Farm & folk quilt alchemy A high-country guide to natural dyeing and making heirloom quilts from scratch

Quilter Larson Buscaglia (founder, Farm & Folk) gets back to the basics with her quilts that incorporate hand-dyed fabrics and homegrown dyes. The author, an organic farmer, views quilts as a type of autobiography, and her book will certainly interest readers who want to make their textiles reflect their individuality. Readers will learn that the author uses rotary cutters and a sewing machine for the construction of her quilts, but her quilting is done by hand. Nearly half of the book is devoted to giving detailed instructions for making the dyes, and it demonstrates how these coloring agents typically react to different textiles. A list of resources for natural dyes and fabrics is included. This book does an excellent job of teaching the process of making a quilt from scratch, from start to finish, with the bonus of valuable information about color palettes and patterns to create a wide variety of traditional quilt blocks. VERDICT This is a worthwhile purchase for quilters who are searching for either simple strategies or inspiration.--Debbie Bogenschutz