This easy to read book explores straightforward, practical ways for you to develop your own ideas and then turn them into amazing art quilts. Starting from a blank page right up to the final stitches which finish your own unique art quilt, textile artist Claire Passmore demystifies the jargon of 'quilt design' giving you detailed photographs, real examples, clever ideas and her own Design Toolkit to help you make sense of the relevant principles and elements applicable to quilt design. She includes comprehensive details on a variety of ways to use sketchbooks to develop ideas and how to become more confident and creative with choosing and using color. She shares ideas for those who prefer not to draw and those who enjoy using technology to explore and develop their work.Using 4 of her own quilts as examples she takes you through the process of creating an art quilt from scratch and introduces a variety of interesting techniques which add interest, texture and dimension to her work; machine needle lace, trapunto, stenciling, appliqué, quilting and surface design. She has also included a section carefully explaining how to use dye to create your own unique fabrics for your work.