Hello quilters! It’s Kimberly! Have you heard? Moda Bake Shop is celebrating National Book Lovers Day! We are huge book lovers around here and are so happy to be sharing.
I have always been a crafter. I learned to crochet the chain stitch at five and spent my teenage years crocheting and cross stitching. Eventually, I needed to branch out of my crafting comfort zone. In 2000 I tackled quilting and never looked back.
My first quilt was a nine-patch quilt using half blues and half yellows. The book I used for my first quilt is now discontinued and out of print. After completing my nine-patch quilt, I took a Star Sampler Quilt Class from Debbie Taylor, who works at Fat Quarter Shop now, and I was hooked! I continued taking Debbie’s classes and I watched Alex Anderson’s Simply Quilts TV show on HGTV for years. My favorite guest was always Billie Lauder. I still use most of her techniques when piecing.
My go-to books for tips and tricks were (and are!) Quick Quilt Tricks and More Quick Tricks, both by Billie Lauder, and the All-in-One Quilter’s Reference Tool. These reference guides are my quilting bibles.
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| Kimberly’s Civil War Sampler quilt featuring Pam Kitty Love |
My personal style always leans toward Sampler Quilts so naturally my favorite books are samplers. My personal sampler favorites now are The Farmer’s Wife Sampler Quilt Book, Barbara Brackman’s Civil War Sampler and the Quick & Easy Block Tool. These sampler books offer so many quilt possibilities!
And I can’t forget Quilty Fun by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnett! I love Lori’s approach to scrappy quilting an I marvel over how her quilts come together. Style-wise, she and this book are pushing me to be more out of the box with my fabric choices. I am still learning, always learning, from quilting books. Even I can’t wait for it to be finished since I know I will be turning to and using Lori’s scrappy tips and guidance to grow my quilty skills.
I hope you enjoyed learning about my favorite quilting books! Do you have any favorites to add?
8 comments
I really like books that feature historical quilts, for example Minnesota quilts. Reading the background of the quilters and how the quilts have been passed down through time.
Thanks for sharing your book stories! I haven't used many books , but when I was a teen, my mom brought home books by Nancy Crow, and I found them very inspiring in terms of reaching to attain an idea, or make a quilt look the way you want it to, even if there's no set technique….. Yet.
Thanks for sharing a bit about your quilting background. I have sewn my entire life but have only done a few quilts until last year and now I can't find enough time to quilt. My first complete read was Free Motion Quilting by Natalie Bonner which helped me tremendously. I usually buy quilting magazines to read but last month I pre-purchased Lori Holt's book and can't wait to get it.
I'm anxiously awaiting the new Pattern Book from Jennifer Chiaverini. Loyal Union Sampler is coming out next month! I Love Samplers too. Headed over to MODA…
What bright fun these quilts show. Thanks for sharing your favorite idea sources.
Thanks for sharing! One of my first big projects was a blue and yellow combination too and it still graces our bed (usually with a ginger cat curled up on top!) http://jenscraftwork.blogspot.co.nz/2011/10/quilts-catch-up.html
I still miss Simply Quilts, I used to watch it before I was a quilter.
Thanks for participating and sharing your inspirations. It is fun to see the various inspirations.