Creating Art Quilts with Panels by Joyce Hughes

The ladies in my weekly quilt group love to work with preprinted panels. I have never thought seriously about buying a panel, even though I have seen some nice ones.

Until now. Now I can't wait to get my hands on some panels!

Creating Art Quilts with Panels by Joyce Hughes showed me how marvelous preprinted panels can be as the basis for art quilts. She embellishes the fabric with thread painting, sometimes replacing backgrounds or rearranging the elements to create a new image.

A friend recently took a class in thread painting in which they used a photo printed on fabric. Why not use a printed panel?

typical preprinted panels from Creating Art Quilts with Panels

Joyce Hughes came to use panels while teaching as a time saver so students could jump into technique.

In her book, we learn how to select a good panel.  Joyce covers all the supplies needed including sewing machine needles and feet, threads, fusible, batting, rulers and marking tools. She shows us how to prepare the panel including rearranging elements with fusible applique.

details of thread painting from Creating Art Quilts

Then she shows us the techniques for free motion quilting and thread painting with detailed photos and complete instructions and hints.

using an overlay from Creating Art Quilts from Panels

creating a new background for a panel from Creating Art Quilts with Panels

Other techniques covered include trapunto, use of an overlay, three-D effects, bobbin work, couching, and embellishments. Finally, she shows how to add a border, block and bind off the quilt, and add a sleeve.

landscape panel with quilting in colored threads from Creating Art Quilts with Panels

I was stunned by the finished quilts.

a finished panel art quilt from Creating Art Quilts with Panels

Joyce offers six projects: a flower, embellished tree, flag, a landscape, winter birds, and the heron seen above.

Last of all there is an inspiration gallery of art panel quilts of all types, from pillows to wall hangings.

The detail in the book is fantastic. Between the photos and instructions, I feel I could tackle my own project with success. What needle to use for different techniques, how to layer threads by color, how to fuse large pieces with less fusible--there are so many things I will take into my projects.

Now...its time to go shopping for panels!

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Creating Art Quilts with Panels: Easy Thread Painting and Embellishing Techniques to Create Your Own Colorful Piece of Art From Panels
by Joyce Hughes
Fox Chapel Publishing
Pub Date 10 Dec 2018 
ISBN: 9781947163164
Paperback: $24.99 (USD)