First, Happy New Year to you all! My name is Leslie and I have been lurking for a few months, but thought I would start the year by properly introducing myself. I am a newbie quilter, so new that I haven't even made a real quilt yet. (I don't count the Patchwork squares I sewed together willy-nilly 38 years ago!) So, if anyone out there could suggest a good basic quilting book and basic quilters tools that would help me get started it would be much appreciated! I would also like to take a class, but the classes seem to focus on making a specific quilt whereas I would like basic instruction on techniques, types of quilts, tools, etc. Thanks in advance for any advice, suggestions, tips.
Happy quilting,
Leslie

Hello, and welcome from Idaho!

I have been sewing and quilting since the 7th grade and I now have grandchildren! I still refer to my favorite quilting book.

Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. You can find it on Amazon.com and JoAnn's sometimes has it.

Welcome from California!

Welcome from NC!

Welcome from NE Ohio, I'm in almost the same boat as you so I will be interested to hear the answers.

Welcome from another Washington...PA!!!!

You will love it here!

Hello and welcome from SW Iowa. Glad to have you here. I got the Dummies Guide to Quilting when I started but I learned more here than from the book.

Welcome from Ireland

Welcome from central WA, near Grand Coulee Dam!

Welcome from up the pike in Ridgefield! My advise is to find a simple little pattern, go to Craft Warehouse on Mill Plain and pick out fabric. The gals there will be a big help. And, yes, there are many good "how-to" books out there. Check the library!

Welcome!

Greetings and Happy New Year from New Hampshire
Go to the LQS that Kitsie recommended and ask if and when they'll be offering a beginners' class.
If they aren't, the Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) that np3 mentioned is good. BHG also published Grandma's Best full-size Quilt Blocks; it's is a nice book if you don't want to make a quilt yet but wish to learn techniques.
Ask for them at your library before you buy them. Most libraries will fill your request thru another system library if they don't own particular books.
Good luck.

Hello and Welcome to the board :D:D:D
I was born and raised in Vancouver, still have a lot of family there :D
I would go to the library online, and put some holds on quilting books. Every book teaches from a different perspective, this way you can find one that works/makes sense to you.

Also, check out these classes offered here on the board in the tutorial section. Look through the rest of the tutes here too :D:D:D

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-66776-1.htm

Hello to you from another Washingtonian - Brush Prairie to be exact. Looking forward to reading your posts.

Good luck. And remember we all were new quilters at one time. I learned by remembering how my granny did it by hand, with me sitting next to her on the sofa. I actually thought that one couldn't quilt EXCEPT by hand. Goes to show you ... and I was in my fifties before I figured it out.

Hello Leslie and welcome from northern California! Happy New Year!

Welcome from southeast PA!

Welcome from Missouri.

Hello from Wenatchee.

I always recommend this book to all quilters--new or experienced. Good visuals and explanations. There's no better reference book.
I've used to more times than I can count.

http://www.amazon.com/Quilters-Ultim...3916655&sr=8-4

Welcome to the board from Southern California!!!!

Welcome from Michigan. I think the best thing I did when I started quilting was to go to my LQS and take lessons. Don't try to buy everything you see but only as you need it. I bought too much and have never used some. I hope you have fun learning.....I did.

I am in Ridgefield too! We've probably seen each other in town! I live up Hillhurst from Pioneer--just a few blocks from town. Come to the community center on Wednesday mornings and join our stitchery group!
Leslie

Hello from Western Maryland !!

welcome!

Thanks for the tips and I do have a couple books on hold at the library. I don't know why I am getting such a slow start on quilting. When I decided to learn to knit I just jumped in! Maybe it's age. . . :-)

Thanks for the welcome and I love your quilt! Someday I would like to tackle one of those cool geometric designs that look three dimensional. (I'm sure there is a name for those, but I sure don't know what it is!)

Funny you should mention not buying everything I see! While you all were posting warm welcomes to me, I was at JoAnns buying out the quilting section!

Gayle,
Where in So Cal? I grew up in L.A. and Orange Co.

Thanks. I put the Better Homes & Gardens book in my Amazon shopping cart just a few minutes ago!

Hi there, neighbor! Wasn't today a gorgeous day?!

P.s. Stunning quilt you have there!

I used to live in Northern CA. Sebastopol and Santa Rosa--- and I still get homesick for it.

Hi and welcome from Alaska.

Welcome from Seattle

Welcome from Round Rock,TX. Get comfy!! You will like it here!!!


Monique

We used to live in Cupertino, up until about six years ago when we retired to Washington.

In fact, we are at the moment in an RV park in the middle of Silicon Valley, here to visit our son who still lives here. We are on our way to Arizona for a few weeks.

I can tell you there are more cars in one block down here than in the whole of Brush Prairie I'm sure. We come down once a year and each year we miss it less and less. Brush Prairie is just a wonderful place to live and quilt. There are very few quilt shops left down here by the way. Two are gone from just last year.

welcome from so mo

Welcome from the Tri Cities WA. I am looking at giving beginner classes, Vancouver is a ways away!!
Have you will get hooked real easy!!

Hi Leslie and Welcome from Oregon. I think you learn a lot by just making different blocks. Start easy and work up. It really helps your piecing skills to just make blocks.

welcome from se TX --lots of help on this site

Hello and welcome from New York.

Hello and welcome from South of Chehalis WA.