Sometimes all you need is a little eye candy to inspire your next work of art. Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts (Interweave, 2012), by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen, has plenty of visual sweets to inspire a lifetime of quilts. These ladies really know their stuff. The introduction outlines the basics: tools, sewing skills, colour matching and strategies for finishing quilts are all covered, with plenty of colourful photos and helpful pieces of advice. Once the basics are taken care of, it's time to move on to chapters covering specific modern quilting techniques:

• free-piecing
• improvisational Log Cabin blocks
• slice-and-insert piecing
• the stitch-and-flip triangle
• strip piecing
• crazy quilting with a modern twist
• curved piecing

Each chapter outlines a single technique with easy-to-understand illustrations. A handy box of hints and tips caps off the intro, helping you navigate any potential pitfalls and avoid common headaches associated with the technique. Then there is a selection of projects for you to try out your new skills. The part I liked the best, surprisingly, was the introduction to the book. Called "The Improvisational Path," it shares the creative manifesto of the authors. They encourage their readers to learn traditional quilting methods, but to feel free to break the rules when they want to. They advise them to be creative, to take chances (and learn from failures), and to go where their hearts and guts lead them. Most importantly, the authors encourage quilters to savour their creative time. Whether it's on your own or with friends, creating is something that's meant to be enjoyed. That's excellent advice to live by. If you can't get enough of Quilting Modern, check out Jacquie Gering's blog or Katie Pedersen's blog for more tutorials and inspiration. Better yet, want to win yourself a copy of Quilting Modern? Leave a comment below, telling me which new technique you'd like to try from this book. Entries are limited to residents of Canada only, and the deadline to enter is 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, April 3, 2012.  I'll random-draw the winner and announce the results next Thursday, April 5, 2012. Good luck!