5 Favorite Books
I have a modest collection of quilt books I've collected since I started quilting. Here are five of my favorites.
Disclosure Note: I do not receive any compensation formentioning any of the books listed below.
1. Quilter's Complete Guide by Marianne Fons and Liz Porter (Leisure Arts)
If you only own one book on quilting, this is the one to own. Fons and Porter start with a primer on quilting and then move beyond basic quilting. There is something here for quilters of every skill level. Learn about quilt history, quilting tools, color, fabric and more. Techniques from hand quilting to machine quilting, plus pattern drafting are also covered. You can practice each technique by completing a sampler block for the Americana Sampler. I purchased my copy back in 2000 and it is still the reference I reach for when I have a question on quilting. I use it so much, I had to have a printer spiral bind the pages so I wouldn't lose any!
2. 40 Fabulous Quick-Cut Quilts by Evelyn Sloppy (That Patchwork Place)
This is my all-time personal favorite quilting book. When I need a quick quilt, this is the book I grab off my shelf. Over the years, I have completed several quilts from this book. Evelyn Sloppy put together a collection of fun and easy quilts. They make great fast projects when you need a gift for someone. The best part is that the instructions are clear and concise. This is the book that taught me fast and easy flying geese—and they turn out perfect, every time. It is a nice mix of traditional quilts and modern quilts. There are no difficult quilts in this book and it's the book I recommend for beginners. And, there is something here for every quilter.
3. The Applique Sampler by Linda Jenkins and Becky Goldsmith (Linda Jenkins and Becky Goldsmith)
Linda Jenkins gave a class at my local quilt shop (Patched Works) back in 2002. I jumped at the chance to take this class. I attended a quilt show the previous year and wanted to take their class then but it was full. It was a tremendous opportunity to take a class with a popular instructor at my local shop. What I like about this book is the way each block builds on techniques from the previous block. I finished my sampler however it still needs to be quilted and bound. It's on my UFO pile right now. I have a future posted planned for the quilt. In the meantime, if you want to learn applique from two excellent teachers, get a copy of this book.
4. Quilting Makes the Quilt by Lee Cleland (That Patchwork Place)
What I love about this book is the way Cleland makes the same quilt top four to five times and then shows it quilted out using different quilting choices. Each pieced top is pictured so you can compare the different quilting layouts, designs, and results. It visually shows how the quilting choice changes the outcome of the quilt. Some are quilted with an overall design while others have dense quiliting specific to the blocks in the quilt top. Even simple quilt tops are transformed when quilted in different patterns. For me, this book changed the way I consider the quilting designs for my quilts. And, you will never look at your quilt tops the same after reading this book.
5. Choosing Quilting Designs edited by Jane Townswick (Rodale)
We've all been there. You've finished the top and the instructions read "Quilt as desired." But what do I desire? I have a stack of more than a dozen completed quilt tops just waiting for my "desires" to emerge. I found this book in a discount book store however it is still available at Amazon. This book helps you find your desires and includes tips on ways to let your quilt top tell you how it should be quilted. A great reference for any quilter library.
That's it for me. What are your favorite quilt books? Why do you like them?