In 1999, fiber artist Jeanne Williamson decided to expand her creative horizons by making one small quilt a week. She placed no limits on what materials she could use–in fact, she created her quilts almost exclusively from found objects, incorporating everything from newspaper and cupcake wrappers to fall leaves and funky yarns into her mixed-media art quilts. The goal was simply to create.

Seven years later, Williamson now has 365 varied and intriguing quilts full of personal stories, experiences, and observations. She also discovered that she had succeeded in expanding her creative horizons–and her artwork has flourished as a result.

Now, in The Uncommon Quilter, Williamson provides quilters, sewers, paper crafters, and mixed-media mavens with 52 projects for creating unique small quilts. The book is divided by the type of medium or technique used in each project–Plastic, Paper, Surface Design, and Fiber–and each contains innovative ideas for using everyday materials and found objects. Projects take anywhere from twenty minutes to a few days to make, ensuring that artists can fit creative time into their busy lives.

With charming anecdotes and clear, step-by-step instructions, The Uncommon Quilter is an inspiring, insightful guide to creating unique small quilts for self-expression, creativity, and personal and artistic growth.

JEANNE WILLIAMSON’s works are exhibited in galleries and museums all over the world and have been published in many books and magazines. She lives with her family in Natick, Massachusetts.