Internationally known artist and textile designer, Kaffe Fassett shares his passion for flowers in the decorative arts in his book Bold Blooms. Strongly concerned with color and design, Fassett reveals how he creates the designs for his fabrics, quilts, needlepoints, and ribbons and includes designs and detailed instructions for 18 quilts and 7 needlepoints divided into 7 color moods from neutrals to soft pastels, to dark rich tones, and suitable for beginning to advanced stitchers. The ideas that are presented, Fassett notes, can be translated to any discipline that uses pattern and color, such as mosaics, beading, and knitting.
The text is written in a folksy style as though Fassett is chatting with the reader about his creative process. In the chapter on floral patchwork he admits that it is hard to explain his process because as soon as he is given a commission his ” imagination is a whirl of activity.” But in spite of the difficulty of explaining, Fassett goes through the process of design creation step by step and the reader can almost feel the creative energy that drives him to success. Accompanying the text are vivid photographs of projects as they emerge and then proceed to completion. Even if you never read a word of the text the illustrations would capture your attention and lead you into world of extravagant color and size. But don’t miss a word of the text as it is informative as well as endearing and provides insight into what makes a great artist.
Karen Meyers