Me too Annie! Quilters Complete Guide, by Fons and Porter was the first quilting book I purchased, and I have gone back to it many, many times. I only wish I had bought the spiral bound one, but I didn't know it was available in spiral. Mine has had much use, and is starting to show it.

Successful Quilting by Linda Seward Published by Rodale Press.

I use it when I have a question. Last time was when I needed help with Prairie Points.

Vicky

Vicky, does that book have a pinkish cover? I think I have that one and used it for prairie points, too!

Kathy - if your book is soft cover you can take it to Kinko's and they'll spiral bind it for just a few dollars. They may be able to do hard cover books, too.

I have the Ultimate Quilters Guide. It has lots of information and is nice b/c it's alphabetical so you can go right to what you need.

My two favorites are also the Fons and Porter book and the Ultimate Quilter's Guide.

Teresa

Quiltmaking tips and techniques by Rodale is the one that I have. I can't say that I use it often. I usually go to one of my magazines when I have a problem. Jayne

To be honest, when I made my first quilt I wasn't going to blow all that money on a quilting book if I found out I wasn't good at it/didn't have the patience/didn't enjoy it. So, I never did get the basic books. I did find all sorts of great help on the web, got pointers from my DD who was a quilter, lurked here for awhile, and then checked out all those wonderful books at the library. With three bed quilts under my belt now and a few UFOs I finally feel ready to invest in a couple good basic books. I'll check out the ones you gals have already suggested. Thanks!

Most of my books are quilt histories (Old Patchwork Quilts by Ruth E. Finley) and contemporary or art quilt collections. I don't have any really basic How to types. I have a few specialized books--my favorite is The Second Quiltmaker's Handbook: Creative approaches to comtempory quilt design by Michael James. However, it is mostly about piecing and I prefer applique.

Calliope--When I began quilting, we didn't have the internet, so I learned watching Eleanor Burns and Georgia Bonesteel on PBS. Imagine my delight when rotary cutters were invented! Anyway, books were the only way we could have access to information at any time we needed it. Could you post some of the sites that you've found particularly helpful?

Annie

Could the book be called "Ultimate Quilters Visual Guide"? I can't find that title Ultimate Quilters Guide, but I found the "Quilters Complete Guide" at the library and placed it on hold for pick up at my library. ebay is a great place to buy used books at old prices. I know sewing books really get expensive. If I think I will refer back to the book, then I buy on ebay.

Amazon's a good place for books, too. I love book shopping!

Annie

Thank you msmeow! I had no idea that I could get a soft cover book spiral bound. That is great information! Mine is soft cover, not hard cover.

Yes, bug girl, I believe it is called the Quilters' Ultimate Visual Guide and it is formatted alphabetically by subject. Got good reviews on Amazon also.

Here is a link that might be useful: available on Amazon

Every time I sew on a binding or a sleeve, I refer to "Happy Endings" by Mimi Dietrich. It is Patchwork Place's all-time bestseller. Get the 2003 Revised Edition.

"Ultimate Quilters Visual Guide"

That's the one I have that was most helpful to me when I was new. Of course I got that AFTER I made a couple quilts and realized how much the authors of the more "general" books ASSUMED you already knew!

On of my (many) favorite rants along this topic is how when you are sewing triangular pieces together or to square pieces you need to know how to line them up properly. WHO KNEW? Certainly not me when I made my first Mexican Star quilt and the book just said "Sew these two pieces together."

It's not necessarily a beginner's book, but in Alex Anderson's book "Simply Stars" she does a great job of showing all different kinds of triangles and how you line them up when attaching them to other triangles and/or squares. I think the aforementioned visual guide covers this too.

I'm with bug_girl and teresa_nc7, I love my Quilters Ultimate Visual Guide, and by looking through it, I got interested enough in English Paper Piecing to take a class on it. I love it! It's so easy and relaxing to do in the evening. I also have borrowed the Quilters Complete Guide by Fons and Porter from the library enough times that I should just buy one already! I love looking through quilting books... the only problem I have is that I want to make ALL the quilts I see!