This is the first quilting book I ever purchased. Any guesses as to what it is?
Like many other people, my first quilting book was The It’s Okay If You Sit On My Quilt Book by the inimitable Mary Ellen Hopkins.
When I heard of her recent passing I thought back to the elation I felt at being able to actually make a quilt and realized that much of my excitement was due to the enthusiasm and charisma of Mary Ellen. She taught us that simple blocks, “kindergarten blocks” as she called them, could make beautiful quilts and ANYBODY could make simple blocks. She embraced the idea that quilts were to be loved to death and then be replaced by another quilt. That was all the encouragement I needed so I started making quilts, lots of quilts. Now, 25 years and nearly a thousand quilts later, my passion is greater than ever.
Looking through this binder was a fun trip down memory lane. Along with the book, there are class handouts from my first quilting classes with another quilting icon, Jackie Robinson. Other fun things in there are fabric swatches from my early quilts, ideas I jotted down for future quilts, practice drawings for machine quilting and more. You gotta love the country blue and dusty pink palette!!
After all these years of quilting, I still find inspiration in books. I love to sit down with a new quilting book and dream about my next quilt and then the next one and the next one and….
Recently my focus has been on donation quilts. Kim Brackett’s Scrap-Basket series has been perfect for stashbusting while making some lovely quilts for charity. The piecing is not difficult and there is a variety of techniques so I don’t get bored. So far I’ve made almost all of the quilts from Scrap-Basket Surprises and will probably work through both Scrap-Basket Sensations and Scrap-Basket Beauties. All three are great books.
So what quilting books are your favorites? Do you tend to buy project books or technique books? Or are you like me and buy them all?
Be sure to stop by Moda's Cutting Table Blog to check out other favorite quilt books. You can sign up there to win one of six new quilting books!!
With so many great quilting books available I hope you can find your inspiration in one.
If I had the money (and space), I'd buy every quilt book published (my husband would probably tell you I'm already doing that). My favorite is Jinny Beyer's The Quilters Album of Patchwork Patterns - a great resource book. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you that I wish I had that It's okay book when I first started quilting. It sounds wonderful. I don't really have a favorite book as I like them all! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI think I tend to buy project books!
ReplyDeleteI never owned the Hopkins book. Your story behind your copy is great!
ReplyDeleteI tend to buy project books, but i do like them all!
Would love to to have Mary Ellen Hopkins book on my shelf, thanks for sharing what book has help you get started.
ReplyDeleteRight now I am into Pam and Nicky Lintott's books using pre-cuts.
ReplyDeleteI have the Scrap Bag Sensations book and have not made anything from it. Glad to hear you think it's a fabulous book, too. I have many, many quilting books and now I have a list of books (new and old) that I would like to add to my library. Thanks for participating and sharing your inspirations.
ReplyDeleteI love the Art to Heart Books....I think I have them all. I have actually made alot of the projects from each of them. I love to machine applique alot and their patterns are really sweet and seasonal which is always nice.
ReplyDeleteI also have a collection of Kim Diehls books........I love each and every one of them as well. I love to just page through them and dream of the quilts I want to create with her patterns. The 3rd. quilter I love is Edyta S......I can't remember how to spell her last name but she is amazing. I have made a few of hers as well. I am anxious to start our new book series. MPea