jollyquilting

I still love Eleanor Burns because that is how I got started, (I didn't learn to quilt until I was 57) and she has a new one that is got the letter E lementary or something like that. I love her designs because I can follow the direction,.

Arcy

Alex Anderson's START QUILTING, Six Projects for a First-Time Quilters is a good place to begin. Goes over the basics, includes the Rail Fence, Log Cabin, Nine patch, Friendship star and Flying Geese blocks, how to piece, bind and quilt SID or grid. This little book is inexpensive and not intimidating. A good first book for a beginning quilter. The books listed in the thread are great and excellent reference works as you build a library, but for a beginner, who can be easily overwhelmed, Anderson's book walks a beginning quilter through their first quilt with gentle instruction.

patchsamkim

Two of my favorites are Quilts, Quilts,Quilts, and the Fon's and Porter Quilter's Guide. The first book I learned from was "The Sampler Quilt" book which was all hand piecing when I learned. The book has been updated "The New Sampler Quilt" book by Diane Leone and is also a great reference book.

gailinva

BH&G Complete Guide to Quilting...........everything in one book, good price $19.95 and at Joanne's (coupon).

dakotamaid

Absolutely! I grew up (Quilting wise!) in Fons and Porter country and love all their books but this one is the best at explaining things for newbies.

JaneH

Thanks.... I had a look and that book must be out of print, judging by the Amazon prices. It does get excellent reviews, however. I might try to find it anyway.

Micha

I agree! That's a great book, lots of clear photos and reference charts with the math all worked out. If you're purchasing something else (because it's free shipping after $25 on Amazon) you could buy it from Amazon for $13.57 also. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide...6131477&sr=8-1

I should add there are no projects in this book, it's strictly for learning how to construct a quilt. But you could easily make your own pattern after following the book.

DogHouseMom

Sally Collins "Mastering Precision Piecing" ... there is also a DVD with a similar title (Sally Collins shows you Precision Piecing or something like that).

I call it the "primer".

She covers the basics ... cutting, pinning, sewing and ironing and why it's important to do it the same way all the time (consistancy, consistancy, consistancy!!). Can't recommned her enough!!

I also second the opinion for "Quilting for Dummies", it has a lot of basic information but no-where near as complete in technique as Sally.

The last is a pretty cool book not necessarily for teaching, but it's a good all-around resource guide to quilting, fabric, thread, tools, needles, web sites, quilt shops, quilting teachers ... etc. It's called "The Quilters Catalog" by ... Meg Fox??

Wunder-Mar

I have given two books to each friend of mine who began quilting since I've known them: The Joy of Quilting by Hanson & Hickey ( http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Quilting-J...6143612&sr=1-1) and the Quilter's Ultimate Visual Guide by Rodale Books, Ellen Pahl, ed. (http://www.amazon.com/Quilters-Ultim...6143664&sr=1-1)

Other than a rotary cutter, I'd also recommend that anyone - especially a beginner) purchase the Wonder Cut Ruler to take ALL the heartburn out of half-square triangles and quarter square triangles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKOTxsSmpZo I have made these units every way possible but this really does the job for me for quilts that need lots of HSTs or QSTs

AndiR

F&P's Quilter's Complete Guide was listed the most often. I agree that it and several of the others are great reference books, but I'm also looking for a good "here's how you start and what you do next to finish a project" type book. Sounds like Alex's book might fit that bill. I have that and several other books on order now to review thanks to all of the responses.