Classic Reads for the Quilter

Today's prompt is 5 Favorite Books.  I am in love with books.  They are my favorite resource in my sewing studio.  And choosing only five, would be like confessing which of my sons I love more--it can't be done. 

Since I have been quilting for a while I thought that I would share some older resources that I believe deserve a second look. These would be resources that I would recommend to a new quilter.

My first recommendation is anything by Eleanor Burns.  I learned a great deal about strip piecing and stitching in the ditch from her and her PBS Show.

Next this book, the Quilter's Complete Guide by Marianne Fons and Liz Porter was an all encompassing manual of different types of quilting techniques, both hand and machine. Their PBS show was also inspirational and educational.

Next as a great technique/project book is Quilts!, Quilt!!, Quilts!!!, by Diana McClun and Laura Nownes.  I took a sampler class in which this was the textbook. By creating one of each block, I gained  the skills and confidence to explore other quilting techniques.

For foundation paper piecing anything by Carol Doak.  She explained everything so clearly and helped me fall in love with the accuracy and the fun of creating quilts with this technique.

There is a tie for 5th, but they cover the same topic.  Machine quilting your quilts on a domestic sewing machine.  Harriet Hargrave and Diane Gaudynski opened the door for me to get my quilts done quickly and taught me techniques that I still use today.

While there are many others that have influenced my quilting, like Alex Anderson, Ricky Tims, Libby Lehman, Nancy Zieman, and many more.  I tried to narrow down my choices to the books that I still will refer to today.

What books are your "go to" resources in your quilting studio?  Many new quilters use google and YouTube.  But a book is there when the internet is out!

Off to dust my treasures of knowledge,

My First Quilt

As a new parent and home economics teacher, I love watching PBS on Saturday mornings.  This featured the Sewing with Nancy and a new program, Quilt in a Day. After watching a few episodes of Quilt in a Day, I believed that I could actually do this!

Talking with Eleanor Burns, photo by Katie Johansen

I went out and bought my first rotary cutter, ruler and mat, and some fabrics.  

My Mother’s Sewing Machine

I then borrowed my Mother’s sewing machine.  Then I created this wall hanging.  

My first quilt

In case you were wondering, I didn’t bind it.  However I did machine quilt it using a standard presser foot—thus the quilted puckering.

It didn’t matter, I then in love with the process.  I quickly made one for my sister in blues and mauve.  And then I made one in black, mint and coral for my soon to be sisters-in-law.  Each time I created one I fell more in love with the process.  Can anyone relate?

Who would have thought one PBS show and one simple wall hanging would lead me to the life I am living today.