Product Description

A collection of quilt blocks made from the easiest shapes in the world - a square and a rectangle. Using her simple NO-FAIL@ rotary cutting and piecing techniques, Nancy Johnson-Srebro provides an array of brand-new block patterns that co-ordinate with her original Block Magic designs or work on their own. Here are 50 blocks in four different sizes featuring people and pets, holidays, toys, home and garden, nautical themes, and even a moon rocket. Nancy's QUILT MAP@ concept provides infinite ideas for mixing, matching and embellishing blocks to create a variety of gorgeous quilts. She also gives scores of easy hints and tested tips that should make sewing the blocks easier.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45023 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-31
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

About the Author
Nancy Johnson-Srebro is a popular designer, author, teacher, lecturer, and quilt show judge. She developed the NO-FAIL@ method and the QUILT MAP@ concept to make quilting easier and more fun. The author of Block Magic and many other quilting titles, she lives in Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

More wonderfully fun blocks!
I decided to purchase this book since I liked the first Block Magic. I thought it may be too much of a duplication to the first, so I planned to give this book to my sister. Well, I just ordered another book to keep. The blocks are different and I am very pleased with color choices in the pictures. I have a hard time selecting colors for quilts and then putting the blocks into a pleasing quilt presentation. This book has more good ideas. Another wonderfull addition to my quilt book library. My sister and I are planning to trade finished blocks thru the mail, so much fun!

I hope you like cutting out MANY tiny pieces :)
Had I been able to preview this book before I bought it, I wouldn't have purchased it. I'm sure it will very much suit other people, tho - its just not to MY personal taste.

There is a wide variety of patterns included - 58 in all - mostly juvenile/cutesy. All patterns are pictured in full color (4 different pictures per pattern). 4 sizes are calculated for each block. The block directions consist of a chart outlining size/color of pieces to cut and then pictures of how the pieces assemble into a block (very few written directions). Most of the blocks require MANY pieces: Rudolph/40 pieces, apple/20 pieces, Misty the dog/32 pieces, percolator/26 pieces - just to name a few. Many of these pieces are TINY - the 6" rag doll block requires 3/4" squares!!!

At the end of the book are 10 "Quilt Maps" - a full color picture shows the project with blocks from the book, and the instructions make the block choices interchangeable, so the designs can be made MANY ways. (This was probably my favorite part of the book).

I would recommend the projects for people who have *some* sewing experience. You really would need a rotary cutter/mat/printed ruler(s) for accurate cutting of the many small pieces. Personally, I think the patterns are better suited to PAPER piecing than to piecing - and thats how I'm planning on doing them myself.

Dissapointment
Unfortunately, I purchased both "Block Magic" and "Block Magic, Too" over the internet. Had I seen the books ahead of time, I would not have purchased them at all.

First off, most of these blocks are more suited to foundation (or paper) piecing, particulary for the small 6" blocks. Many of the blocks require very small pieces of fabric, and if you are like me, these are not easy to work with and get accurate.

Secondly, there are duplicates between the books. For example, the "Pinwheel Flowers" (book I, page 21) and the Fancy Petunias (book II, page 34) are the same flower, with the stems/leaves adjusted so that in one version, the flowers are on the same level and in the 2nd version, they are on different levels.

Third, there isn't enough variety. I grouped all the blocks by how I would most likely use them, and found, to my dismay, most of them were Christmas/Winter oriented:

(note some elements are suitable for more than one category)

Angels (2)

Noah's Ark (1) and 5 animals/birds which might be used, though not the usual animals expected
Birds/houses (5)
Birthday (2)
Car/Truck (2)
Christmas (20)
City/Town (6)
Easter (2)
Fall/Autumn/Halloween (7)
Farm (13)
Flowers/Baskets/Watering Can (9)
Aviation (3)
Fruit (5)
Hearts (3)
Insects/Bugs (3)
Kitchen (8)
Ocean/Sea (9)
Patriotic (6)
Pets (6): Cats (4), Dogs (2)
School (10)
Stars (2)
Toys (9)
Train (1) engine only
Woods (5)

Fortunately for me, I find I'm able to convert them to foundation blocks using EQ5 -- but it's going to take me a long time.