Top 10 Books for Adventurous Patchwork Quilters

Several Hundred Books on Quilts

I love reading (make that devouring) the contents of my patchwork and quilting books.

I have written some, but I am inspired by reading the work of others, and although I never produce any of the designs in these books, they are how I start on my own designing.

I use the techniques and discussion in the books as a jumping-off point.

Below I have chosen my top ten books that are inspiring me now, or have inspired me quite a bit in the past few years

Are you ready to stretch yourself as a quilter?

Be Inspired to Move Forward

After a couple of years learning my craft and using traditional methods of designing, I decided to get a bit adventurous.

In the early 1990s I began designing my own quilt blocks such as my Troop Carrier in my life story quilt. I was hungry for information, but there was little of the adventurous quiltmaking stuff available.

I have compiled for you my top ten list of current and all-time inspirational and educational patchwork quilting books for you to embark on a quilting adventure of your own.

Enjoy!

1. Thread Magic: The Enchanted World of Ellen Anne Eddy

   by Ellen Anne Eddy

2. Color Play
   

   by Joen Wolfrom

3. Free-Style Quilts: A "No Rules" Approach

   by Susan Carlson

4. Serendipity Quilts: Cutting Loose Fabric Collage

   by Susan Carlson

5. Six Color World

   by Yvonne Porcella

6. Machine Quilting with Decorative Threads

   by Maurine Noble and Elizabeth Hendricks

7. Artistic Photo Quilts: Create Stunning Quilts with Your Camera, Computer & Cloth

   by Charlotte Ziebarth

8. Altered Photo Artistry: Turn Everyday Images into Works of Art on Fabric

   by Beth Wheeler

9. Next Steps in Altered Photo Artistry: New Ways

   to Transform Images for Fabric & Quilt Art

   by Beth Wheeler

10. Photo-Inspired Art Quilts: From Composition to Finished Piece

    by Leni Levenson Wiener, Nancy Zieman

One of my first 'adventurous' books was one by Ellen Anne Eddy — Thread Magic. I bought it because the sewing machine I had at that time was not co-operating in my need for adventure. Little did I know what lay inside those pages.

There is even a description of the 'perfect' sewing machine! (None exists according to Ellen Anne.)

I have read and re-read this book countless times!

There is great information on threads, tension, and of course insight into how Ellen Anne makes her enchanting quilts.

I own several of Joen's books, and have read some so many times, they are dog-eared.

Her writing is clear and she relates theoretical stuff to everyday ideas, making the content of her books easy to follow and absorb.

Joen's approach to teaching you is so easy to follow and is full of inspirational pictures.

2. My Current Favourite: Color Play

I have the first edition and at first glance found it overwhelming, it was so packed with information. Colour schemes explained and shown with real fabric swatch photos, not paint chip swatches.

The second edition is now available and I know you will love it, too.

by Susan Carlson

This is the book which really put me on the magic carpet.

Susan Carlson writes about her adventures in quilting what she calls Free Style Quilts. I made my first one, Daintree Dalliance (pictured below), using her techniques in the late 1990s, and am still enjoying what I learned.

You can see the story of another quilt, Rosellas In My Garden, which was influenced by the technique suggestions in this book, in the link following the book information.

I suppose you could call this a mentor book for me. I love the concepts, the photographs, the quilts.

You will too.

Cutting Loose Fabric Collage

by Susan Carlson

Susan will encourage you to try using your scrap fabrics to make stunning fabric collages.

There is freedom in creating quilts with no rules and no measurements.

You can 'cut loose'!

Susan Carlson is an award-winning artist who believes creating with your instincts will produce gorgeous results every time.

Yvonne Porcella Invites You Into Her Six Colour World

Inspiration is the right word for this colourful book.

It is packed full of colour advice, colour inspirational tips, and making your own colourful fabric simply and easily.

This is not the first book of Yvonne's that I bought, nor will it be the last.

I love her bright colours, her enthusiasm and great energy.

There are many fun exercises which my daughter, my grand-daughter and I spent a day playing with in my studio.

The picture at right shows the results of our play.

Boy we had great fun!

Once I started getting adventurous with my quilt designs, I needed to make the stitching and quilting more adventurous.

This book was where I went next for help and inspiration.

I have two of Maureen Noble's machine quilting books. This one shows the ins and outs of quilting with decorative threads.

So much clear information, with lots of practical advice and exercise for you to work on the techniques for your quiltmaking adventure.

Create Stunning Quilts with Your Camera, Computer & Cloth

by Charlotte Ziebarth

See what magical quilts you can produce by printing photos onto fabric and using repetition to make stunning landscape quilts, like Somerset Buttresses (detail photograph below).

Love this one too!

Turn Everyday Images into Works of Art on Fabric

by Beth Wheeler

Beth tells you how to get photos from camera to computer to quilt.

Informative and enjoyable, but could have a bit more depth in the computer side of instructions for the not-so-computer-savvy reader.

Another Fabulous Beth Wheeler Book

All you ever needed to know about using Adobe Photoshop Elements ® in detail featured in this book.

Take a walk through exercise after exercise in editing photos and enhancing them for printing on fabric from your computer.

I bought this one and am still reading it over and over. The pictures are excellent, too.

From Composition to Finished Piece

by Leni Levenson Wiener

There is a DVD included in this book so you can see and hear the artist speaking about her quilts and techniques.

Leni will amaze you with her photo inspired quilts.

One of My Photo Inspired Quilts

Below you see a picture of Fan Palms, inspired by my late husband's photo of the fan palms at Cape York Peninsular, Queensland, Australia.

by Velda Newman

When you want your quilts to be truly art quilts, then read this one. A truly inspiring book.

Review

From Library Journal

Newman is an award-winning artist who uses hand-dyed fabrics, thread, bleach, ink, and paint to create larger-than-life applique art quilts. One of her most striking pieces is an 82" by 98" depiction of a clump of geraniums seen by the viewer at eye level. Although Newman includes an instructional design that the reader may use to learn bleaching and fabric-painting techniques, she has not produced a project book. Instead, she writes of her design philosophy, the steps she goes through to plan an art quilt, how she chooses color and manipulates fabrics, and how she completes the final quilt assembly. A worthwhile choice for larger subject collections.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Adding Dimension to Your Quilts

Follow along and learn with Velda as she shows you how she makes her larger than life applique quilts.

Lessons in how to achieve depth and 'roundness' with stitchery to enhance the realism in your quilts.

A great book.