After our extensive discussion last week I decided to get to the bottom of the various celtic quilt designers. Here are the results:

Gail Lawther books (Celtic Quilting and More Celtic Quilting) are oriented more for hand quilters. Her first book has many different techniques included (whole cloth, trapunto, patchwork, etc). Her second book has many different projects, not necessarily quilts. She relies on fusible binding or quilt stitching to make the design. Her second book includes stitching designs and several quite lovely projects.

Beth Ann Williams' book Celtic Quilts - A New Look for Ancient Designs will teach you how to make your own bias tubing to use for applique designs. Her book includes many wonderful designs to be done on several different projects. Her appliques can be either machines stitched (several different stitch suggestions) or hand stitched.

Karen Combs book Celtic Pieced Illusions is a pieced quilt design book. This book will teach you how to create your own pieced designs. Each design is based on the use of three separate blocks, the nine patch and two stripped blocks that are even easier to create than the nine patch. This book will not produce the rounded or curved designs that the other two will however in my opinion it is the easiest process to produce a quilt with. This book also includes very good discussions on design, color and tips. There are several different designs with instructions in this book as well as tools for creating your own designs.

If I could only purchase two books I would be tempted to purchase the Karen Combs book for the ease of process and the Gail Lawther Celtic Quilting book for the many, many traceable quilt stitch designs. If you don't want to purchase the Gail Lawther book however you wanted great quilt stitching designs I would do a search on Amazon. There are several books that have wonderful, traceable designs that would make fabulous quilt stitch designs.

That is my 2 cents.

Thanks for the info. I eventually would like to make one and now I don't have to weed through a ton of books to figure out how!

Thank you for sharing your hard-earned info with us!

I also found one more book that I would like to tell you about. It is called Gordian Knots by Mary Whitehead. It is in all black and white. The quilts are pieced and significantly more detailed than the other pieced patterns. I would recommend this book for anyone that is not intimidated by more advanced patterns.

Thank you so much for all the info...Well done.

Thanks for the information!

Hey Anna you have done a lot of work researching thses books, and the information that as given on the thread. I think it will help many on this board especially those who want to make a Celtic quilt in the future. Well done!

Are any if you fimilar with the magazine from Ireland called Irish Quilting? When we were there I was looking for Irish Quilting magazines and it was just out so was lucky to buy the fist edition. I am subscribed to it. Some of your quilt shops may carry it. There have been some great Celtic Quilts and patterns in it as well as old favorites. So neat to see what others like to make and they always show case the quilts with the beautiful scenery in the back ground.

I get the Irish Quilting magazine as well....love it! Glad someone mentioned Gordian Knots. It is a wonderful book.

Bought the Karen Combs book and can't wait to do it.

Thanks for this information. Did you guys know that Karen is actually a board member here?

Great review, thank you.

Yikes!! :oops: I didn't know that. Karen, I hope I did you proud. I am enjoying your book very much. I started looking into all of this because I have a sister who knits like a dream but finds quilting a challenge. A very long time ago she mentioned swapping skills and then never got back to me. I am conspiring with her DH to make her a quilt for Christmas. Shhhhhhh.

I've collected Celtic quilting books for years and I've found that most of them are still available through used book sources. I've written two books myself and they are Celtic Style Floral Applique and Baskets: Celtic Style. Philomena Durcan has four books; Celtic Quilt Designs, Celtic Spirals, A Celtic Garden and Children of Lir: Celtic Quilt Designs II. There are others, including a couple of Celtic quilt books published in other countries. I can't read the text, but the patterns are included and I can figure those out easily.