What's with Kaffe Fassett?
10-15-2013, 06:48 AM
#1
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What's with Kaffe Fassett?
I borrowed "Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Grandeur" from the library. Some lovely quilts and wonderful pictures. But there are NO rotary cutting instructions (though "rotary cutter" is defined in the glossary.) There are templates, even for simple squares, rectangles and triangles. Does anyone know why that is? Has he specifically rejected the rotary cutting aspect of modern quilting? His fabrics and color combinations are certainly modern. I know I can figure out the cutting on my own; they are simple shapes. But I hope someone might have read an interview or something where he explains the absence of a staple of modern quilting. Any thoughts?
10-15-2013, 06:57 AM
#3
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Is it a brand new book? I know a lot of the older library books still have template cutting instructions. If it is brand new, I have no idea why it would still have template cutting. I do still use template cutting if I am fussy cutting a certain design within a patch.
10-15-2013, 07:11 AM
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Interesting. I read some reviews on Amazon (the book was just published this year) and it sounds like the book is more inspirational than instructional. One reviewer said the book "felt like it was more like a fabric catalogue than a book about quilts." That's okay if that's what you are looking for, but I can see where you'd be frustrated if you were looking for patterns with directions.
10-15-2013, 08:25 AM
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10-15-2013, 08:49 AM
#6
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I think he has been quilting long enough to believe his quilts are attractive to those who have also been quilting for a while. And the assumption is those people know how to rotary cut, strip piece, and figure their our measurements. The templates are probably included for those who don't strip piece, who template cut most of their geometric quilts. Not every book needs to be a basic quilting instruction manual.
Jan in VA
Jan in VA
10-15-2013, 10:05 AM
#7
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Well said Jan. we have been so spoon fed for so long we forget there is another way of quilting that uses cardboard or plastic for the patterns, a pencil for marking and an almost obsolete piece of sewing equipment called scissors.
10-15-2013, 11:06 AM
#9
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since Kaffe is not a quilter (he has a lady create his designs for him) he probably thinks templates will allow anyone to make one of his designs even if they do not have a rotary cutter. most of his books show pictures with very little instruction- he sells fabric lines & designs- and is a knitter in real life. 
10-15-2013, 11:14 AM
#10
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The patterns are intended to be used with his fabrics only. That's fine if you want a quilt exactly like umpteen others. Don't get me wrong: I love his fabrics. Apparently there is also a section showing which Rowan fabrics to substitute for Kaffe's if you can't find his exact fabric.
Unless you are a beginner, you don't need rotary cutting instructions as long as the dimensions are given.
Unless you are a beginner, you don't need rotary cutting instructions as long as the dimensions are given.
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 10-15-2013 at 03:09 PM. Reason: copyright violation
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