Today’s blog is a new item here in the studio that I am so pleased to be able to tell you about. Teri Lucas has written a book that you need to have in your library, whether you’re a new quilter or someone who’s finally gathering her courage and beginning to look seriously at thread. The book is called Color, Thread & Free-Motion Quilting (Learn to Stitch with Reckless Abandon), and it’s brand new from C&T Publishing.

I feel in very good company when I look at the other friends who have gotten together to celebrate Teri’s newest project, and I’m thrilled to have been included in this group. We have all watched this project as it was moving along, and Scott Hansen (in his post) calls her the Thread Whisperer. I’ve never known a more appropriate name for someone. Be sure to check out each of these blogs to get their points of view, as well as a chance to win prizes in the hop.

7/28 Melissa Thompson Maher

7/29 Susan Emory
7/30 Jenny K Lyon
7/31 Teri Lucas
8/1 Paula Reid
8/3 Teresa Coates

8/4 Scott Hansen
8/5 Linda Pearl
8/6 Teri Lucas

Teri and I met in the hallway at Quilt Market (as one does) at my first Fall Market, when I was so green I didn’t know entirely what I was doing. She has been a quiet, encouraging whisper in the background of my life for the past couple of years, often just popping in to check on my progress. In her book, I find I am reminded of the lessons she’s been sharing with me - understanding how the rules of color work; and then when you get that - how to break them. She’s given me permission in ways that I was not yet to give it to myself.

If you’ve followed my blog in the past, you know I keep my threads organized in two (really big) thread boxes, of approximately equal size. The first is my carefully collected box of Aurifil 50 weight threads, arranged in a riot of colors. After having read through the book once for this post, I think that I have a much better appreciation for the riot of colors, textures and finishes that Box 2 holds. I used to think of that one as the Not Aurifil box; now I’m going to think of it as my Treasure Chest to play and explore with. Although Teri describes thread weight as a “Hot Mess’ among different brands, there actually is a rhyme and a reason for it, and I am having fun playing with what I find. Just playing.

Hands down, the most practical information in the book is the chart she has created which shows you which thread weight and type pairs with which needle type. I think of it as a Wine List for Quilters - a suggested list of what type and size needle ‘pairs' well’ with what size and type of threads. I can see this book becoming a well used resource in my work in the next several years, but that chart has already been scanned into my computer and printed out to live in my Treasure Chest.

I have a copy of Teri’s book in e-book form which she has generously donated here, and one of you will have a chance to win it. Just leave a comment here on the blog between now and Friday (08/7), telling me what your biggest challenge with color is, and I’ll pick a random winner next week. Just Go Play.