Quilting books?

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Can anyone recommend a good basic book on quilting? I was just gifted with a huge box of cotton fabrics. They are mostly prints and certainly nothing a guy would wear, so all I can think to do with them is make quilts.

(Nobody minds WHAT colors/prints are in a quilt as long as it is WARM, right?) But I haven't a clue as to how to get started. I know a quilt is a kind of fabric sandwich with filler in between but that is about the extent of my knowledge, so I need a good basic book--nothing fancy, that's for sure!

Thanks for the help!

Rusty

 

[17roses]

I got started with a couple magazines. If you want to make a basic quilt you can just go down to Walmart and buy a 4" square and a rotary cutter and get to work. I would recommend you post this question on the sewing / quilting thread.

 

[NanaKat]

There are numerous books on quilting on Amazon.com that you cn pick up for very reasonalbe prices.
Here are two books that I like for beginners. Both have plenty of photos for demonstration. Both also have block examples that are easy to follow.

Quilting Shortcuts by Maggie Malone. She has also written several other books on the subject. Many colors are black and white.
This book gives the basic information like how many blocks of what size are needed to make a quilt of a certain size. Also basic design instruction like drafting your pattern and estimating how many yards needed for your project.

The Quilting Bible from Singer sewing reference library. Not only does it have great shortcut tips, but it contains 30 complete quilt projects. Loads of color photos.

Since you have a variety of cotton fabrics, you might want to explore the scrap quilt patterns topic in Google.
Also in the back of any magazine on quilting, you will see numerous ads from fabric companies that list "free pattern" on their website.

Glad to see you are pursuing a way to put those fabrics to good use!!!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Boy, am I confused! I found a site on the web at about.com that is all about quilting. And I really do understand a lot of it. Where my confusion comes in is about assembly. Nowhere on this site did I see anything about batting. Don't quilts get batting in them for warmth? Or is that some other kind of bed covering?

I saw a lot of information about piecing the tops but nothing about the finishing that I remember from my childhood--the sandwich of backing, batting, and pieced top that got basted together and then hand stitched with scrolls and feathers and such to keep the 3 thicknesses from shifting around. Is this not done anymore? Or is this now called by some other name?

In any case this is the kind of "quilt" that I am wanting to make and that I am looking for instructions for.

Nanakat, I am going to hunt up those titles on amazon.com today and see what I can find. Thanks for the suggestions!

Rusty

 

[Scrambled Egg]

You're such a long way from finishing and batting and binding right now, why don't you just pick a pattern and start sewing the top together..believe me...you will answer alot of your own questions by the time you have something made that is blanket size!

 

[17roses]

Quote:
I agree.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

TY all!

 

[quiltnchik]

The Quilter's Visual Guide has been my absolute FAVORITE since I started quilting 8 years ago

Good luck and let us know if you need any help!

 

[NanaKat]

Rusty, You are correct about how a quilt is constructed.
Batting is still used and is available now in a wide variety of thicknesses and materials for either machine quilting or quilting by hand.

While you are working on your first quilt, take time to go by a nice fabric store that has a quilt fabric section and get familiar (touchy feely with the battings) and talk with a salesperson about the attributes of each. I buy my cotton batting by the bolt when it is on sale and have it in white for baby quilts and natural for antique style quilts.
Black batting is now available too since black fabric is hot now.

Heirloom quilts are often the ones we think of first....those our grandmothers made. Those patterns are still around and cherished by many of us. There are even contemporary spins on some of those oldies but goodies.

See if a church in your area has a quilting group. Some ladies in my area still have quilting bees. Anyone of them would be willing to show a newbie how to prepare a quilt for hand quilting and to teach the stitching strategies.

Welcome to a very addictive, relaxing and rewarding world!!!

 

[Acre of Blessings]

I have a magazine that I could send you if you are interested in it. Just PM me you addy and I'll get it to ya.

Also.....if you join one of the block swaps you will learn a boat load about quilting.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=188273