Fall Magazine Review Special

Did someone say Fall?

That's right! The Fall issues of your favorite magazines are hitting the news stands now. I've done my best to scour them all to let the RWQ readers know what's hot and what's interesting.

Welcome to the very first RWQ magazine review special!

The Fall 2011 edition of Fabric Trends was surprisingly lacking a certain male quilter's name this month. Mark, where did you go? We miss you when you're not around...

Filled with 11 projects and several well written profiles, the cover quilt this issue features Joel Dewberry's new line, Heirloom.

Included among the pages is a designer profile of Joel on page 28. In the article Joel's wife Laurie is quoted as saying, "[I will change] the entire decorating scheme in our living room just so I can make Joel's [Heirloom reupholstered] chairs work in there!" Wow, now that's what I call dedication! A pattern of the cover quilt is available on page 24.

Other items of note in this issue: A designer profile on page 64 of Mark Cesarik. Mark and his fiance Cara talk about their first trip to Spring Quilt Market 2011 in Salt Lake City, UT, and how Cara was the inspiration for him getting into fabric design. You may remember Mark was a guest on Fat Quarter Shop Friday. You can read my interview with him here.

Deborah Moebes of Whipstitch Fabrics presents an article on page 78 about the failed cotton crop in China and the importance of shopping at your local quilt shop.

Fun projects in this issue and some fabrics you may recognize: An article titled, "5 Fun Projects for a Fall Weekend" on page 14. Miscellany Organic Cotton by Cloud9 fabrics is highlighted in a quick lavender sachet project. A pattern for an e-reader cover features Mark Cesarik's Calypso Swing for Free Spirit. Indygo Junction's Tech Pocket & Portfolio pattern is shown using Geo Grand Organic by Daisy Janie.

Fabric Trends, Fall 2011 is available on news stands now until 12/13 for $6.99.

From the editors of Quilt Magazine comes a Winter 2011 special, Simple Quilts & Sewing. 36 projects are highlighted throughout and several fun crafts using modern fabrics.

The editors kick things off with the stunning and oh-so-contemporary "Gone Fishin'" cover quilt on page 8.

This quilt designed by Pamela Goecke Dinndorf makes good use of vintage shirting cotton and stripes and is definitely on my manquilter holiday wish list.

Past Fat Quarter Shop Friday Guest, Pat Bravo (interview here) has two projects included. Her "Roll With It" bolster pillows pattern appears on page 28. Featuring several of her lines from Art Gallery Fabrics, these fun pillows are a great alternative to their square cousins. Pat's second project on page 56 is called "Little Fashionsta." Utilizing her Dreaming in French line, Pat put together this cute bag pattern for a special little girl who's growing up way too fast. A kit for the bag with fabric only is available through the Fat Quarter Shop.

RWQ sponsor Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quilt Works has a quilt featured on page 36. "All Stacked Up" is the perfect quilt to use up your leftover scraps. Take a closer look at the photo and you will see Jackie used strips of fabric in the binding as well as in the body of the quilt!

Looking for something to do with old pairs of jeans? The thrifty project featured on page 40 by Jenny Wilding Cardon utilizes 3 pairs of "retired" blue jeans to create a classic "Tic-Tac-Toe" game!

Jan Di Cintio of Daisy Janie introduces her Market Fresh Tote on page 76. Her pattern features a quick way to transform a fat quarter into a reusable fruit and veggie carrier.

All in all, this issue is filled to the brim with quick gift projects you can make and give for the upcoming holidays. Well worth the spendy price they ask for the publication.

Simple Quilts & Sewing, #122 Winter 2011 is available on news stands now until 01/16 for $9.95.

Quiltmaker's Fall 2011 Small Quilts and Gifts features 13 original projects by several quilting celebrities including Jo Morton and Jennifer Chiaverini.

Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet fabric is a great addition to the background of an adorable modern Holiday table runner featuring nesting Santa's called "Nesting Nicks" by Diane Harris on page 22. I also recognize the border fabric she used in her project from Denise Schmidt's 2011 DS Quilts Collection for JoAnn Fabrics.

Fellow blogger Vickie Eapen has a neat "Sew Petite Pouch" pattern on page 51 featuring half hexagons. Her clear instructions will have you stylishly toting around your sewing projects in no time.

Make several to give as gifts this year!

On page 30 you can find a simple, modern "Tannenbaum Forest" wall hanging by Electric Quilt designer Heidi Kory. A strictly geometric triangular design with appliqued circles, this project is great for the modern quilt lover. Quiltmaker has bonus content for this pattern on their website for readers and EQ users.

Looking for a fun Spring table topper? Canadian blogger Sonja Callaghan put together this adorable paper pieced "Carrot Topper" and shares her pattern on page 46. I hear Sonja has an adorable woodland paper pieced project in the upcoming Nov/Dec 2011 issue!

All of the projects featured in the magazine would look wonderful in modern, colorful fabrics and with the large assortment of new, original projects I recommend getting a copy of this one!

Quiltmaker's Fall 2011 Small Quilts and Gifts is available on news stands now until 11/14 for $6.99.

One of my absolute favorite seasonal publications is Stitch Magazine by Interweave Press. The Fall 2011 issue just arrived and is loaded with 38 projects and a hand full of useful and informative articles.

Look for a piece on page 20 written by Alissa Haight Carlton giving you a behind the scenes peek at everything Project Runway. In her article, Alissa interviews several past winners of the reality television show, including season 7 winner, Seth Aaron Henderson, season 8 winner Gretchen Jones, and season 1 winner Jay McCarroll.

Nicole Smith shares an instructional how-to article on page 12 called "Seams Right." A really well written and photographed tutorial piece, Nicole shares instructions for how to accomplish 6 common sewing seams including traditional, corner, flat-felled, bias-bound, french, and welt. This lesson is a great addition for anyone's sewing arsenal.

A one page interview with Thomas Knauer, fabric designer for Andover appears on page 8. In this touching article by Tricia Waddell, Thomas opens up about family and his second career as a surface and textile designer due to being ill with a rare neuromuscular disorder.

Thomas' first line with Andover called Pear Tree will release later this year. The article includes a sneak peek at some of the fabrics.

Rachel Hauser who blogs at Stitched in Color, shares a fun, modern "Alphabet Soup Quilt" on page 109 that's great for gift giving. The quilt can showcase the first letter of a child's name. Rachel says the quilt was inspired by none other than what else? A bowl of alphabet soup!

Projects in this edition for friend, baby and canine include fabrics from Cloud9 (Kimono Baby Swaddle page 84, Nested Storage Boxes page 129), Ty Pennington (Double-Bolster Dog Bed page 85), Anna Maria Horner (Studio Satchel page 92), and many more!

I always think of this magazine as more of a book or mini publication. Well worth the price tag. Stitch Fall 2011 is available on news stands now for $14.99.

See you in a few days for more current issue magazine reviews and a new edition of Fat Quarter Shop Friday!