Something that always strikes me is that American quilting is usually streets ahead of what you see elsewhere. It's as if Americans were born to quilt. This book will elevate your quilts into art with a series of creative exercises. Learn how to 'see' shape, texture and more. Discover how to keep a sketchbook. Understand colour and the principles of design and composition. There is a gallery of work to help you. This 136 page book should provide you with all you need to make you a better quilter. It is full of ideas, practical 'lessons', pointers and tips. It is beautifully illustrated and easy to use.-KarenPlatt.co.uk Lyric shows you how to apply a few basic principles of art and design to achieve impressive art quilts. She gives handy hints on gathering inspiration, composition, contour drawing, free motion quilting, painting, fusing, embellishments and lots more. There are exercises to follow to help you find your creativity and to apply it and a gallery of work provides even more inspiration. Once the fundamentals and techniques hit home, you will be brimming with ideas that you just have to put into fabric! This is a great book for working on small art quilts, particularly the increasingly popular Journal Quilts. This is definitely a 'must have' if you want to push the boundaries of your creativity.-Fabrications

Lyric Kinard creates award-winning wall quilts and wearable works of art. She has studied with many well known textile artists around the country and continues to expand her skills in the area of surface design. Her articles have appeared in Quilting Arts Magazine and her works have been featured in numerous books and exhibitions. She currently lives in Cary, North Carolina, with her husband and five children.