Radiant Blocks for Endless Quilts: Designing with New York Beauties

In this winning volume, Hahn (New York Beauties Electrified) shares how to quilt with New York beauty blocks, which feature spikes arrayed in an arc around a quarter circle (the name comes from the spikes’ resemblance to the Statue of Liberty’s crown). Step-by-step photos show how to sew a New York beauty block using foundation paper piecing. First, the arc is made by stitching together small rectangular blocks of alternating fabrics and trimming the result. Next, the quarter circle and background are cut out and sewn to the arc, completing the block. Hahn also walks through how to make half-square triangle blocks to intersperse with New York beauties for more varied quilt design. Bringing both block types together, she details how to make six quilts. Particularly impressive are “Fox Beach,” which features alternating circles and squares made from magenta and blue New York beauties, and “Midland Avenue Modern,” which resembles four suns above a shoreline. The instructions are thorough, featuring close-up photos of detail work, and the introduction provides tips that even experienced quilters will find useful, such as the need to shorten stitch length if one uses copy paper or vellum for foundation paper. This comes together nicely. (Sept.)