What's Your Favorites???
 

After reading the post about our addiction to quilt books, I followed some of the links and ordered 8 books from one of the sites that sells used books, including two by Eleanor Burns. I don't have a lot of quilt books yet, as I have been addicted to buying fabric and building my stash. Now, I need to find some patterns to use up some of that stash. So far, I seem to like sampler quilts, quilts with lots of color, and mixes of piecing and applique. What are your favorite quilt books?? For reference? For patterns? For teaching quilt design? Or for any other category you want to list.

I would buy books or magazines that have quilts in them that you want to make, and wait until you want to make that quilt, well, magazines you can't really wait -- they're only for sale for a limited amount of time. You could get a few books on techniques that you want to learn, like paper piecing, piecing curves, different applique techniques, and again, wait until you want to learn that technique. Buy books that make you happy. Try before you buy -- check out quilting books from your local library. I read a ton of books before I bought many, but I still have too many books.

I agree with charsuewilson, check out quilting books from your local library. Every week, I check out at least one quilting book. Right now I am interested in free motion quilting. After reading the books on the subject, I decide that I really don't need to purchase the book. I can just check it out again. My favorite magazine is Jenny Dian's Quilting Quickly because I love making quick, easy quilts. I often cut my own layer cakes, charms, and jelly rolls from fabric I have. I find myself making more quilts from her magazine than from any other.

I like the scrappy quilts so those are the books I buy. When I first got into quilting I asked my friends to buy me quilt books or fat quarters. I have a good variety of books and those that have given me fabric had a hard time that first year finding "quarter fats". One day I hope to actually make quilts out of each of the books I have.

My quilting library is heavy on reference books, particularly quilt history, fabric history, block references, color theory, specialty techniques, machine quilting instruction and patterns, and all of Mary Ellen Hopkins's books.

Jan in VA

I take a lot of classes, mostly because I learn new techniques best with direct guidance. Most of the classes require a book so I've built quite a library that way. The ones I purchase just because I like the patterns are usually scrappy quilt books. I've got all of Bonnie Hunter's books (and like a cheesy fan, I had her sign them for me when I took classes with her).

I have many, many quilt books but my favorites are those by Bonnie Hunter and Judy Martin. I don't even have to see a copy of Bonnie's books, I'll buy anything she writes ...