The Blackbird Designs is one of the American leaders of the embroidery world, but at the trade show in Houston, where part of our staff has been, the first book by Barb Adams and Alma Allen on quilting has been presented. 84 pages with flowers and plants as main characters. Just read them through in the middle of the nature in order to transfer the beauty of your garden in some blocks. A lot of projects are included, among which a main quilt in two versions Pressed Flowers by Barb and Garden Fair by Alma (each made of 9 blocks). But also a table ornament, the Garden Basket, a table quilt, the Winter Apple and a little sampler or pinkeep, which is more traditional and to be cross-stitched. A real bouquet of projects for all taste that Barb & Alma have created inspired by a true club, the Polk Garden Club in Nebraska, active from 1957 to 1988. A group of admirers of gardening and nature to which Alma's grandparents belonged. So, from the family library, they have recuperated a lot of information and ideas to create a garden made of fabrics, threads and blocks. The book, in English, is rich in detailed instructions, colored images, patterns and photos for a total of 10 projects plus the principal quilt in two versions. The queens of Blackbird Designs have really created a masterpiece!

Quilt and patchwork are actually becoming really appreciated in Italy. This has been demonstrated by all the people who were fascinated by McKenna Ryan's creations for Pine Needles Designs during the Festa del Ricamo and by all the clicks on the videos by Elena on appliqué. So, that of patchwork is an art which is going to go over the American boundaries to grow also in Europe. It is certain that it will not easily take in our heart the place of embroidery, but little by little it is influencing embroidery itself. A lot of cross-stitch designers are now creating patterns for both patchwork and creative embroidery in general. Among them, we need to mention Blackbird Designs with its Garden Club about which we have already written a post and a lot of patterns created following this idea. The section called Patterns of our catalog collects all those patterns which combine needle-and-threads art with fabric clothes. FIrst of all you will find McKenna's products but also the creations by the designer of the DRG Publishing, the Fig Tree & Co. and the The Prairie Grove Peddler. Sewing and cross-stitch are getting more modern in a sort of fusion with patchwork!