Quilting Books

This book just won a 2000-2001 Southwest Book Award.

Beneath each handmade quilt is a warm human being, and a fascinating story. Dorothy Zopf uncovers this material in her fascinating pastiche of oral histories. She pinpoints how what's available and what's needed combine with natural artistry to create lasting and functional treasures. The common thread that weaves this patchwork together is a texture of a place, of a time, and of a group of women who come alive in Zopf's deft hands. The stories and photos she has pieced together are not to be missed.

Math doesn't scare me or bother me. But why should I do it when it's done for me in very precise, clear charts? All the basics and some of the obscure sizes and patterns are covered. This book pays for itself each time I make a quilt. It's the first book I reach for whenever I start a project.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone who plans to make more than one quilting project.

This book has helped me make my quilts fit. I use it in determining whether I need an additional border; will the pattern I have chosen fit a twin, full or queen size bed; and most of all the correct size and number of blocks needed for a quilt. Every quilter should have this book!

Thank goodness the Teach Yourself Visually series has published a book about my latest passion: Quilting!

A very helpful book for beginning quilters who are visual learners.

Teach Yourself Visually Quilting does exactly that -- the photos are great, the words are just enough. Most people are visual learners and quilters who do a visual craft are definitely in this category. The author, Sonja Hakala, has done an excellent job of blending photos and words to teach beginners about quilting plus re-enforce the advanced quilter's skills and knowledge.

This book is by far the best beginning quilting book I have ever seen. It contains all the basic information needed to get started quilting. Everything is presented in a clear, concise, and logical manner. The illustrations are excellent. I am helping three people learn to quilt. I ordered a copy of this book for each of them, and they are so pleased with it and have found it etremely helpful.

Quilters just starting out and libraries catering to them will welcome the lay-flat binding and easy instructions of Learning to Quilt with Jiffy Quilts, a guide especially designed for beginners. From instructions on basic parts of a quilt - something omitted in many quilting beginner's guides - to tips on choosing and pairing fabrics, colors, values, cutting, and sewing them together, this is a 'must' for any newcomer to the quilting world.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is an excellent quilting book. Jensen has done it again with easy to follow instructions and simple patterns that are stunning. If you need something quick and easy or something more involved this book would be an excellent choice.

Lynette Jensen does it all so well. This is a great book and the quilts make you feel warm all over. I look forward to making many of the designs she has in this book.

Pat Sloan's new book, "Tour of Ireland", should be out on your coffee table year round! Not only are the projects beautiful, the photography will make you want to pack your bags and hop the next plane to Dublin! If you are planning a trip anytime in your lifetime, this book is a must!

Pat takes you day by day through their nine-day tour of Ireland. She shares photographs of the landscape and architecture - along with the quilts they inspired. To see her visions come to life in her quilts is so much fun! Her creativity is infectious.

This is first and foremost a travel guide - with quilts thrown in! You don't have to be a quilter to enjoy the beauty of the land, but it definitely will enhance your journey. And, to experience that journey through another quilter's eyes is a magical experience.
Pat fell in love with the warmth of the people and their hospitality - and you will too. The beauty of their spirit is not only reflected in their quilts, but in the way they embraced a group of quilters from "across the way"! Take the time to embrace that little bit of Irish in all of us. You'll be glad you did!

Are you Irish? Do you claim to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day? Do you just LOVE Irish things? If any of the above is true, then grab a copy of TOUR IRELAND by Pat Sloan. This book details a nine day Quilter's Tour of Ireland and, of course, there are lots of photos to go with the trip. I mean who takes a trip without a camera!!! Pat and husband Gregg were the hosts.

Once you get through the 36 pages that describe the trip, you get into the patterns. They are all Irish related --- what else would you expect? Quilts, banners, pillowcases, a sewing a case, wall hangings and table runners are all available in TOUR IRELAND. There are even tour photos intermixed with the quilting instructions so your tour details don't stop when you being to sew.

The instructions for the patterns include the finished size of the item, the finished block size, fabric requirements, cutting instructions for fabric and any appliqués needed, how to put the blocks together (plenty of graphics help you understand the instructions) and all the instructions to assemble and finish the item.

A nine-page general directions section is provided. It describes basic rotary cutting through signing and dating the item. This is a dual purpose book providing a armchair tour of Ireland along with Irish patterns. I will read over many times as I LOVE all things Irish.

This book has 4 different ways to do the same quilt along with several wall hangings. Its done in a stip quilt method so you can use the ideas from each strip in other quilts as well.
It has step by step intructions that are great for the first time quilter to the seasoned quilter.
WONDERFUL BOOK!!!!!

As with all of Eleanor's books, this one will not disappoint! The instructions are superb and very easy to follow, even for a beginner. The illustrations take you step by step through the various projects and provide inspiration and ideas for other applications.

I just received this book and can't wait to try some of the ideas presented. The book covers everything from simple (heart-shaped) designs to shadow trapunto to more complex quilting designs. The projects are very well presented. Each chapter builds on the techniques presented in the one before. The book is very well organized and contains beautiful color photographs of finished quilts that are sure to inspire you. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to try machine trapunto.

I have this book and Hari Walner's other book (Exploring Machine Trapunto: New Dimensions) and both are wonderful. Beautiful illustrations and detailed instructions. And the quilt I made is fantastic, going to make another one soon! I highly recommend either book.

Several years ago I reviewed the first book of manhole cover quilts, finding it the most unique collection of quilt designs I'd seen in a long time. The premise of that book, and its successor collection, Treasures Underfoot, is the translation of the many municipal manhole covers of Japan into fiber art. The Japanese make something of a fine art of designing coverings for the holes in their streets and sidewalks, and each community takes great pride in its contribution to the genre. MacGregor's extension of the idea was to get these designs off the street and into quilts, and she enlisted the talents of quilters world-wide to assist her. In this beautifully-produced and self-published volume, MacGregor features dozens of new manhole cover designs, along with thumbnails of the communities that created them. Each one is then enriched by interpretation by a quilter and a rendering in fabric. Some of the interpretations try to be true to the original design, while others use elements of the design as inspiration for something new. Either way, the result is beautiful and fascinating. The book does not include projects with detailed instructions, but there is enough information and illustration to make it possible for any quilter who chooses to try her hand at one of these round treasures. And this is one of the best introductions to Japanese culture that I know! Kudos to Shirley MacGregor for making this volume even richer than the last.

I also own MacGregor's first book. The quality of the paper in the second book dramatically enhances the presentation of the manhole covers and quilts. Though I am not a quilter, this book can still be appreciated for its artistic and cultural richness. In fact, I have a custom made stain glass piece hanging in my living room, with the design from one of the manhole cover patterns in the first book. I like the geographic descriptions of the cities and towns around Japan, having visited a few in the past. The colors in her book are spectacular, and I love the way she has shown different interpretations of each pattern. All in all, this book makes me want to visit every manhole cover in it!

I have read this book three times and love it. It's a story that wraps you in the life of the characters and confirms life values and habits as you read. You will find yourself wanting to read this story over and over.

I'm currently looking for the availability of a copy to give as a gift. It may also make a special gift for someone in your life that you would like to inspire.

This book is fantastic! I borrowed it from the library and have bought several to give as gifts. It is the story of a grandmother who is teaching her granddaughters the skills needed to create a quilt over a one year period. The sisters are very different and each one learns the TWELVE GOLDEN THREADS for successful living step by step as they create their own special quilts. It is a book that I want to share with my high school students because of the wonderful way that the two purposes of this book - quilt making and steps for successful living - are woven together into a story of love and caring. Highly recommended!!