Shots and Stripes by Kaffe Fassett : book review and Giveaway!

~The Giveaway is now closed ! Thank you to everyone who entered. The winner will be drawn at random and will be announced tomorrow, Friday, April 12 !
The 2013 book Shots and Stripes: 24 New Projects Made with Shot Cottons and Striped Fabrics by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy is the newest of the books that showcase Kaffe's fabulous fabrics. We practically jumped at the chance to review this gorgeous, hardbound book. Here's the news: STC/Melanie Falick Books has donated a copy of the book to one lucky reader!

This latest book is unlike any other Kaffe Fassett book in our collection.  First, the focus here is on quilts made with solids and stripes, rather than Kaffe's signature prints. Whereas quilting fabrics are first woven and then printed or dyed with a color and/or pattern, shot cottons are woven using two different colors of hand-dyed cotton thread: one color is used for the warp, and another color is used for the weft.  This combination of fibers gives these fabrics a soft, almost iridescent look.

Kaffe Fassett shot cotton bundle at Form and Function

The Indian-woven cotton stripes, below, come in regular and irregular width designs with the same rich colors. These fabrics are more loosely woven than traditional cotton fabrics which means that they ravel more easily; however, the looser weave gives them a smooth hand and makes them perfect for hand quilting.  The book recommends washing and starching the fabric before cutting.

Kaffe Fassett woven stripes seen at Hawthorne Threads

In Shots and Stripes, Kaffe and Liza show how to use these luscious fabrics in 24 different projects that are inspired by Kaffe's worldwide travels and by ethnic textiles. The book features some beautiful photography by Debbie Patterson (we snapped a photo of this page next to some of our own woven stripes).

Inspired by the vintage "chimney sweep" design, this project shown above features large areas of each color on a gray ground, which gives the quilt a modern appearance and helps the shot cottons to glow.  We appreciate the use of gray and neutral tones as backgrounds, rather than the bright white which is common in modern quilts.

The project shown below is a contemporary take on the traditional "Lady of the Lake" pattern; this traditional design also looks wonderful in shot cottons.  As Kaffe says:  "The sashing with the two-toned cornerstones made those chalky colors sing."

While almost all of the projects in the book involve piecing, here is an applique quilt featuring Kaffe's famous "Rice Bowls", which has been re-done here in shot cottons and stripes.  The stripes provide a realistic "tablecloth" for each of the bowls to sit on.

There are many more intriguing projects in this book, including a quilt inspired by Japanese rag or "Boro" cloths, which is made by hand quilting raw-edge strips onto a fabric foundation.  These fabrics are perfect for hand quilting with a utility stitch (it's like quilting through butter!)  As in all of Kaffe and Liza's books, the quilts are beautifully designed; the staging and photography also makes this a book you will be proud to display on your coffee table.

If you would like to win a copy of Kaffe Fassett Quilts: Shots and Stripes, please post a brief comment in the comments section below the prize list, and we'll enter your name in the Giveaway. The Giveaway ends at midnight, Thursday, April 11 and winners will be announced on Friday, April 12.  Please make sure that we are able to contact you via e-mail, and we'll mail out your prize free of charge.  Many thanks to each reader who writes a comment below!