Far more than the sum of its pieces, the kaleidoscope quilt is a mesmerizing manifestation of brilliant-hued, geometric complexity. When kaleidoscope quilter extraordinaire Paula Nadelstern decided to turn her magic loose on a more limited color palette, she drew upon her lifelong love of snowflake photomicrographs to provide inspiration, and Snowflakes & Quilts was born. Intricately detailed, symmetrical, and endlessly fascinating, the snow crystal structure is inherently suited to kaleidoscope quilting. Nadelstern provides expert guidance and strong encouragement as she leads readers through the adventure of conceptualizing the snowflake design, from working with templates and mastering piecing tricks to discovering and understanding appropriate fabrics for this unique application. Nadelstern's skilled way with words is a fine match to her talent with fabrics, making the text a joy to read. She observes, for example, that "printed textiles brimming with synchronous color and pattern deserve credit for catapulting the design way beyond the ordinary." She offers four step-by-step snowflake construction how-tos, and although there are no full-quilt projects here, her superb instruction in all aspects of snowflake quilt design should see experienced quilters well along the way to creating their own lovely snowflake quilts. --Amy Handy