spiral lay flat gorgeous thick workbook- includes 95 pages of templates and the pdf as a free bonus!
Every Workbook comes with the PDF free! (it will be emailed to you within 24 hours of your purchase)
A Creative Guide to One-of-a-Kind Heirloom Quilts · 182 pages · 95 full pages of traceable templates
I'll provide the framework. You tell the story.
95 full pages of traceable templates for quilts that look like nobody else's. Double wire-bound to lay flat on your cutting table, printed on paper heavy enough to trace over and over. Printed, bound and mailed from my studio in Texas.
Full description
Every quilt in this book starts with the same neighbors and no two ever come out alike.
Bill the EveryDuck™ is exactly what his name says. He's a framework, not a pattern. Dress him in your grandmother's apron fabric and he's a memory. Put him in your son's outgrown flannel and he's a keepsake. Mr. and Mrs. Duckworth, Professor Harrington, Hazel Bunny, Chuck the Woodpecker, Fatty the Squirrel, same idea, ninety-five times over.
This isn't a book of quilts to copy. It's a book of frameworks to make yours.
What's in your hands
182 pages, full color throughout
95 full pages of traceable templates, in both right and left facing versions. Trace directly from the page. No enlarging, no light boxes, no photocopying, no guessing
Lay-flat spiral coil binding, so it stays open on your cutting table
32 lb uncoated paper, thick enough to trace over and over without tearing or bleeding through
Teaching sections on The StoryBuilder Method, fabric choice, composition, free styling a quilt, story building, communicating movement, value, placement, finishing and making your quilt heirloom quality
Chuck the Woodpecker's “Unhinged Quilting Tips”, because sneaky shortcuts that make your life easier are sometimes necessary
Block and character size and quilt finishing charts in the back
This is a self-published book, printed in small batches on heavy stock, hand-bound with care and shipped by one person instead of a warehouse. No publisher subsidized the paper, and it shows the moment you open it. Gorgeous, thick workbook.
Who it's for
Quilters who are tired of making the quilt on the cover. If you've ever finished a pattern and thought this looks like everyone else's, this is the fix. The framework handles proportion, placement, and construction. You handle the part no pattern can- what characters and setting you want to use, which fabrics to make them yours, and what methods YOU like best
Confident beginners are welcome. There's no piecing math to survive.
Printed, Bound and Shipped by me
Not a warehouse. I print and bind every copy, wrap it to protect from damage and moisture, and take it to the post office myself. Free US shipping, USPS Media Mail with tracking, packed within 3 business days. If something arrives damaged, email me and I'll fix it, because I am the entire production and customer service department.
Want to use your book as reference only? The PDF version arrives free with the workbook so that you can print any template as many times as you want and never write in or cut up your book. Print larger or smaller depending on project. I will be manually sending the PDF for this bundle, so please note that it will not arrive immediately upon ordering.
ISBN 979-8-9982920-0-2
Duck Quilt Patterns & Appliqué Designs 🦆
Love ducks? So do I!
The Front Yard Friends Collection was inspired by the ducks, geese, and other delightful creatures that visit my own backyard. From handsome mallards and curious ducklings to Bill the EveryDuck™, each character has a personality and a story to tell.
The StoryBuilder Method™ gives you the creative freedom to tell your own story through quilting. With appliqué templates for ducks, mallards, ducklings, geese, and other backyard friends, you can arrange your characters, choose your fabrics, and create a one-of-a-kind quilt that's uniquely yours. (also gives tips on HOW to come up with a story- especially if you’re only here because you simply like ducks!)
The quilt pictured here is my original Front Yard Friends story quilt, created using the characters and techniques featured in The StoryBuilder Workbook.
Whether you're making a duck-themed baby quilt, a whimsical wall hanging, or a full-size heirloom quilt, the possibilities are yours to explore.
Explore The StoryBuilder Workbook and start creating your own story!
PDF Only- includes 95 pages of templates!
Bring your quilts to life with a fresh, interactive approach to appliqué storytelling.
Written and designed by Marisa C. Gray, The StoryBuilder Method™: The Foundation Volume, Introducing the Front Yard Friends Collection is a comprehensive 180-page creative guide and template library. It invites you to explore new possibilities, follow your inspiration, and confidently develop your own voice as a fabric artist.
Meet the Front Yard Friends!
Inspired by the animals and birds that have visited the author’s own yard, this charming cast includes Bill the EveryDuck™, the dignified Professor Harrington and his exacting standards, Chuck the Woodpecker and his “Unhinged Quilting Tips”, Fatty the Squirrel, the Ducklings, and the beloved mallard couple, Mr. and Mrs. Duckworth.
What Is The StoryBuilder Method™?
The StoryBuilder Method™ is a flexible framework that helps you think differently, make creative decisions with confidence, and enjoy the process as much as the finished quilt.
Beginners are absolutely welcome, although this is not a technical guide to quilting. Learn the basic techniques through a beginner-friendly book, class, or video, then use The StoryBuilder Method™ for inspiration, direction, templates, patterns, and ideas, with the freedom to decide what belongs on your quilt and how you want to create it.
Follow the four-step creative cycle:
MAKE • LOOK • RESPOND • BUILD
At the heart of the book is the modular EveryDuck™ Foundation Framework, a character-building system that lets you mix features, expressions, poses, accessories, and personalities to create original scenes and stories.
Inside This 180-Page Workshop Companion-
OVER 95 PAGES OF TRACEABLE TEMPLATES!
A Complete Character-Building System: Detailed placement guides help you create Bill the EveryDuck™, Mr. and Mrs. Duckworth, Professor Harrington the Goose, the Ducklings, Chuck the Woodpecker, and Fatty the Squirrel. Interchangeable expressions, seasonal sports gear, and personality-filled accessories make each character your own. After all, how many geese do you know who wear loafers and a green argyle sweater vest?
Creative Teaching Modules: Explore communicating movement, choosing and balancing low-volume fabrics, building a scene, and creating your own one-of-a-kind heirloom quilt.
Created by a quilter with ADHD, this method supports creative minds that thrive on variety. Move between characters, techniques, ideas, and sections of your quilt whenever interest begins to fade. Repetition is always optional.
Full-Scale Quilt Layouts: Includes cutting measurements, fabric requirements, and assembly diagrams for the 72" × 72" Duck Pond Quilt Top and the 66" × 72" Seasons Quilt. You will also find five panel options, scenery elements, seasonal props, and reversed letter templates for all four seasons.
Trace-Ready Templates and Quilt/Character Size Charts: Dozens of crisp character, accessory, and scenery templates, in both right and left-facing versions, include 1-inch calibration squares for accurate printing and tracing at home. Pre-formatted for 3 ring binders/hole punch.
Whether you are an appliqué beginner or an experienced textile artist, The StoryBuilder Method™ will help you transform your next heirloom quilt into an unforgettable neighborhood story.
NOTE: DIGITAL PRODUCT
This purchase includes a digital PDF. No physical product will be shipped. Purchase includes one personal-use license for the original purchaser. Digital files may not be shared, resold, redistributed, posted online, or reproduced for distribution. Due to digital files being delivered immediately upon purchase, refunds/returns are not available for this item.
Please download within 24 hours, as the link will expire. If you miss this window, please email me and I will send you a new one. storybuilderstudio@icloud.com