Quilting Books

Like her original book on quilting on a home machine; Guide to Machine Quilting this well written text informs and inspires with generous good will. The photos of Gaudynski's wonderful work could be intimidating if not accompanied by her equally skilled coaching and incouragement. Her clear lucid text, wry sense of humor and "just do it" approach gave me the courage to roll up a queen size quilt loaded down with a couple of pounds of safety pins and begin. The result wasn't perfect, but the end was better than the beginning and that is the point Gaudynski makes; quilting is a motor skill and practice makes perfect. If you haven't already; do yourself a favor and get these books.

This is an excellent book for those interested in quilting on their home machine. The writing is clear and the photographs provide further clarification.

I totally LOVE this little book. I suggest it to anyone who wants to machine quilt. This book is written for quilting on a domestic machine, but I just purchased a long-arm and this is my absolute favorite book. Her quilting is awesome and the pictures are great. She clearly explains several excellent "background" and "filler" patterns - all of which are easy to do. I was so tired of just settling for basic meandering. She talks a lot about the different threads she likes and why, and even gives a list of her favorites. You will not be disappointed in this book. And did I mention it is "spiral bound".

This book is complementary to her Guide to Machine quilting, This book is more like doing a class with Diane and she shows various methods of background quilting. recommended for anyone who wants to learn more on freestyle quilting.

I must have at least 30 books alone on just quilting designs. This is more than that though. It explains everything, or almost everything, you would need to know about quilting your designs on your quilt. I don't know what I did without it. I do know my free motion quilting has improved greatly and I keep it right by my machine. The only quilter that comes close to Diane is Sharon Schamber. Both are just wonders in my book. Thanks so much for writing this.

Lots of fun ideas and each quilt is described in detail for several sizes, wall - twin - & queen; and color combinations. I enjoyed the "shadow" effect on the blocks and the alternate view for colors (warm to cool). It also has the instructions and materials needed as a list that can be checked off as they are bought. I bought this book on a whim and was pleased with the informative way it was put together. However, I felt that only a couple of these quilts were particularly good for using up scrap material.

I love this book because Judy Martin does such a great job of making it easy. Her pattern pieces are precise and that makes for a perfect quilt when you finish. She incorporates stars in many of the patterns, and that is something I love too.

This book has so many ideas I almost don't know where to start. Good instruction and great pictures.

With so many colourful unit illustrations showing how to assemble the quilts accurately, and the templates the clearest I have come across. this a book for beginner and expert alike. A dream to read and inspirational to use. 10 out of 10.

This is an absolutely wonderful book as most of Judy Martin's are. So many ideas to us scraps from. Easy to understand. A favorite of mine.

If you love to quilt and need to stop taking your craft too seriously, this book is for you! No matter what your skill level, you'll find yourself in these humorous antidotes. Lisa is so funny, I wish she was in my quilt group.

I laughed and loved this book. It was given to me as a birthday
present from one of my quilting buddies. This book is the one that encouraged me to buy her second book [that I know about] for my quilting buddies. FUN reading.

Her quilting perceptions are truly wonderful. I really loved how she described the muck in her sewing room that htreatened to engulf her in the midst of a big decision. This is how i feel with every quilt! A great light read. I would recommend it for anyone who is threatening to take themselves too seriously!

Funny funny funny! And you learn alittle too while reading it. Any one who quilts can relate to this book.

Lisa Boyer has a great sense of humor and she writes about her philosphy of quilting. As a fellow quilter, I could relate to everything she says. When you need a break I recommend you make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy her humorous banter. It will definitely make you feel better about those quilting mistakes that bug us from time to time. I chuckled thoughout the entire book.

Award-winning quilter Suzanne Marshall shares her applique techniques and tips on how to make a quilting project outstanding, surveying unique methods not to be found elsewhere. From ancient printer art inspirations to sewing tips such as how to handle backgrounds, this is packed with invaluable information: a top pick for any needlework library.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Another beautiful book from Suzanne Marshall, who is, without doubt, one of the premier hand quilters of this generation. Her patterns and methods are without peer. Definitely a book everyone interested in quilting and applique should have on the bookshelf.

Sara

i was very fortunate to be able to take a class with suzanne marshall last year at the vermont quilt festival ,she is an out standing teacher very down to earth and all an-all a great person ,never the less i was a little apprehensive to order her new book because i had taken hands on class with her thinking it might be alot of the same but it truly is worth it's weight in gold and even though the cover may make her work look hard she explains everything in such detail i would recommend this book for beginners ....

This is a lovely book. Not really a how-to book. More of I-wish-I-could-do book. This is a very talented lady who does exquisite work. The book is full of wonderful pictures of her quilts, along with judges' comments about those quilts from quilt shows (which are incredibly picky and have confirmed my decision NEVER to enter a juried show!). There is a lot of inspiration here and a lot of practical advice too. I bought her Take Away Applique book years ago and found it very helpful. There is a section of this book that explains the take-away technique. If you applique or aspire to applique, give this book a try.

I buy a good number of quilting books each year, and this is one of my absolute favorites. It was not only inspiring to me as a quilter, but it was very interesting to read the story of each quilt. Ms. Marshall's quilts are spectacular. I also like the format she uses, showing what comments were made by judges for each of the works shown. I highly recommend this wonderful book.

Wonderful book for nature buffs. Instructions very easy to follow, lots of detail and helpful information on applique as well as lovely patterns for nature lovers birds,flowers, and such. Lovely book to read cover to cover with good reference material to return to when working with hand applique.

it is the best book i have ever seen . besides giving guidance on applique it also gives good idea on embroidary and fabric painting. only if there was more guidance on fabric suppliers it wud have helped

I had been seeking a book that combined needle turn applique and embroidery ,and Little Brown Bird has fit the bill perfectly, it also uses fabric pens to add even more detail to the designs.This is a beautiful, well written book with good explanations on fabric used and technique. I would highly recommend it.

Karen
Clare Valley Sth. Australia

A wonderful book with patterns, conversation, and instructions. A delight for everyone who loves applique either in large or smaller projects. Highly recommend.

This quilting book provides great illustrations
and complete instructions. I am looking forward
to making some of the blocks using the colors
that are suggested.

I got this book from the library. It looked interesting because the pieces Ms. Carlson made were beautiful yet there was little sewing involved. That along with the fact that she loves fabrics appealed to me. Although fish are not my favorite subject, I felt that the way she describes the process could be applied to any other animal. So I practiced using a picture of a bird and was surprised at how well it turned out, esp for the first time trying this method. Then I used a photo of a tiger and I admit I was very impressed with my finished product! I have never considered myself an artist but my tiger amazed me. I also loved having to look through my fabric stash for just the right piece of fabric for each detail. Thank you, Susan!

This book has so much creative inspiration in it! I did traditional quilting for 8 years and while I still love it there was something in me that would long to do something with all those fabrics that had printed animals and trees and bright flowers on them. Something non traditional. This book along with "Beautifully Embellished Lanscapes" by Joyce R Becker made my creative muse completely take off! Even if you don't like fish the techniques and inspirations in this book are sure to inspire you to make something that does capture your fancy. Sometimes there is something about seeing what other people have done that makes the wheels starting turning in your mind and helps you to come up with your methods. If you are even considering this book I would recommend you buy it and give it a try.

I'm shaking. Literally! I have books for Africa on quilting and not one of them has made such an impression as this book. Susan Carlson is simply an artistic genius. Her quilts are nothing short of amazing, the beauty and the realism surpasses belief! Her techniques are simple, clearly explained and shared with enthusiastic joy. I started my own fan-fish, before I'd even finished the book! You're an inspiration Susan, thank you for such a marvelous, delicious book-it's certainly wet my artistic appetite and if I didn't live so far away (New Zealand), I'd be signed up for your next class!

I'm very new to quilting...having just completed my first quilt and I was looking for what to do next when I spotted Susan Carlson's Free-Style Quilts A "No Rules" Approach. The idea behind this book (and the title) intrigued me. The artist's work, and those of her students are very inspiring. I couldn't wait to start, so armed with the book I went to my local fabric store (okay truthfully I went to all the stores that carry fabric in a 30 mile radius). It changed the way I look at textiles. Picking out fabric, always so much fun now has a new dimension to it. Fabric I might have overlooked in the past holds so much promise/potential. Now I look at the patterns or textures thinking, could this become a fin? Oh, this would be perfect for a butterfly's wing! It's like creating a painting with fabric. Her free-style approach is very freeing. You can use an enlarged photocopy of the picture as a template to cut, but that's more of a springboard. Thanks Susan, I'm hooked. I've posted a picture of my first free-style project (it's still in progress). My mind is brimming with ideas from photos I took in Hawai'i, from flower shows, maybe this summer I'll even attempt a portrait!

The title of this book is very misleading. First and foremost the ONLY technique recommended (or explored) by the author is cutting and GLUING fabric (yes, "GLUE"). The technique is developed from a combination of foundation and applique quilt methods; hence, the 'free-style' method, is to substitute glue for any and all other peicing methods. In addition, "No Rules" is not a 'play-on-words'; her techniques require extensive drafting/drawing, piece numbering etc. . Therefore, exact guides, measured 'seam allowances' (glue overlap allowances) etc., are imperative to her method.
Ms. Carlson is a huge fish lover. I, unfortunately, am not. 95% of the examples and 100% of the 'exercises' are of FISH. I had hoped for a wider range of subject matter; or that the book description had included this very relevant fact.
All of this being said, the book is very well organized, with lots of color photographs, well written, and true 'hands-on' step by step approach to the author's method.
However, unless you want to glue fabric and depict a lot of fish, I would recommend giving this title a pass.

The log cabin has turned into my favorite block and what a book to have in my collection. There are so many new ideas I haven't seen. I have since purchased other "Judy Martin" books and just love them. The instructions are written for both templates and rotary cutting...

One of my friends had this book and I found it very inspiring and interesting so I bought it. And I am not disappointed! The book came quickly and in very good condition all the way to Sweden.

A lovely book with lots of informative information and I can't wait to get piecing

After seeing references to this book, I decided I had to buy it. Was very pleased with the patterns and instruction. It definately pays to buy through Amazon.

Anyone that enjoys piecing log cabin quilts will love this book. The quilts are absolutely beautiful and an inspiration. I have already started on my first one.

This book is a supreme example of the old adage "don't judge a book by it's cover." I found the cover quilt extremely boring to the point I couldn't imagine why in the world the book had so many good reviews. When I got the book I didn't even like the quilting design on the cover. I didn't like and wouldn't make any of the quilts in the book, either. They were way too basic for me. However, forget all that! The bland quilts in the book were just a quick way for the author to show her quilting designs, and I get it! The free-flowing designs are wonderful, and doable by all! There is no marking involved, no stencils, nothing to stop you! I suspect long-armers have known how to do designs like this for many years, but they just haven't been available to domestic machine quilters. I am grateful that I bought this book, and I think both beginning, intermediate, and advanced domestic machine quilters will love it.

Many machine quilting books give the nuts and bolts of quilting on an ordinary "domestic" sewing machine, but few take that next step to inspire a novice machine quilter to create her or his own quilt designs. This book does just that. Yes, I agree with those reviewers who say the quilts are nothing special, but the point is that they are there to showcase the quilting, not to detract from it. With the simple traditional block designs that we have all seen before, our eyes are drawn to the quilting. Each design is quilted in three different ways- a simple allover design, a design that shows off the plain blocks and negative spaces as well as the pieced blocks, and an elaborate "show stopper" with detailed quilting and touches of trapunto. As a longtime quilter, but a relative newbie to machine quilting anything other than loops or meanders, this book has done far more to improve my quilting than any other machine quilting book in my personal library. I have gone on to machine quilt at least four or five quilts without copying any of the designs in the book.

I have a number of books pertaining to machine quilting, including the McTavishing book. That one is good, but this one is better. The ideas and instructions are superior. I've already put some of it to use and the improvement in my free-motion is very satisfying.

This is so much more than patterns. It gives you ideas on how to look at your quilt and then decide what to do. The hints it gives you on how to make your free motion work is well worth the price.

Looking for a book that goes into detail of free motion quilting after you already have the basics down? Then this is the book for you. Builds up skills and gives detailed instructions on how to design the quilt and map out designs. Step by step on how to practice the patterns so no marking is needed. Love this book!

This book was just made for grandmoters to share with their grandchildren. Mine loved it and we spent a great deal of time discovering new things among the intricate work of the children, their clothes, bugs, etc. It is a delight.

This is a beautiful book showcasing an extraordinary quilt although one need not be a quilt aficionado to love and appreciate it. It is my favorite gift for a young child, or any adult who loves quilts or children's books or fairytales.

I found this book and story so enchanting!

Everytime I look at the fotos of the actual
quilt - I see something new and am thrilled.

My only regret is that there is not more of
the wonderful fotos and story....

What a treat!

Beautiful book! I love this children's book and am also a quilter so I enjoy having this work of art all the more!

This book is worth every penny for the close-ups of the quilt used in the illustrations. This is a very pleasant story of the earths renewal. Not too long and not too short, it should hold a young child's attention very well.

The stories in here bring out a lot of emotion. It made me feel like I was right there with some of the women. I cried when they talked about losing loved ones along the trail and having to bury them wrapped up in a quilt. I bought this copy for a friend after reading at the library, now I will buy me a copy.If you like history, please buy this, it really connects you to the past in a way that a textbook filled with dates and facts cannot.

I read this book in about 24 hours - it is a wonderful book. It has a lot of history regarding the pioneer women and the quilting traditions they brought with them from their home states. The history alone would have made this book worth the read and worth owning, but the pictures alone would make this book a must have! There are dozens of color and black and white pictures - single quilts take up an entire page in full color through out the book.

A basic knowledge of quilting terms is needed in order to understand everything that is written. Unfortunately, a lot of the quilts that are written about specifically are not pictured, but the quilts that are pictured make up for that small disappointment.

This is a book that I enjoy reading and savoring at my leisure. It incorporates a broad spectrum of mid 19th century history of those who treked to the west via covered wagon with a story of not only quilts but of the sewing that people did, including the Native Americans. The pictures of not only the quilts but of the people are terrific. Four patterns of traditional quilts are included. As always Sandra Dallas has provided a wonderful well researched resourse book, particularly those who are interested in the fiber arts and history.

Excellent book, lots of pictures and interesting human interest stories

Lovely looking book for your coffee table or your sewing library. The cover gets you 'in' and there it keeps you. Good quality illustrations and photos. Makes me feel all red, white and blue and I am an Australian. I love American history and this book did not disappoint me. It was a great thrill to see photos of quilts with their actual makers. As a fellow patchwork and quilter I enjoyed it from cover to cover.