Top 5 Quilt Books

Today’s prompt–top 5 books.  Another tough decision. Be sure to visit my fellow Bloggers!

Here are my current top 5 quilt books and two more as a bonus.  Check your local quilt shop, library or local bookstore to see if they carry these or can order them for you.

 

The Quilts of Gee’s Bend– Inspiration

The Gee’s Bend Quilters have inspired quilters all over the world to be free, improvise and make do. They also showed the world that artistic genius can be found in all groups and cultures, in spite of economic circumstances.   This is a beautiful book available in many libraries.  To find out what the Quilters are doing today, visit the Foundation.

 

Modern Quilting Design Principles

Rachel May published her book in 2014.  Here’s a synopsis:

Modern quilting allows artists the freedom to expand on traditions and use fabrics, patterns, colors, and stitching innovatively to create exciting fresh designs. In Quilting with a Modern Slant, Rachel May introduces you to more than 70 modern quilters who have developed their own styles, methods, and aesthetics. Their ideas, quilts, tips, tutorials, and techniques will inspire you to try something new and follow your own creativity — wherever it leads.

 

Art of the Map Quilt –Techniques and Tools

Valerie S. Goodwin is the preeminent quilter who has explored tools and techniques for using maps as inspiration.  We can see her influence in many modern quilts today.  From her site:

Valerie S. Goodwin is a mixed media fiber artist and architect whose works of fine art are included in museum and private collections. Most of her work is inspired by a love of aerial views of landscapes and cities. Many of her quilts are based on maps. Goodwin’s art has moved through various stages from traditional quilting to an interest in abstract expressionism and, currently it is inspired by real and imaginary landscapes and cities. In some cases, her work shows an architectural sense of space with an archaeological perspective.  In others, the network of the city and its built form is more prominent.  These compositions work on several levels, from close up and far away as if one was looking at it from above.

 

 

An Essential Guide to Modern Quilt Making

From Color to Quilting: 10 Workshops by Your Favorite Teachers
10 of the best known and most respected teachers in modern quilt making, many best-selling authors in their own right, share one of their most popular workshops with you in this book. Each class is designed to help you improve your own composition and design choices, whether you create your own patterns or want to follow one of the 16 patterns included. From improvisation to alternate gridwork, working with solids to paper piecing, this book is jam packed with helpful techniques, advice, and guidance. The final workshop is an inspirational gallery of 50 modern quilts that exemplify the tone, color, and style found in modern quilt making today. This is the definitive, must-have collection of modern workshops for every quilter.

And a Basic Guide to Quilt Math and Easy Block Making!

I keep this book handy all the time!  It has techniques for making half square triangles 2 or more at a time!  That alone makes it a must have reference.  But, it also has tips and measurements for estimating the amount of fabric needed for quilt backs, strips and more.  It’s easy to use and practical.  Get this one today!

How big is a twin-size quilt? How many squares can you cut from the amount of fabric you have? What’s the best way to sew a mitered border? The Quilter’s Reference Tool gives you fast answers to these and dozens of other quilting questions. Now this indispensable guide from top quilters Alex Anderson, Harriet Hargrave, Sharyn Craig, and LizAneloski has been updated to include more answers, more techniques, more quilt settings, and more blocks than ever before.

 

Number 6 & 7: Written by Me!

I couldn’t let this list end without a little shout out for my modern quilt books. You can buy them on Amazon. Local shops can contact me if you want a wholesale order.

 

 

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