Playing with Purpose: A Quilt Retrospective

It’s not necessary to be a quilter to feel inspired by this enthusiastic meditation on creativity. Wolfe (Modern Quilt Magic), owner of specialty quilting store VFW Products, begins, in the introductory chapter “Finding My Way,” by sharing her story of growing up on a farm in Minnesota—where she acquired traditional skills, such as sewing—and of moving to New York City to pursue a career as an artist. There, she experimented with painting, photography, and other media before finally landing on her preferred medium. Each following chapter outlines a different aspect of creating, such as “Permission,” in the sense of giving it to oneself; she encourages readers to experiment by combining colors and shapes typically considered incompatible. In “No Mistakes,” Wolfe states that “unattained ideas or unfinished projects are not wasted” and that, upon starting a project, she doesn’t want “to know what the quilt will look like” but to follow her instincts to their natural conclusion. “Healing: Giving Joy” considers quilt making as a way of celebrating happy occasions and meditating on difficult ones, by putting “your thoughts into fabric.” Bolstered by page after page of Wolfe’s original designs, this guide will make a lovely companion for any kind of artist looking for insight into the creative process. (May)