Inspirational Reading
Sometime earlier in the week, when I was up to my elbows in printer innards, it was a welcome distraction to receive a phone call from a librarian at Woy Woy library asking if I would be willing to give a "quilt and book" seminar in August. Apparently my talk at Kincumber branch in March was pronounced a great success in regional library circles and I am delighted to be asked back. (10.30am, 10 August 2006, Woy Woy Library - all welcome!)
I've never begrudged spending money on books and quilting books are no exception. I have amassed a modest library of my own and here is a peek of some of my favourites...
When I first started quilting, I did not attend any classes but taught myself from books. Spectacular Scraps and Successful Scrap Quilts were among my first acquisitions. Straight-forward, no-nonsense Aussie directions; simple repetition of shapes; wonderful colour photos. You can see the influence in my first quilts, Tropical Spectrum and Autumn Prelude:
The Ultimate Quilting Book by Maggi McCormick Gordon contains a bunch of quilting tips but I love it for the showcase of historical quilts from a range of sources. The antique quilt on page 46 inspired me to make Vintage:
I picked up Free Expression: the art and confessions of a contemporary quilter by Robbi Joy Ecklow at the Quilting Arts stand at the Sydney Quilt Show in 2005. There is much to like about this book but my favourite part is the commentary on free motion quilting and the endorsement that it is actually OK to grip your quilt with your fists. Until I read this affirmation, I was reluctant to demonstrate free motion quilting to others. Now I have no such inhibitions.
The Quilts of Gee's Bend are testament to the creativity and dignity of their makers. How wonderful that quilts so old can look so modern.
I can't wait to get to America next month to see Nancy Crow's new book. Maybe I'll be able to purchase a copy signed by Nancy herself:
I've never begrudged spending money on books and quilting books are no exception. I have amassed a modest library of my own and here is a peek of some of my favourites...
When I first started quilting, I did not attend any classes but taught myself from books. Spectacular Scraps and Successful Scrap Quilts were among my first acquisitions. Straight-forward, no-nonsense Aussie directions; simple repetition of shapes; wonderful colour photos. You can see the influence in my first quilts, Tropical Spectrum and Autumn Prelude:
The Ultimate Quilting Book by Maggi McCormick Gordon contains a bunch of quilting tips but I love it for the showcase of historical quilts from a range of sources. The antique quilt on page 46 inspired me to make Vintage:
I picked up Free Expression: the art and confessions of a contemporary quilter by Robbi Joy Ecklow at the Quilting Arts stand at the Sydney Quilt Show in 2005. There is much to like about this book but my favourite part is the commentary on free motion quilting and the endorsement that it is actually OK to grip your quilt with your fists. Until I read this affirmation, I was reluctant to demonstrate free motion quilting to others. Now I have no such inhibitions.
The Quilts of Gee's Bend are testament to the creativity and dignity of their makers. How wonderful that quilts so old can look so modern.
I can't wait to get to America next month to see Nancy Crow's new book. Maybe I'll be able to purchase a copy signed by Nancy herself:
posted by Brenda at 7:52 am
3 Comments:
It's always interesting to see what inspires another quilter, especially one from a different country. Thanks for sharing that. Congratulations on getting your quilt in the magazine, and on the cover. What a thrill! I'll look for that at our local quilt shops. I know some of them carry the Ozzie magazines.
I like seeing what inspires others too. I don't have any of those books. :( but I do grip my quilt with my fists when I quilt. :)
I've only been quilting since January and am busy building up a library of quilt books so this is a real help as I love the vibrancy of your quilts so I'm fascinated to see where the skills and inspiration come from.
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