Quilting Books

One of the many wonderful publications from the publishers of one of the best quilting magazines around. A great starter book for anyone interested in foundation piecing, but will not bore the expert either. It is informative, accurate, fun and has a good variety of foundation piecing projects. I have made all the quilts in the book.

This was my very first book in making miniature quilts. I had such a hard time choosing my first project since there were so many I wanted to do......so I did almost all of them. It is still one of my very favorite books on miniatures and I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

I found this book very helpful for both the beginner, and the experienced,and such a delight to do, I can't wait for the next book, all my friends got hooked on the miniatures and can't wait to start thier next project,I would recommend this book to anyone beginner or a seasoned quilter,happy quilting!

For someone like me - with enthusiasm but miniminal sewing or artistic talent - this was the perfect book. Using these techniques has allowed me to do work I'm proud of for the first time. I use an enlarging photocopy machine to use these patterns for regular size blocks - use a lot of fabric, but for the first time, I've got results worth the effort.

If you like a challenge and love feathered stars, this is the book for you! The rotary cutting guides and partial seam instructions are very clear. Beginners could give this book a try, but be warned: take your time, use an accurate 1/4" seam allowance, and pin when suggested! I have made the radiant star many times, and next will be the double feathered star. The more you make the easier they are to piece. And - the color block gallery is simply inspiring. If you like Marsha's other books, you'll love this one. I can't wait for book #2 which will include grid-based stars!

If you'd like a challenge in your quilting, here's the book for you. These are very difficult blocks, but so beautiful, which makes them worth the time. Marsha's directions are clear and she has patterns for lots of variations. Check out the book, "Rotary Cutting Companion for Feathered Star Quilts" by Marsha McCloskey which goes with this book but is purchased seperately.

I love this book! I have several of Marsha's pattern books, including her first Feathered Star book from back in the 80's, which I also love.

The first section is on drafting Feathered Stars based on the LeMoyne (8-pointed) Star. The second section is on designing your FS quilt.

There are extensive rotary-cutting instructions and basic piecing instructions, so even a beginner can give it a try.

There are patterns for ten different stars, and they include complete piecing instructions and alternate shadings, so you can see how different color choices can change the look of the block.

There are 6 pages of full-color photos of all the patterns, and 10 pages of all the templates needed for every pattern.

Marsha's special talent is taking a really difficult pattern and breaking it down into easy steps so that anyone can create the finished project.

I have already made "Lady of the Lake" and it is beautiful.

If you are interested in a complicated pattern that will yield stunning results, you won't be disappointed in this book.

I have sewed for 46+ years and considered myself a quilter for over 30. I can normally skim over a quilting or sewing book and get the hang of things pretty quickly. I hadn't taken on Feathered Stars until my sister and I decided to make one another quilts and she chose this pattern. This book is saving our lives; we both bought it and (she's as experienced a seamstress as me) we have to read it line-by-line to make the stars. As she says "Why do a mystery quilt? Make a Feathered Star!" I call it "Graduate School of Piecing."

The book has detailed tables and charts. It offers concise instructions which, if you follow them, result in fine stars. It also offers the options of templates or instructions for rotary cutting.

I still have to use my seam ripper and I'm not sure I'd do this if I didn't want my sister to have this quilt.(Except that now it's gotten to be a matter of pride not to quit!) If you have patience and determination, this book can even teach you how to draft feathered stars yourself.

This is not a topic for the faint-hearted but if you're a confident quilter, this is absolutely the best resource for tackling this pattern.

I ordered this book after attending a lecture/demo by the author, Frieda Anderson. The book pertains to the art of fusible quilting and the directions are very concise. I would (have) recommended this book to others.

After reading Fun, Fast Fusies, I was so impressed by the simple, easy to follow directions that I decided to google the author and find her website. I was delighted to see she was selling the kits for the patterns in the book! I ordered all of them and upon receiving the fabric kits was elated!!! Great author, great book, beautiful hand-dyed fabric kits. If you are interested in art quilts or fabric collage, I urge you to select this book...you won't be sorry!

Fun, Fast Fusies is an excellent how-to book. Fusing images on
fabric is becoming very popular and Frieda Anderson tells us just how to do it with clear directions and illustrations.

This author has laid out doing fusible applique and free motion quilting nicely. The book also has great full sized patterns so you don't have to find a copier to enlarge them. A fun way to create a quick, small art quilt.

I have seen the exhibition of the Gee's Bend quilts at the Whitney museum three times. The quilts of Gee's Bend are simple, graphic, and stunning. Although I own the smaller of the Gee's Bend quilt books and the video about the quiltmakers, I find that I want to know and see much more. I have thumbed through this book at the museum and am delighted that it is full of lush photographs of so many more quilts. At the top of my holiday list of things I must have, is this, the larger of the Gee's Bend quilt books.

The Quilts of Gee;s Bend is much more than a beautiful coffee table book. It is that, too, of course. The book is filled with social history of this small place near Selma, Alabama. I've been lucky enough to visit Gee's Bend and see the quilt-making process. The Whitney Museum exhibit must have been wonderful. Sunday Morning on CBS did a story on the exhibit. The quilters traveled to New York for the opening and entertained the guests with their singing. That's what Gee's Bend is like: A rich yet poor stop on the road where women made the best of what they had and turned out great art in the process.

The Quilt's of Gee's Bend exhibit was at the Corcoran in Washington DC earlier this year. I went 3 times with different people. Enjoyed each visit like it was the first! I saw the book then, but I am buying it now. It is informative and inspirational (my mother and I are working on our first quilt together and have others planned). The book has so many examples of the fine workmanship and talent and beauty that grew out of their necessity. Get this book! If you're luck enough to go to the exhibit - do it! - at least once!

I believe Country Home wrote an article about these woman and pictured them and some of the quilts. I found it fascinating! It made me thankful for what I've got and showed me that beauty is everywhere -- its just a matter of how you interpret the world around you. Erin

A beautiful book, well worth the price. I purchased this book for my Mother's Mothers Day Gift. I know she will be very Pleased.

This is a good book because it shows how to quilt with a flat version of your design or a 3-D design. It has beautiful flowers. I love this book

I was delighted to find this book. for years I have admired quilts made with 3-D flowers, but feared that they were too difficult of a challenge to take on. Burns and Knoechel have provided me with an easy-to-follow guide to constructing these flowers--and, yes, I have been able to actually make several of them (as samples) in a short time.

Besides the pattern for the main quilt, the book provides detailed instructions for two other projects and photos of others that provide inspiration to use the included patterns as a springboard for original applications of their designs. I found all of the instructions to be very thorough...and very easy to follow. The authors have kindly provided color photographs to "show" as well as "tell" through the applique process.

I would recommend this book to any quilter, from beginner to advanced, for its combination of technical instruction, quilt history and imagination stimulation.

This quilt book is so much fun and so interesting to read, you can pick it up and just enjoy it without sewing a stitch.

Her directions and pictures are very good. It is like potatoe chips can't do just one block to try it, you keep wanting to do more.

I though I had seen (and bought) just about every book with appliqué patterns. I found this one at the VQF show and could not stop looking through it. The "flowers" are so unique, they are sort of funky-whimsical in style, with a touch of elegance. Each pattern is full size and each page shows you a thumbshot view of the design done as: Redwork, Applqué, or as a Quilting Motif. I am a hand appliquér but these designs can easily be fused and sewn by machine. I had to give my copy to a friend who also fell in love with it, but not until I was sure I could replace it. I immediately ordered myself another copy from Amazon.

besides the excellent designs, which have been made contemporary without being overly simplified, and are shown as outline embroidery, applique and quilting, there is some first rate information on quilt marking and for adapting the designs to various uses.

there are two simple projects with very complete instructions and photos of three quilts using the designs.

this is an excellent resource volume, but not an instruction book. the author assumes the reader has the knowledge and experience to use the designs in whatever way she wants. beginnning quilters or embroiderers could certainly use the designs in their projects, but should not expect information on basic quilting or embroidery techniques.

Gwen Marston's Needlework Designs packs in over 70 designs inspired by 16th and 17th century motifs from museum collections around the world. These full-page patterns can be hand or machine quilted or stenciled and provide a versatile range of applications: two quilt projects reinforce the designs, while tips and ideas provide options on handling transfers.

This book has great designs to use as applique, quilting motifs and other needlework.

I've been a confirmed hand applique person. After buying and reading Beth's new book on hand applique by machine, I've changed my ways. Beth gives very clear and easy to understand directions. Her designs are absolutely beautiful and her directions are so clear. I can honestly say this is a very good book. A book that needs to be in every quilters library.

This is a wonderful book of instruction. I was determined that I would not attempt machine applique because it was just too messy unless one used a fusible. Beth's instructions are so crystal clear and easy sounding that I just had to try it. The results were amazing. Not only did I have all the information that I needed to try this technique, but I was successful on the first try. The book is full of wit and humor and VERY clear direction -- the patterns are wonderful and the close-up pictures are helpful as well as beautiful. I recommend Hand Applique by Machine highly.

You can order this from the author's website for $19.95. Just Google her name and Applewood Farm Publications.

YOU will love this book ! Must have in library -- Easy to do and easy instructions--

I received the book within 5 days -- this is Great Service
and I'll use again. AAAAAA+

As a beginner, I found this book to be very helpful. I have shared my copy of the book with quilters, who have ordered their own copy after reviewing it. The author has carefully detailed all of the instructions to the patterns that are included. The text was easy to follow along, and there are many useful tips that are in the book.

This book is great for the quilter who would like to try a different technique. The author gives helpful, concise, and not commonly known directions for working with wool. She advises the reader on where to find good wool, how to prepare wool, how to quilt with wool, and includes many wonderful patterns and designs that adapt well to wool. The sample quilts are folk-like in design and fairly easy for a beginner to accomplish. It is a book I will keep for reference.

This is a very unique quilting book, it deals with making wool quilts from recycled garments. That's not to say that you couldn't make the quilts with wool yard goods. The beginning of the book gives you tips on collecting, instuctions on how to felt the wool, and the basic instructions for the applique. Plus there are individual instructions and patterns for 18 different projects. But, I think, the best part of the book are the illustrations, they are clear, concise, and easy to understand.

The story of how women used quilts not only as bedcoverings, but as mementos of their friends, artistic expressions in bleak lives, political commentary when they didn't have the vote, fundraising, slogan flags--more ways than imagined! Quilts were even considered a symbol of women's repression at one time! An interesting slant on the role of women in American history (the keepers of morality!). Excellent pictures, great inspirations, and lots of fun! This book was the reference basis for the book and movie "How to Make an American Quilt."

My husband purchased this book for me and WOW! It is packed with information regarding the common bond that women had in fellowshipping, politicking, raising money for war efforts, changing society, gaining strength to have a voice, comforting others ...all through their domestic art of quilting. A must for quilters and for anyone who has a tendency to believe that domesticity disables one from being active to change society for the good of everyone!

I used the accompanying video in a workshop I taught at the University level. What a heartwarming and accurate trip through womens' history, linking us to them through a common craft. The book successfully informs us of their political and social challenges as we view the gorgeous creations of their hands. The music score is vital to portraying the feeling, as well, and is perfect to the subject.

I recommend viewing the video for any who are interested in womens' history or in the folkart of quilting.

Before I bought the book I saw the video three times. When I was watching it at home, one by one my family sat down and joined me. The panoramic view of American history through the quilts the women made from the Revolutionary War up through the 1800s was fascinating and touching. An excellent video and an excellent book.

This is the best. It takes your breath away how Gai can come up with all these gorgeous inspirational quilts. The book is very easy to understand and English is my second language. She explains it in very simple terms. Your hands will itch to get started. It is like painting with fabric. Start collecting lots of fabric and she teaches you what to look for. You will never look at fabric the same way again. I also like to recoment her 'Color from the Heart' book. You learn so much that you use these books over and over again. Her books are real treasures.

This is the most marvelous book I have ever seen about impressionist or watercolor quilts, Gai did realy a great job with this book. It gives you lots of ideas to go on and make some beautiful Impressionist quilts of your own. I love all her books, and hope she write lots of more in the future, certainly about this type of quilts.

This is a truly wonderful book for the quilter who wants to create art, to go beyond traditional approaches. Ms. Perry's quilts are inspiring -- I went out and chose my fabrics for a new project the day after I got this book. She emphasizes the importance of putting certain colors and prints together to create marvelous impressionistic effects on a quilt top. The pictures of completed quilts are incredible, the writing instructional and clear, and the suggested projects are exciting and fun to make.

Of the many books currently available on watercolour quilting, Impressionist Palette is, in my opinion, the best. The pictures are absolutely stunning; the quilts exquisite. Apart from being an art book, the instructions on the technique of watercolour quilting are extremely clear and well-written, making it possible for myself, a fearful watercolourist, to attempt and succeed in making a watercolour quilt.