When I get interested in something I like to learn EVERYTHING possible about it. I get obsessive about research and love to use every possible resource for information - people, manuals, the net, and books.
I usually start with the library - full of every topic and totally free. Even better, I can search the catalogue, choose the books I want, and reserve them on-line. No need to remember the Dewey Decimal System since the books are pulled and waiting for me at the check-out desk. Using the library is a great way to skim a stack of books on a topic and then decide, if any, which ones are worth buying. (I really do like having an actual book I can hold in my hands, read before bed, tag with post-it notes, and refer to often. Especially when the topic is something I will need to reference on an on-going basis.) Sometimes, the books are out of print but now with on-line used books available through big companies like Amazon, it's not really a problem finding them.
When I got interested in quilting I started with Quilting for Dummies. It gives a good overview of the craft and has a few projects in the back. The downside to the book is that it's in black and white. I haven't actually made anything from the book but it has been a great resource for specific information I need to remember or if I have a question and really started me out with a good basis of information.
The next book I bought was Easy Machine Quilting. It has an entirely different format in that it offers 12 lessons, each taught by a different teacher. The range of topics covered go from basics, like starting and stopping, to stipple quilting. Each lesson requires a sample quilt sandwich and you build on your skills as you progress through the lessons. There are twelve projects to complete. I really like this book but the projects seem more advanced and I haven't tried any yet. There are very good instructions and plenty of colour photos. It's another great reference book since each quilting step has a 'get set' box with the specifics you'll need: settings, feet, threads, etc. As I learn new techniques I find myself going back to this book to re-read that section.
A book I got from the library and absolutely wanted to buy for myself to keep is Learn to Machine Quilt. This one gives you basic information and has great photos for certain skills, like binding a quilt. What I really love are the patterns provided. There are material lists, cutting directions, diagrams, and quilt plans. I have made 2 quilts from this book already, with fabric for a third, and many more on my to-do list. They are very simple patterns that are very do-able for a beginner like me. Since I wanted to make all the quilts in the book it was worth the search to find it used, since it's out of print. I was really happy and excited when I got my own copy - and since I'd already renewed the one from the library 3 times...it was time to give it back!
Teach Yourself Visually: Quilting is another fine book. It is very thorough and has excellent photography. There is tons of information, everything is covered, projects, tips, explanations...it's just great! You'd think things would get repetitive with these books but each one is just so different in its approach - each one offers something the others don't and that's why I've invested in owning all of them!
As I progressed with my skills and expanded my knowledge and repertoire I picked up a couple more used books which were more specific in nature. Both are from the Rodale's Successful Quilting Library: Sensational Sets & Borders, which helps you decided how to arrange your blocks and add borders, and Choosing Quilting Designs, which helps you figure out what to quilt on your quilt. Very different design choices and each book delves into endless possibilities for each task. There are so many tips in these pages that I can surely answer any question I can think up!
The last four books I bought are very specific: Pathways to Better Quilting (building on 5 basic shapes to create quilt patterns); Freehand Filler Patterns (for free-motion quilting); Hyperquilting (for embellished quilting with decorative threads); and Crazy Shortcut Quilts (for an entirely different way to complete a quilt).
So these are the books I have purchased that work for me. Combined they form a wonderful reference library and cover the full range of topics I need to learn about and practice. I'm excited to expand on what I know already and grow with the craft until it really becomes an expressive art form for me. That is my ultimate goal when I become good enough. Research and projects have always been a very exciting practice to me and I think that's why I go through so many interests (and there have been a few!): I love to learn and continue to learn and once I feel I've achieved what I set out to do...I move on to the next topic! I plan on keeping quilting in my life for a very long time so this is just the beginning!
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