Book excerpt: Bring more beauty and balance to your quilt designs • Everything you need to know about the essentials of good design from an internationally reknowned expert • Learn about the key elements of design and how to apply strategies for success • Practice what you've learned with exercises at the end of each chapter • An inspiring gallery illustrates design concepts by many prominent quilters and artists - including Alex Anderson, Paula Nadelstern, and Ricky Tims - with over 150 images showcasing all styles of quilts and fabric art, from traditional to modern This is the design textbook for quilters. Joen presents the eight elements of design: line, direction, shape, color, value, texture, proportion, and scale. You'll learn how to work with these elements using many guiding design principles, such as unity and balance. Whether you consider yourself to be a quilter, an artist, or a crafter, you can improve your design skills by exploring Joen's fresh, innovative approach.