear assembly diagrams, and finishing instructions, including backing yardage. Some of the patterns require templates, which are included. Overall a terrific resource for those who are interested in pushing the boundaries of traditional quilt patterns and gaining the confidence to start creating original designs. One suggestion for future books – add a thumbnail of the final project to the table of contents. My thanks to Landauer Publishing for the temporary reading copy provided digitally through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this title (same ISBN but a slightly different title!): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44135450

This is a very interesting quilting book. It shows how to adjust traditional quilt patterns to make the result look more modern and to use newer style fabrics. It's very nicely illustrated and instructions are very clear. Most of the final results are not to my personal liking, but for someone who is interested in modern design, particularly graphic design, it would be very useful. I'm not quite skilled enough at quilting to try any of these, but I think the instructions are such that anyone with adequate experience would be able to make some very interesting quilts!

Fearless with Fabric is an excellent guide for novice to intermediate quilters who wish to better learn how to integrate modern fabrics and designs into their repertoire. Experienced quilters may find using another style and breaking out of their comfort zone is not easy as well as new quilters who don't have a style of their own yet, but know that they want their quilts to be more contemporary in style will both find this book useful, The directions are clear and concise and accompanied by pictures that illustrate the project steps. Alternate colorways are provided for each design,, as is an illustration of a traditional and modern interpretation of a design. I think this book would be a good addition to almost any quilter's library.

Thank you NetGalley and Landauer Publishing for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Having been a quilter for many years, I enjoy reading and studying quilting books for new ideas.
This book had interesting and refreshing ideas using traditional blocks in new settings and with contemporary fabrics.

This book does not spend a lot of time on teaching the basics of quilting, which is good. It does talk a little about color theory and then gets right to the patterns. The directions are clear and the illustrations and photographs are engaging.

The best part about this book is that the traditional blocks are expanded on and new designs and ideas emerge. Moving from bed coverings to wall art is a direction that is useful for decorating your home.
Each pattern shows the block traditionally set as well as with the modern twist to it. Also, several alternate colorways are offered.

My favorite patterns in the book are ‘Left of Center’ and ‘Reverb’. Both of these patterns would be fun to try. This book belongs in every quilter’s library.

As a somewhat new quilter I am always looking for new patterns and step by step directions. This one suggest we come out of our comfort zone. I'm not sure if I am quiet ready for that but I did enjoy the quilts in this book. There are great diagrams of how to lay out the quilts and color combinations. I love bright colors in my quilts and this book showed may many bright ideas. If you are ready to take a walk on the wild side with your next quilt this is the book for you. I may make a few more quilts before I tackle one of these but I will one day.

Love the patterns in this book. Pictures for each quilt design and confidence hacks to help your project shine.

Great book that helps more experienced quilters to get inspiration and ideas/guidance on how to combine and balance shapes, colors and patterns, for a less traditional/more modern quilt design. For someone with no experience in quilting, the projects seem a bit advanced so it might be good idea to get a beginner's guide to quilt first. A great book overall with many different projects that are well explained. The author reveals great sensibility and elevated taste level.

I loved the color--this book is beautiful. However, while some of the modern quilts looked interesting enough to try, the heavy use on templates was more than enough to steer me away. This same book with lots more strip piecing would be great.

A nice book that lays out fun quilts and there patterns.
Colorful pictures and steps to follow.
It is a good resource for those who are already quilters or want to start quilting.

An interesting twist. The author takes a traditional block, and then adds a modern twist to each one. I like how she gives ideas and challenges to the reader, to spark ideas and ways to step out of our comfort zone. I especially liked the last quilt, where she takes one block, and then resizes it three times to create a fun concept. She calls the pattern Shattered. With each section, she has clear instructions, plus categories of "leap of faith", "fearless takeaways" and "confidence booster" that really make you think. A fun book for those just starting out and for those that have been quilting for many years. Going on 30 years myself, and found this book well worth my time. Would highly recommend it for yourself or as a gift for a fellow quilter.

Wonderful designs new and old beautifully made. All the information and templates included for you to make your own family heirloom. It all looks so easy but I know it will take many hours of work to produce one of these stunning designs. But oh so worth the effort. This book will guide you every step of the way.

Fabulous book, lots of colour, lost of magic in how to give your quilt that splash of modern and now with fabric. The instructions are easy to follow and the designs are simple but very effective. Lots lots scope within the patterns to tone both the design and colours down to put your own individual touch to it. For me I love it just as it is - colour and modern - something very different from the traditional that can make a modern statement in a home.

this is a lovely book about Quilts and Fabric.
Shows that there are no real rules about colour placement and anything goes in a design.
Some great new fresh ideas to try.
Worth the look.

This is a fun collection of quilts based on blocks we're all familiar with but bumped up a notch. As with any collection, some designs will suit the maker more than others but I saw enough variety that I think there's a bit of something for everyone. I found a few I'd love to have myself. Instructions are clearly written and accompanied by diagrams and templates so even a newer quilter can successfully recreate the designs.

Thank you Fox Chapel Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book contains modern quilting patterns. The designs are easy to follow and the color pages are helpful. This would make a good addition for my library's craft section.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

This is a super fun book some really awesome quilt patterns. I love the layout and all of the full colour pictures. The patterns are really well thought out and explained. There is truly a pattern for everyone in here.

I agree with the author that it can be hard to take traditional quilt patterns and make them look new and fresh. This author does a great job at giving the reader ideas on what can be done. Sure, instructions for each quilt they made are given, but it’s how they are talked about. Each pattern has info about how it would be traditionally done, then ideas on who to remix it, and then the authors pattern for the remix. This is very well done, and as a 30 year quilter there are still things i took away from this read.