2014 Summer Book Club: Quilt Lab by Alexandra Winston - The Jolly Jabber Quilting Blog

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2014 Summer Book Club: Quilt Lab by Alexandra Winston

138 Comments

We’re finally at the end of our 2014 Summer Book Club and we’re featuring Quilt Lab by Alexandra Winston of A Squared W as our final book pick. This book is filled with twelve geek chic-inspired quilt designs to ignite your intellect and imagination. You’ll see scientific disciplines such as chemistry and calculus, transformed into vibrant and quirky quilts. Alexandra also included easy-to-use charts to eliminate those challenging mathematical pattern problems. Take a look at all of the amazing designs she created below!

Aperture Science and Cultured quilt
Echo and States of Matter quillt

All 12 projects from Quilt Lab
Now it’s time for our 2014 Summer Book Club giveaway! We are giving away a stash of books to ten lucky winners from now until the end of August. To enter, comment below and let us know what inspires you when creating quilts. One winner will be picked each week and all the winners will be announced August 26th. Good Luck and happy quilting! 


138 comments

  2. I am inspired by the quilting magazines I purchase and read and by things I see on Pinterest. Inspiration also come from photos, my friends' work and just about everything.

  7. I'm inspired by quilt blogs, color combinations (I love reds), and themes. I have a family of science people, so I'm always looking for science-themed fabrics and ideas–the Quilt Lab book is perfect!

  9. this is really a hard question, I have never thought about it. I think that pattern and fabric inspire me – often I see a pattern that I "must do" and often I find a fabric line that I must have w/o a pattern in mind.

  10. I'm inspired by other quilters work, fabrics, and by random patterns, color combinations and images I see. Pretty much anything can do it!

  11. Usually I'm inspired by bright color combinations I see on other people's quilts. Occasionally, a particular fabric will speak to me and I want to design something to feature it. One day a view of the Hudson River inspired me and I have a sketch of a quilt I want to make of that scene.

    Interesting question!

  12. I haven't been quilting long, but now, I see quilt patterns everywhere. Mostly in architecture, arches, beams, tiles.

  13. Fabric inspires me! Color, design, collections…
    Often, when I'm looking for a new project, the fabrics will dictate what it is I want to create next.

  14. Inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere! I find it in everyday life, in nature, in my dreams, in books and magazines, in reading blogs….etc. Just keep your mind and your eyes open and it's everywhere!

  16. I am inspired by nature, the ideas of others and my emotions. I may create a hexagon flower in memory of a friend or buy a quilt kit because it evokes a good memory. I love quilting and the creative outlet it provides. 🙂

  18. My inspiration comes from many sources. Frequently it is a pattern I see on a blog or in a quilt magazine or browsing at the local quilt shop. Other times it is a "love at first sight" fabric discovered in one of those places. I am presently patiently waiting the release of Sandy Gervais' Rambling Rose pattern in October – this inspiration came from a Spring 2014 market.

  21. I am usually inspired by the fabric, but also other people's projects (thank you pinterest!). This book looks so fun– I would love to see a whole set of bio inspired projects (nerves, cell structure, bones, oh the possibilities are endless!!). Thanks for the chance to win: Sarah: crjandsbj(at)netzero(dot)com

  22. Wow, as a scientist and a quilter, these seem a brilliant link between the two! Inspiration comes from all around, shapes I see, colours in the landscape, online images on flickr etc, and ideas that seem to pop into my head at random times of the day and night!!!

  23. the internet inspires me. there are so many great ideas from other quilters that give me a jumping off point when I get ready to make a quilt.

  24. Certainly the internet, many Australian and Dutch bloggers make quilts with reproduction fabrics- Broderie Perse-fussy cutting and applique

  27. I'm often inspired by my children requesting things which set me thinking and planning, sometimes inspiration comes from gazing at my fabric stash!

  30. I'm always looking for fabric and patterns that match the person's personality that I'm making the quilt for. When a collection jumps out and screems Brianna or mom, then I go with it.

  34. Anything and everything act as my inspiration. Often I will see something and it will trigger me to remember specific blocks or fabrics and how they would pair up.

  36. I'm inspired by the amazing work of other quilters! I follow quite a few on Instagram and the quilts they post photos of are gorgeous!

  37. Last hotel I stayed in I took pictures of their carpets. They were stunning and would make such a gorgeous quilt. Blogs, magazines, pictures, pillowtops, just about anything pushes me into a quilting mode. Thanks.

  43. I am inspired by quilt blogs, anew quilt book I buy or a friend shares a pattern with me! Lucky day to start a new quilt is right around the corner!

  45. I love to search out quilting blogging sites – they are my biggest inspiration. Sometimes it is the pattern or the fabric that makes me search out my sewing room in order to sew it up too.

  52. Nature is my biggest inspiration when it comes to creating a quilt, but I also get inspired by other quilters great work.

  53. My inspiration comes from walks outside, the trees, birds, flowers. Sometimes it's books or blogs or quilt shows or friends. Just about anywhere.

  55. Most of my inspiration comes from reading blogs and seeing all of the beautiful projects that people have made. Thanks!

    Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

  58. I get inspired by the design, but there are times when the bloggers show how to do it. The quilts shown are absolutely beautiful, I would love to win one of these books. Thank you for giving me a chance to win
    Linda King
    lindaking4070@yahoo.com

  60. For me, inspiration comes from Blogs, books, magazines, Pinterest, youtube and family. I am definitely not a designer, so I am grateful for all of you who are, and so generously provide us with a seemingly endless parade of your talents, through such a variety of mediums.
    lv2bquilting2@comcast.net

  63. I am inspired when I visit a quilt shop and see all of the lovely samples. I also find a lot of ideas in magazines and on quilt blogs.

  64. My inspiration comes to me in a variety of ways: nature, architecture, other people, fine art, photos, books, and many other forms. I'm a lover of books and can never have enough! ❤️

  68. Quilt books, blogs, and sometimes just the interest of the person I'm making the quilt for. I love looking at books for ideas and then putting my own spin on them.

  69. I have so many things that inspire me. I think a big one though is nature. I would love to win these for our guilds library. We are in desperate need to bring this library up to the present day.

  74. My Inspirations comes from others needs, I design and create with them in mind. Thank~You for this awesome series of Books this Summer!!

  75. My inspirations come from patterns that catch my eye & fabric that I can't live without! The color combination of red, white & blue always inspires me to make another Hero quilt for our wounded service men & women who have given up so much for our country.

  79. My inspiration is everywhere. From Quilts I see in the media/I-way, to those books in my big old collection that can give me some historical quilts for ideas. Sometimes, it's a request from a family member or friend. And of course there's the FABRIC! So many quilts, so little time!

  80. I am inspired by a myriad of things. At times, what inspires me is creating a quilt for someone I know well – it gives me a chance to incorporate the wonderful things I know about them into a beautiful quilt.

  84. I'm trying to pay more attention to the world around me for inspiration, but blogs are filled with inspiration with almost every post!

  86. oh, I love the quilts from this book. It matches my love for quilting and science! I really enjoy reading blogs for inspiration – from quilt blogs and otherwise. There's just so much creativity out there!

  90. Those geek quilts are AMAZING. I love it. I'm mostly inspired by the fabric itself; it will tell you what it wants to be! But I also like checking out other blogs and Pinterest to get ideas.

  92. What gorgeous quilts. I see quits a lot in nature, animals, plants and their movement. Oh and of course the colors.

  93. The recipients of my quilts inspire my creations. I try to use something with meaning to the person for whom I'm making a quilt. It might be a theme, colors, or specific blocks.

    I love this new book you're reviewing! My son is a chemistry teacher and it would be sooo cool to make a Molecular quilt for him!

  94. I take inspiration from many places. I especially love magazines and blogs by quilters. I also like Design Seed for color combos. Thanks! notwendy gmail

  97. Lots of different things inspire me. Sometimes I'm inspired by the fabric, sometimes its a color combination from a photo or something in nature, sometimes I'm inspired by a favorite movie, sometimes by the person I'm making a quilt for. It always seems like every project is different.

  98. I love all the unique quilts. It amazes me what kind of quilts people come up with looking at something in their life.

    My birthday is the day of your giveaway, 8/26. This would make a wonderful birthday gift.

    Thanks for the chance to win something.

  108. Nature inspires me- masters from art to architecture- love the modern quilting patterns.

  109. I love following blogs for quilt a longs – different fabrics but the same "design" – it inspires me to see what others think and do!

  111. I can be inspired by color. I can be inspired by nature. Sometimes the person I am making a quilt for is so special to me, I'm inspired!

  113. i am inspired by the movement of a quilt or block…either color or shape that draws the eye and makes you look deeper, and by the quilting community and the social aspect of sewing along.

  114. I get lots of inspiration from nature, especially flowers. I love floral applique.
    wlinda_ca at yahoo dot com

  118. I think this is such a great concept for a quilting book, and I love the aperture quilt. Fabric is what usually inspires my quilt designs.

  120. My biggest inspiration is the person who will be receiving my quilt or other project. Other than that I think I find inspiration everywhere. Nature, tile work, paint sample walls. Just everywhere.

  121. The fabrics talk to me and they always have contrasting comments! Color and contrast are what I love, and love to design and work with. I have to make some of these "Lab" quilts for my scientifically oriented daughter, and her four girls! Lovely and interesting. Hope I win. Thanks for the chance to win.

  123. A quilter since the '70's, I was hesitant to dive into Modern quilting. But, wow, it is so refreshing, and so wonderful to see younger quilters just exploding on the quilting stage. THAT inspires me!

  127. My inspirations are my grandmother and my talented quilting bee friends. My grandmother had a wonderful eye for color, and my bee friends keep me challenged.

  131. I am inspired by shapes out and about on my travels…be it a door, roof tiles, OMG…Portugal and all their tile work, churches, you name it! Of course there is always blogs where I say, "Oh I could do that too!"

  132. I am inspired by browsing through books and magazines I have, by looking at images on the internet in various places, Pinterest, blogs, and the vortex pulls me in… 🙂

  138. What inspires me is walking into a beautiful quilt shop! and
    Everything in it 🙂 … Color Color Color … xoxo