Urban Quilting: Quilt Patterns for the Modern-Day Home

I’ve read a lot of quilting books. This is a great book for quilters of any level. The patterns are modern looking and easy to understand. I appreciated how the author took time to explain the quilting basics in a concise way. I loved this book.

Urban Quilting by Wendy Chow, @the.weekendquilter is a breath of fresh air in the world of crafting books.Normally with quilting books I’ve found that the ones with good tips and patterns feel incredibly dated. Whereas modern quilting books seem to lack substance and lean more into being about the photography.Urban Quilting lands on both quality of the content and imagery. First let’s just start with the actual physical book- it feels yummy. With a sturdy hardback cover, no dust jacket here!, it dares you to even think about hiding it on your bookshelf. It’s totally coffee table worthy. And it even has a ribbon bookmark!! 😭❤️What about the writing? Well, if you follow Wendy’s IG account or have heard her podcast Quilt Buzz, then you’ll appreciate it still keeps her voice throughout. The book has great advice even for seasoned quilters but everything is digestible for beginners. I was especially fond of the brief history of quilting which highlighted the craft’s international roots that are not as widely known.Readers, you know how quilt book patterns will often be filled with patterns where we say “that’s nice” (but not actually ever going to make) or they include one you super love but it’s sized as a small wall hanging? 🙄 Leaving you to do the quilt math. Not this book!! Wendy did not throw us to the wolves. The patterns included are a major score. Each one is actually gorgeous, realistic to replicate, and sized for baby, throw, AND QUEEN!All this to say, order a copy, get some great ideas from the author, and share in the excitement of seeing this new wave of quilters leaving their mark on this art we all love so much.-Alicia

I highly recommend purchasing this beautiful book! There are so many modern and trendy patterns that fit any skill level. With 10 total patterns to choose from, starting at beginner level and increasing in skill level as you make your way through the book, the hardest part is determining which pattern to make first. The instructions are very straight forward, easy to follow, and include numerous photos. One of my favorite parts is the author, Wendy Chow, gives 3 samples sizes for each pattern along with the color key of fabric used. Being at home, and ordering online, I constantly find myself struggling with figuring out the colors I want vs. what I see on the computer screen, and this really helps take the guess work out of the whole process. I also love how with each pattern she provides a bit of quilting history as well as her inspiration behind each patter. There are tips and tricks sprinkled throughout the book, and instructions on various skills (ie) spray basting, that I was really happy to read about. I will be making patterns from this book for years to come!

WARNING: Author's yardage amounts are not entirely correct. Costly mistake ... I am now stuck with nearly 2 yards of fabric. I blame myself; I should have realized the amounts weren't logical. Otherwise the designs and instructions are great!

Wendy is an incredible pattern writer and creates patterns challenging enough for expert quilters and accessible enough for beginners! I love her suggested color palettes, fabric choices, and the way she described her inspiration for each quilt. The amount of detail is so helpful, too, and the graphics and photos truly make this book unique. I see myself returning to this book time and time again to make variations on the quilts for presents and projects, too, which is the mark of a great book for makers and quilters alike! The quality of the printing and binding is also fantastic, as is the texture of the paper.

LOVE THIS BOOK. I love the inclusion of color way inspos, easy to follow instruction, and multiple sizes for the quilts. I think it’s a book great for all quilting levels looking for modern inspiration , but it’s perfect for me in my intermediate level. So inspiring and I LOVE the modern take on quilting !!! Great mix of fabrics and patterns

Just starting on one of the quilts; the instructions didn’t make sense so I checked for errata - there are errors in every one of the 10 patterns in the book. I also find the directions hard to follow and the print is tiny. The designs are great - clean and modern, but I’m struggling trying to read the tiny type. I personally would be embarrassed to publish a book with so many incorrect instructions.

I am not a new quilter, I have maybe 5 or so quilts under my belt, but I imagine if I was this books intro section would be like a holy grail. Wendy does a fantastic job breaking down how exactly one makes a quilt in easy terms, something I wish I had when I made my first couple quilts. The designs are beyond beautiful, I could see myself making most of them at some point. My favorite feature of this book is how well done each quilts instructions are. They are so clear and she even includes really helpful pictures and diagrams. I am smitten by the tiny illustration of the rotary cutter, it’s so dang cute! I have use many quilt patterns from many different designers and this is some of the clearer language I’ve seen! I couldn’t recommend this book enough and I have fabric coming in the mail for the crosstown buzz quilt as we speak!