The Lancaster Diamond Sampler was made by one anonymous person, referred to as "Fanny's friend." Fanny S. Bucher and her friend were sharing fabric and block designs as they made their unique diamond-shaped blocks into sampler quilts ? quilts meant for teaching and learning the craft. As you follow along with Fanny's friend, learn ? or re-learn ? the skills needed for making your own quilt. Supplemented by over 500 instructional images and diagrams of quilts, blocks, and needlework, the basics of fabric selection, grain, placement, and seaming are demonstrated. You will see Fanny's friend's skills develop along with your own ? from simple piecing to the elements of patchwork, complex miniatures, and applique. These skills are enhanced when practiced with a group, so share the patterns provided with other quilters to learn and create your own sampler together! AUTHOR: Ann Parsons Holte has been quilting, teaching, and writing patterns since 1975. She attends her local quilt guild and antique quilt study group regularly. She comes from a family of Oklahoma quilters.