Book Review and Giveaway: Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart

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Have you ever wondered what shortcuts the quilting pros use to crank out hundreds of quilts a year? Okay, maybe not hundreds, but they do seem to make a lot, don’t they? Well today I’m so excited to share with you a book full of fast-quilting tricks to get the job done. And it’s written by one of my favorite bloggers… Amy Smart! She blogs over at Diary of A Quilter and I’ve featured several of her tutorials over on the front page of SewCanShe.


There are 12 quilt patterns in this book, divided into 4 categories that each teach you a time-saving quiltmaking skill.



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When I browsed through, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Amy’s Modern Buzz Saw block. It looks tricky but it’s only a half square triangle! I won’t give away any more than that. 🙂 

You can see the Modern Buzz Saw Block that I made there on the right. I love it.


I’m also yearning to make this quilt if I ever get the chance. Right now I’m really a sucker for pops of red in a quilt.

So you you want to win a copy? Amy sent me 2 and I’m giving one away. Just leave a comment telling me which part of quiltmaking you enjoy the most. On Monday night June 23rd I’ll let random.org pick a winner and notify her (or him, lol) by email so be sure to enter your email address. Good luck and happy quiliting!

***Update*** this giveaway has ended. The winner is Paula who wrote, ‘Choosing the fabrics and piecing are my favorite parts.’ Congrats Paula!

xoxo,


Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂

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154 Comments

  1. Maeve Binder says:

    My favorite part of quilting is selecting the appropriate fabrics for a project. The process of selection, trying this one and that one, is so interesting and absorbing for me. I really get into it. I do have a good stash and it is arranged by color rather than collection, which works best for the way I work.

  2. the part that I enjoy the most is piecing together the top. I like watching the pattern being revealed.

  3. I love designing, choosing the fabric and piecing the top

  4. I love the piecing part of quilting! Its so exciting to see it come together!

  5. I’ve only done small projects with quilting, but would love to learn some quick and easy tricks!

  6. janice friel says:

    I’m always looking for easy ways to make a quilt. Quilting is my passion.

  7. Joyce Mitchell says:

    I enjoy the designing & piecing the most. I love quilt books – thanks for the chance to win.

  8. Anne Haun says:

    I love piecing the quilt together – fun to see it progress.

  9. My favorite part is sewing all the pieces together! Thank you for the giveaway!

  10. Can I say that I really find joy all aspects of quilt making except the crawling on the floor doing the pin basting? My old knees hate that part, and so does my back!

  11. GreatLakesTreasureCh says:

    Piecing the quilt together. It’s relaxing and slowly bringing order to chaos.

  12. Lynn Miller says:

    The part of quiltmaking I like best is completing the top. Most of the work is done, but lots of creative opportunity is still available in the quilting

  13. Kathy Erickson says:

    My favorite part of quilting is when I get enough pieces together that it takes on the life I envisioned. Yes, once in a while, it’s not the same vision I planned, but it’s still a life of its own!

  14. I love all parts of quilt making – I really like piecing, but I think my favorite part is sitting with the almost completed quilt on my lap and sewing the binding on. I usually give my quilts away so this gives me a chance to sit and enjoy it for awhile before it goes to its new home. Thanks for the chance to win!

  15. Which part is best? that’s hard. but I guess seeing the joy in the face of the person lucky enough to receive it…………and if it’s a baby quilt, it’s even better

  16. I love choosing the farbric and playing with the design until I reach "That’s it" moment!

  17. Kathleen Huebner Olson says:

    I love designing my own quilts, and also hand sewing the binding. Thanks for the giveaway!

  18. It looks like a great book and one I could definitely use. I am so slow at doing things. My favourite part of making a quilt is choosing the fabrics. I’ve been quilting for over 33 years and so I have a vast stash I go through whenever I begin a quilt. It’s fun.

  19. Nancy Andrews says:

    I love when the blocks I’ve created start going up on the design wall and I can beging to see the whole quilt. Such fun!!!

  20. I love sewing the pieces together and building the quilt. I’m not so excited about cutting the pieces, but I love it when it all comes together.

  21. I’ve only made one quilt and am working on the second (a pinwheel quilt!), but I love choosing fabrics and actually seeing the blocks come together. Thanks for the chance.

  22. Teresa@Aureas Kitchen says:

    I love the piecieng part and then sewing the binding by hand. Great book

  23. I enjoy piecing quilts together and watching it come together.

  24. Love this!! My favorite part is planning the design. Followed closely by washing and gifting (or snuggling with) the finished quilt!

    Jess
    Storiedyarns AT Yahoo DOT com.

  25. Brenda Melahn says:

    I absolutely love hand quilting … it’s when I travel to the past, to the future, to foreign lands, to the land of my ancestors, and even to my own sewing room. I visit all the people in my life, in the movies, and sometimes in politics (but not often, they tend to make me get crooked stitches).

  26. Lara Trottier says:

    I’m new to quilting, so I love every part, but I do love when I put the final stitch in the top so I can think about the back, it’s like watching a beautiful book come to an end, and you can sit back and see you’re creation, as you’re kids all fight for it when it’s done.

  27. Lori Michel says:

    I love the picking of the colors and fabric prints. That way I get to pet alot of different textures to find out the feel I want in a quilt….

  28. lindajhsumner@hotmail.com says:

    I love the planning: design, fabric selection, preparation. I have that completed and in order before I begin any sewing. With that said I’m wild about leaders and enders that actually let you work on two projects on the machine at once. I always have hand sewing with me, when my girls were little playing soccer they would never let me forget to take my kit (it kept me from yelling so much). LOVE Amy Smart designs!
    Linda
    lindajhsumner@hotmail.com

  29. Sue H from Indiana says:

    I enjoy taking seemingly random pieces of fabric, putting them together and seeing a pattern emerge from the chaos.

  30. Amber Arnold says:

    I love piecing to see all the fabrics come together. It feels like such an accomplishment!

  31. My favorite part of quilting is sewing on the binding – I find it relaxing. Thanks!

  32. I like first the fabric buying for a specific idea and then the I like taking the last stitch and putting it into the washer to come out all crinkly and lovely.

  33. I like first the fabric buying for a specific idea and then the I like taking the last stitch and putting it into the washer to come out all crinkly and lovely.

  34. I love looking at quilt books and magazines for ideas for a quilt, then choosing the design and the fabrics – sometimes I can’t get to sleep because I am imagining the possibilities!

  35. Shelley Michel says:

    Piecing a block is the most thrilling part for me. Putting the blocks together is frustrating because the intersecting points match and then don’t match! Maybe I should just make pillows. LOL

  36. Linda Pawlak says:

    I LOVE the designing and piecing. I’m still rather new to FMQ and have not been able to "enjoy" it yet. I guess that will come with time and practice! Thanks for the chance to win!

  37. I have never made a quilt and would love to try one with this book. That buzz saw block got to me too! Thanks for the review.

  38. I actually havent tried quilting yet but my new years resolution was to try some new hobbies. So far I’ve learnt how to knit and took a pottery class. Quilts have been pinned to my "to do" board now so they are next!

  39. Michelle Chitty says:

    I would have to say piecing is my favorite part of the quilt making process.

  40. Sharon Galli says:

    I am starting to enjoy the quilting part.
    I rent time on a long arm at my LQS

  41. I like the piecing part. I also like designing the backing of the quilt using leftover fabrics. Thank you for a chance to win!

  42. Chelle Chapman says:

    I LOVE hand quilting just like my Gram used to do, sitting on the couch in the evening w/ the TV on & the Hub in his chair, catching up on the day. Probably watching everything come together as a whole is my FAVE thing about quilting. What a GREAT book, thanks for the opportunity to win one.

  43. Jeannine Stoddard says:

    I love sewing the blocks together & seeing the finished quilt top.

  44. It’s hard to choose my favorite…..love planning to make one, choosing fabric, piecing and the final touch of quilting and binding!! I suppose the only part I don’t really like to do is the cutting! This book looks inviting!! The two quilts you’ve shown look fun to make! Thank you for offering to share a book with one of your followers.

  45. Lori Smanski says:

    Oh wow, this would be so cool to have. I love the picking out of that perfect quilt pattern and then choosing the fabrics for that special someone that fits them perfectly.

  46. I love arranging the colors and watching it grow.

  47. I think the part about quilting that brings me the most satisfaction, is when I sew the pieces together and they match perfectly. Just watching the pattern come together is exciting! I find it hard to pick fabric, although I love looking, and I do not like putting a back and front together. I am just learning a technique that takes out that step for some types of quilts. Thank you for your offer! 🙂

  48. Kathleen D says:

    I would LOVE to win a copy of Amy’s "Fabulously Fast Quilts"! I follow her blog as well as yours.

    My favorite part of quilt-making is selecting the right fabrics for my creation. A very close second is the actual piecing of the quilt. The sandwiching part is chore and the quilting part still intimidates me.

  49. Andrea Teal says:

    I would love to win! Piecing is my favorite part, and hand binding because it can be done with the family.

  50. Sarah Jasinski says:

    I love piecing and sewing the top together. This book looks perfect for me- with 2 little ones at home I’m all about speed when it comes to getting a project together! Thanks for the chance to win!

  51. Libby Rogers says:

    I love laying out all the fabrics and deciding on the design! It’s like a puzzle and appeals to my left brain!

  52. My favorite is the conception of a quilt. Dreaming up a pattern and pulling the colors and planning how it’ll all come out.

  53. Janet Tyner says:

    I enjoy the whole process! From getting ideas from quilt shows, magazines, internet, to shopping for the perfect fabric at all the local quilt stores (and visiting with my "shop friends"). Then, the cutting is fun, the piecing is fun and sometimes creative when it’s not working and you go to plan B and you end up with an unexpected surprise. The FMQ can be a challenge, but once your rhythm kicks in is so freeing. And doing binding can be so relaxing while watching mindless TV before bed. In the end, you have something to show for your time, something to keep you warm, or give as a gift for someone else to enjoy, and maybe to remember you by.

  54. I enjoy it all…especially seeing it finished and ready to enjoy or give away!

  55. Mary Ihla says:

    I like picking the fabrics and colors the best.

  56. I love the piecing & seeing it take shape!! & of course..the giving to person I made it for!! lol

    This book is already on my Wish List!! To win it …WOWIE!…what a Delight!! 🙂

  57. I’m just beginning to learn quiltmaking but so far I can’t choose a favorite part. I love looking at patterns, choosing fabrics, sewing…I love it all! I don’t know why it took me so long to start making quilts.

  58. Catherine Silling says:

    Playing with beautiful fabrics and choosing groups of fabrics to work with is my favorite part. It extends into the cutting and sewing of the quilt and the beautiful fabric is there all the way to the end product!

  59. I enjoy the design process best of all.

  60. I enjoy giving them away as gifts – especially to my grandchildren – future heirlooms! 🙂

  61. I am probably nuts, but I like binding. It is fun to do while watching TV, and it means my quilt is almost ready to show or use.

  62. Andrea Whitman Franklin says:

    I love playing with the fabrics, color options and how they all play into a great quilt pattern…and then I enjoy playing with what I’ve finally decided to cut on my design board!

  63. I like the planning process.

  64. kathie bishop says:

    My favorite part of making a quilt is sewing on the binding because it means I am finished?

  65. I love choosing the fabrics, but by far my favorite part is working at the design wall with the blocks or other components, trying different layouts, auditioning potential borders, sashing, binding, flanges & etc.

  66. Jeri Niksich says:

    I Love the piecing part, watching all those pieces come together to make a beautiful quilt, same as when I sewed clothing watching pieces of fabric go from yardage into an article of clothing.

  67. I really enjoy doing the binding by hand. It is so relaxing and gives me time to think about the person it was made for and anticipate their reaction.

  68. I really enjoy piecing together the top. It’s a challenge to get all the seams and points perfect and I enjoy taking my time to get it just right!

  69. Cindy Dahlgren says:

    I most enjoy picking out fabrics that will go with a quilt top to make it shine.

  70. Everything! I love designing, cutting, piecing and hand quilting and aplique. I don’t love machine quilting that much, though. I go from one thing to the other until I get bored, and usually have 3 projects going. sarah@forrussia.org

  71. I enjoy cutting and piecing the most, but nothing calms me down and relaxes me more than hand sewing quilt binding.

  72. I enjoy picking out the fabric and cutting it the most.

  73. I enjoy several aspects of quilting more than others, but if I have to pick one, I would say I love the process of spending time choosing fabric for whatever pattern I’ve decided to work on. I really gives me a feeling of being creative, plus I love playing with all that fabric and colour!

  74. John Hutchens says:

    I enjoy piecing the top most
    cooladam1 at live dot com

  75. I enjoy hand sewing the binding, plus that’s the sign that the quilt it done.

  76. Melanie C says:

    Does picking out and buying fabric count :). My next favorite part is the actual piecing of the quilt top!

  77. It is picking out the pattern and the piecing for sure. Although I like choosing the fabric as well.

  78. Jowyn Jenson (madj) says:

    My favourite part is piecing the quilt top together and seeing it ‘evolve’.

    1. Jowyn Jenson (madj) says:

      jowynj (at) blueyonder (dot) co (dot) uk

  79. Bonnijean Marlowe Marley says:

    I love picking the fabrics and thinking about the recipient.

  80. the stack, slice and shuffle looked very like it would be a lot of fun to make. I love choosing the fabrics and just watching as the top comes together into a finished piece.
    connieb
    cbquilts345@yahoo.com

  81. crookedwhimsy says:

    I love selecting the fabrics and creating the qult top. Thanks for the great giveaway!!

  82. The best part is putting the design together from the pieces of scrap. I make my quilts from leftover scraps from my sewing projects.

  83. Zosia Koehler says:

    HI! I love the piecing part of quilting the best! Thanks so much for a chance to win this book. Zosia Koehler (zkpatriotmom@gmail.com)

  84. michelle riebeek says:

    Picking fabric and having it quilted!

  85. I love quilts of any kind. My favorite part is piecing and then my Mom’s hand quilting. Machine quilts are beautiful but you cant beat a hand pieced and quilted quilt. I really could use some fast tips. I would love the book!
    kidsandsewing@hotmail.com

  86. carolyn montgomery says:

    my fav part of quilting is the piecing. a day without sewing is like a day without sunshine.

  87. Debbie Doerrlamm says:

    I cant even pick a part of the process I enjoy more… love planning, love cutting, love piecing, love sandwiching, quilting and binding too!

  88. Mónica Ferri says:

    Mi parte favorita es elegir los colores de las telas y acolchar a mano… Me encanta!

  89. I love seeing the finished quilt the most when all the different aspects come together to creat the final product . Though I enjoy other aspects of the process as a beginner I am still in awe of how it all works in the end. Being able to have short cuts just hastens the finished product. What’s not to love about that? !

  90. Sarah Bozone says:

    I love the whole process, from picking colors, fabric to sitting quietly and sewing. Very relaxing.

  91. Amanda Mallia says:

    Finishing it off!

  92. I love piecing – but definitely NOT the ironing! 😛 This book is on my "hope to own it someday" list!

  93. carrie p. says:

    Thanks for the chance to win the great looking book. I like the part where I finally get to start putting the blocks together.

  94. I love the design and cutting out. I really love binding too!

    1. ^^^ lvtig1 at gmail dot com

  95. Sandy Ross says:

    I like picking out the fabrics and deciding how to put them together. Of course I also love putting the last stitch in and having a finished project

  96. Thunder Kaplan says:

    Piecing the blocks, and the last few stitches of binding.

  97. Tabitha Keener says:

    I love coming up with how I’m going to design the quilt top. It is my favorite part but now I’m doing a little better on quilting so that would be second! I would love to win this book, thanks for the giveaway!

    tdkcarpenoctem@hotmail.com

  98. Lisa Marie says:

    Piecing blocks and laying them out is lots of fun. Of course I think all the steps in making a quilt are fun — except when I have to use the seam ripper.

  99. Lisa Marie says:

    Piecing blocks and laying them out is lots of fun. Of course I think all the steps in making a quilt are fun — except when I have to use the seam ripper.

    jklmengland at windstream dot net

  100. Lynn Miller says:

    I love the free motion quilting best, both because it allows for my personal expression, and also because it means the quilt is almost done.

  101. Love it when there are shortcuts to quilts. They often look so complicated and overwhelming, but if someone can break it down, it’s not so bad. My favorite part about quilting is when it pulls together and you can see it forming something wonderful. I also like the hand sewing of the binding, there is something peaceful about hand sewing. Thanks for the chance to win!

  102. I really like the quilting. I like the piecing too, but it can get a bit repetitive.
    jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

  103. Oh, the piecing..it’s simple, straightforward, and you get to see something come to life.

  104. Debra Kay Neiman says:

    I love doing the applique. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com

  105. Sonia Ramos says:

    My favorite part is giving the quilt to the person it’s made for!

  106. Rina Mason says:

    My favorite part is picking the fabric followed by putting the first block together. It’s so much fun to see if the fabric and pattern will play well together.

  107. Linda Douglas says:

    Hi Amy! Thanks for a sweet giveway!
    My favorite part is the piecing>making the actual blocks!
    Happy Summer!

    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

  108. Catherine Silling says:

    I love the fabrics-picking out groups to use together, from start to finish the lovely fabrics are my favorite part of quilting. I was having trouble yesterday getting my comment to post, so excuse me if this is a duplicate.

  109. Celeste Fonseca says:

    Hi! As a newbie, I do really love all the quilting making moments, its all so new and a great challende. I really love to have a book like this one!!!!! xoxo

  110. Choosing the fabrics and piecing the top are my favorite parts.

  111. I love hand-stitching the binding as the very last step. I get to hold and enjoy the finish quilt as I stitch and it’s such a happy, satisfying feeling!
    tstanulis@verizon.net

  112. Barbara Butler Long says:

    I enjoy selecting the fabrics the most and second I like machine quilting . Beautiful book and thank you for the chance to own it.

  113. Elaine Phillips says:

    I love rotary cutting the pieces best of all. The least favorite is ironing.

  114. I love the seeing the project come to life. Of course the means the great joy I get in selecting the fabric and the pattern first!

  115. Georgi Sears says:

    I think my favorite part of quilting is sewing on the binding after the quilting if finished! Thanks for the chance ~ fingers crossed!!

  116. Debra White says:

    I love sewing it together – the piecing.

  117. I love choosing the pattern and selecting the fabrics…so much so that sometimes, that is as far as I get!!! LOL

  118. I love putting the pieces together and watch the whole quilt pattern evolve as you add blocks to blocks.
    Love all your tutorials, thanks for the giveaway.

  119. I love piecing the most but since I am learning FMQ I am really enjoying the quilting process

  120. I love all parts of quilting but the cutting can get tedious, not loving the layering, but I do love the piecing and most of all I love the QUILTING be it by hand or machine – love it!
    Pauline

    perry94022 at hotmail dot com

  121. Janice King says:

    I think the planning and choosing which fabrics to use brings the most enjoyment to me. Also, I really love putting e binding on because it means another quilt is finished…lol.

  122. I like piecing the quilt, I also enjoy sewing the binding!

  123. Sleeping under my finished quilt. When I get up in the morning I make my bed with the guilt and the room looks so elegant. (I do have a sheet between me and the quilt).
    they are beautiful with all of the hand work and the wonderful colors.

  124. Heather Mallady says:

    I enjoy machine piecing the blocks the most.

  125. Adrienne Klenck says:

    I like piecing best

  126. atsuko dy says:

    It’s a toss up between piecing (so fun to see the quilt taking shape) and attaching the binding (b/c the quilt is finally almost done).

  127. Janice Peavler says:

    I love to see the patterns come together when piecing the blocks.

  128. i think i like the dreaming part best

  129. I love hand binding. I find it so relaxing to do and so rewarding when you take that last stitch…. kerripuckrin@hotmail.com

  130. Beverly Baumann says:

    Love the process of choosing fabrics, planning and cutting. For some projects that’s as far as it gets!

  131. Karen Thurn says:

    I definitely love picking out fabrics. I arrange and rearrange them.I could use a good book on quilting. kthurn@bektel.com

  132. Jess Burns says:

    I like piecing when everything fits together just so, and I like hand quilting

  133. I like the initial cutting of the fabric, I love looking at the stacks of perfectly matching fabric pieces.

  134. Choosing the fabrics and piecing are my favorite parts. Thank you for the chance!
    ap_lemos at yahoo dot com

  135. Judith Hogan says:

    I love picking out the fabric and then looking at it over and over before I begin a project.

  136. Deborah Macukas says:

    I am just starting to learn how to quilt, so right now my favorite part is choosing the fabrics and figuring out a pattern that suits me. I am very excited to make my first quilt!

  137. J Drinkwater says:

    Love the way you can get such different looks from the same materials, it’s all about how you put the pieces together.

  138. Mara Capron says:

    I love picking out fabrics and auditioning them! grecomara at gmail dot com

  139. Melissa M. says:

    I love collecting the fabrics for a quilt including planning an interesting backing!

  140. Carmen Nuland says:

    I love picking out the fabric and pattern

  141. Michelle S says:

    I like to see what fabric I already have then buy more to complement it. Saves more money and keeps my fabric stockpile managable.

  142. gorgeous!!

  143. anna donato says:

    I enjoy putting the colours together and then slowly see the quilt come to life

  144. Debbie Smalling Smith says:

    I love seeing the pattern come together as I sew the pieces. And when I press the blocks and they are complete. This gives me a mental picture of how beautiful it will be when the blocks are all joined together to make it complete. Ahhhh.

  145. Gotta be honest…my favorite part of making a quilt is buying the pattern, designing and choosing my fabric!!

  146. Rani Self says:

    I love that quilt making gives me a chance to use all the cute fabric that’s out there!

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