"Would you please share the list of topics you used, and how you divided them? a picture of the shelves? I wanted to label the sections but I cannot label the shelves themselves, looking for a method."

I dont know how to put up a picture.

It would kind of depend. If I had over 4+ books in a category or author I really liked, I would put them together. I used foam core from Hobby Lobby cut into rectangles long enough to extend a little more than the books and marked the topic with black marker so I could see it. Topics are mostly
Foundation piecing, Country Threads, Applique, Redwork, Sunbonnet Sue, Baltimore, Tools, Settings and Borders, Judy Martin, Country, Amish, History, Marston, Whimsicials, Possiblities, Piece o Cake, Thimbleberries, Burns, Bonnie Hunter, Scrap Quilts, Red Wagon, Quilting Itself, Quiltmania, Art to Heart, Kindred, Need'l Love, etc.

The categories will really depend on what you enjoy and have. A big category is still Miscellaneous.

The books take up about 7 shelves on a set of bookshelves and the magazines are stacked on the bottom three shelves. I clipped all my Quilters Newsletters and Australian magazines but still cannot cut up the others.

Ana

Wow! That's a lot. I have a lot too, but not that many. Probably only a couple hundred (although my husband would say more like a thousand).

Don't you just love to sit and look through those books over and over again? I get so many ideas for quilts I want to make that way.

Wow! What a collection. I actually put all my fabric in Excel by color, projects, name of collection, how much and other categories. I too was finding that I was "losing" fabric because I had no practical method of tracking it. When I pull it for a project, I highlight it in yellow-then once the project is complete and if there is not at least 1/2 yd left, I delete it from the spreadsheet. Works for me! I am glad you have found a way that works for you. Thanks for sharing.

I think I only have about 70. I ask myself why?? when so many great patterns are free on the net. I just love looking at the pictures, reading about the quilters & techniques that I will never be smart enough to accomplish. Enjoy your library - & so organized too! I hadn't thought of the Excel spreadsheet but will have to give it a try.

Thought I would share my categories also: Redwork/Embroidery; Patchwork Quilts; History; Specialty Books; Borders, Tips, & Techniques; Hawaiian; Miniature; Paper Piecing; Sampler Quilts; Crazy Quilts; Quilting and Designs; Needlepoint; Beading; Knitting; Crochet.

I made dividers from old manilla folders and keep the books in horizontal file drawers. This is what works for me.

Royllsister, Drove through Texas once or twice, but never lived there. I'm a Calif. native and just "wing-it" too.

I have lots of quilt books also, and magazines. I sorted through them a year ago, and sold the ones I did'nt want at a yard sale. Except my Quilters Newsletter Magazines. I have the first one I ever bought back in 1975 or 76 and I subscribed to them for years. In the early years they also contained a catalog where you could order quilty stuff. That was back when you could'nt find quilting stuff like you can now. Quilting really made a come back in 1976.

Thanks for your post, the other day I realized i had 2 of the same and felt very bad! No more! It is a quilter thing!

Wow! Your own personal library of quilt books!

I don't feel bad about have too many books, I have 260. I had to keep a list on me when I was really into buying books years back, and yes I had accidently ordered duplicate through a book company, which I was able to send back. Now that I look through some, some patterns are in more than 2 books and I will probably start selling some when I retire. But I love looking through them from time to time.