For needleartists and crafters yearning to create luxuriant quilts in contemporary themes,Pictorial Quiltingmeets their needs like no other book on the market. Maggi McCormick Gordon opens the book with a discussion on the rich history of pictorial quilts and their themes which include clouds and skies, leaves and flowers, people, birds and animals, travel and transportation, and other popular motifs. She then takes readers through everything they need to know to create a pictorial quilt that will be treasured for generations to come: • how to select a subject, and then the fabric and color scheme best suited for the project • how to adapt photos and paintings, make sketches, lay out designs, and prepare fabrics • how to master piercing techniques, including turned-edge and cut-and-sew appliquÉ, decorative and quilting stitches, 3-D effects, textural effects, and many others Pictorial Quiltingcloses with a of finished quilts by contemporary artists that characterize a variety of styles and techniques, all of which will inspire anyone who'd like to try the gracious art of pictorial quilting or expand upon their skills.