Books: What do you Recommend for a New/Intermediate Quilter?

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03-11-2010, 03:36 PM

#21

schwanton

Senior Member

Join Date: Jan 2008

Location: PA

Posts: 368

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stummel

Fons & Porter was the best purchase I ever made, closely followed by Pam Lintott's Jelly roll book (if you're into that). Both are really easy to follow and have great patterns.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quilters-Com...8256125&sr=8-7

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jelly-Roll-Q...8256232&sr=1-3

I agree with Fons and Porter's Quilter's Complete Guide. I have that book and it is my favorite reference book. I can't tell you how many times I have turned to this book.

03-11-2010, 04:11 PM

#22

lots2do

Super Member

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Maine-ly Florida

Posts: 3,926

If you go to the Connecting Threads website, you can look "through" a lot of quilting books. This may help you even if it's too expensive for you to buy from that site. (Not sure about international shipping). That has helped me narrow down my choices sometimes.

03-11-2010, 04:19 PM

#23

raptureready

Super Member

Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Illinois

Posts: 5,142

I strongly recommend all of them. LOL
Any quilting book that you can get your hands on will be good to have because your tastes will go back and forth through the years. But, NEVER pay full price unless you absolutely have to. I did last year in Paducah, Ky at the National Quilt Show and had Eleanor Burns sign them for me. That was a special treat for myself. Usually I look for them in thrift shops, auctions, estate sales, garage sales, Craigslist, Amazon.comm or ebay. Or if I have a 40% off coupon. Bargellos are far easier than they look. I got Bella Bella as a gift by I haven't tackled any of the mosaic quilts in it yet. You should always have a "challenge" book that you can look at and say, One of these days. . . . .

03-11-2010, 08:05 PM

#24

bstanbro

Senior Member

Join Date: Jun 2009

Posts: 851

For reference, I love 5,500 Quilt Blocks--I'm interested in the names of the blocks (just me). The one I use the most is the Better Homes & Garden book, which is just like the one you can buy at JoAnn. Sadly, I ended up with both. The one at JoAnn is entitled something like, "Your Guide to Quilting." They are identical, and a great reference with excellent photos for teaching. I use it at least once per week. It's very comprehensive.

03-12-2010, 12:28 AM

#25

mosaicthinking

Senior Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: Melbourne. Australia

Posts: 303

Quote:

Originally Posted by salmonsweet

I recommend cutebun's tutorial on this board for making OBW quilts (one-block wonders).

I like huge fun so that sounds excellent. Thanks for the tip.

03-12-2010, 01:04 AM

#26

Pepita

Senior Member

Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Richmond, TX

Posts: 439

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prism99

I would suggest anything by Harriet Hargrave. Her machine applique book made huge vistas of quilting open up for me. I also like every book that Debra Wagner has.

Both of these authors give explicit explanations of techniques that make regular quilts better, and also offer explicit explanations of advanced techniques that can make a huge difference in what you decide to tackle.

I'm with you. There is a book that is on Machine quilting burgandy cover-and several reprintings later, it is still a wonderful book. It has several quilt motifs-something you may want to invest in also is a book on quilt motifs. I think I have Helens's copy and use along with Hooked on feathers. We thought our son was going to be living with us and I packed up all my books--except these 3 quilting books.

03-12-2010, 06:32 AM

#27

sewcrafty

Super Member

Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: New Hampshire

Posts: 3,877

Quote:

Originally Posted by quiltmom04

Quote:

Originally Posted by mosaicthinking

I am slowly building a modest quilting library. I have Quilting 101 - a Beginners Guide to Quilting (which I seem to have outgrown already), the Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting (love it) and Judy Hopkins 501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks (impressive.)

What books do you recommend I should be putting on my wish list, keeping in mind that I'm no longer a complete beginner and nowhere near mariner's compass stage yet. I want to keep improving my skills and am more interested in making big quilts than making bags or trivets.

What books do you keep coming back to? Or do you just use magazines and web sites? Look forward to hearing what you recommend.

Once you get the basics down, and judging by the books you have, it sounds like you have a good foundation - get books
that have technigues that intrigue you, or designs you love. Most books I've found have the basics of piecing and finishing (binding, etc.)If you get too many basic "how -to" books, the information gets repeated over and over. The only thing that most books lack is actual quilting directions. Most just say "quilt as desired"! So one of my favorites is "Quilting makes the Quilt". It shows you the same design with different quilting designs and how that makes the quilt look. Gook Luck!

I just purchased Mary Breckmans Encyclopedia of Applique (2000 designs) and her Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns (4000 blocks). These books give a little historical data on when the blocks were made and the different names of the same blocks. Very cool!! Also I like Carrie Halls Book (it has 800 blocks). None of the above will tell you how to put the quilt together though, the design aspect is up to you. Also, I like different borders and sometimes can't visualize how I want to enchace a quilt so I've got a couple of books on borders. One I just purchased is 10th Annivsersary Border Workbook. Really neat book, it also gives info on re-sizing the design for your borders.

03-12-2010, 06:38 AM

#28

gollytwo

Banned

Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Keene, New Hampshire

Posts: 4,211

I have 200+ quilt books. I also do something that you might find helpful: if I see a quilt I like I photocopy it, and instructions if there are any, slip into a 3-hole cellophane and keep in a three hole binder. The books are labled SCRAPS, HOLIDAYS, FOCUS fabrics, etc.
The books I turn to:
- Quilts, Quilts, Quilts
- Carrie Hall Blocks by Bettina Havig, AQS publication 1999
- Quilt Savvy One-Patch Scrap Quilts by Pat Yamin, AQS,2007
- 1000 Great Quilt Blocks by MaggiMcCormickGordon, That Patchwork Place, Martingale Company, 2003
- Material Obsession: Modern Quilts with Traditional Roots by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke, Stewart, Tabori & Chang (an imprint of Harry Abrams, Inc.) 2009. Originally published in '08 in Australia.
- Material Obsessions Two by Doughty and Fielke, Murdock Books Pty Limited (Australia), 2009

Pat Yamin has a nice website -google Come Quilt with Me - from which you can order her book plus other neat stuff.

Hope this helps.

03-14-2010, 03:12 AM

#29

ConnieF

Super Member

Join Date: Dec 2006

Location: NW Wa

Posts: 1,549

I have taught for years and the beginner quilter I required they get the Better Homes and gardens Quilting book. I have dozens of beginner book and none can compair to it... so I think you have one of the best .... if there is another out there I have NOT seen it as yet. Happy quilting...

ConnieF