Gardeners who quilt will be thrilled with the new Love to Quilt Series from the American Quilter’s Society. The series includes 24 booklets, many of which feature garden themes or nature motifs. They're great gifts for gardeners who quilt.

“Redwork for Quilts” by Willa Baranowski features 55 delightful designs and five quilt projects for three quilt sizes. Many of the designs feature garden-themed motifs and embroidered Penny Squares, such as flowers, plants, fruits, flower baskets, birds, and other nature motifs. Although redwork is traditionally done with red floss, other colors can be used.

“Quilting Designs for Sashing, Blocks, and Borders” by Helen Squire offers 30 quilting designs for machine and hand quilting. Around half of those depict plants, flowers, and nature motifs. For most designs, quilters can choose from various sizes and versions. This includes placement diagrams and reversed designs as well.

“Circular Quilting Designs” also by Squire, features over 25 hard-to-find circular designs. The author shows how to change directions as you’re sewing and how to adapt the patterns to different sizes, how to choose designs, and use the patterns. The designs include feathered plumes, various wreaths, and stylized foliage.

“400+ Embroidery Stitches for Quilts and More” by Joan Waldman features over 400 embroidery designs and 19 basic stitches for left and right hand stitchers. Many stitches and designs feature flower/plant motifs. This also has tips on choosing needles and threads and tips on selecting and using the designs.

“Triangles at Play” by Bonnie K. Browning and Phyllis D. Miller has seven appealing projects and 32 designs, many of which feature floral/garden themes. The authors show how to cut and sew various size triangles and squares. For each design, this has a completed block along with the cutting and sewing instructions.

“No-Mark Quilting Designs” by Nan Moore features 36 designs for every taste, including many featuring garden-related and nature motifs. The author shows how to start with a basic shape and easily modify it by going a different direction or by changing the shape. These designs are suitable for hand and machine quilting.

“Pretty Simple Quilts” by Nancy Brenan Daniel features five beautiful quilt projects in various sizes. Some designs feature garden-themed motifs. The author explains how to plan a quilt and use color along with valuable time-saving tips on cutting and sewing patchwork quilts. For each project, this has a fabric and supplies list, a cutting chart, layouts and complete instructions from start to finish.

“The Quilter’s Veggie Garden” by Bea Oglesby features ten wonderful applique designs to mix and match. This includes full-size, ready to use designs, suitable for all applique techniques. The author provides instructions for the various applique steps and techniques along with tips on embroidery and suggested colors.

“Applique Garden-Easy Floral Applique Patterns” by Eula Mae Long features twelve mix-and-match blocks and six quilts in assorted sizes, many of which depict garden or floral themes. It has complete, step by step, easy to follow directions and placement charts for all the projects and applique techniques along with tips on choosing fabrics and designs and cutting applique pieces.

“Quilts that Celebrate Spring and Summer” by Karen Combs et al has a number of seasonal designs that will be of interest to gardeners. These designs are made with the Stack-n-Whack method, which the authors carefully explain. For each project, this features a layout, fabric list and cutting chart, full size pattern pieces, and complete, step by step directions from piecing to finishing the quilt. The dimensional applique is done with Appli-bond. The pattern pieces have instructions for both right-handed and left-handed quilters.

For disclosure purposes I acknowledge receiving review copies of these books from the publisher.