Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Quilting

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I love this book! I tried to make a quilt a year ago following directions in a magazine and it was a disaster. Of course, they expect you to know how to quilt, so there were no instructions. I was so frustrated when my quilt failed miserably. Then I got this book and I have read it cover to cover about 4 times (just because it is so fun to read!) The author is sooooo informative and really teaches you as if you have no experience. There are so many tricks in here that I would never have thought of, but after you try them it's like, of course! That makes so much sense! She tells you how to pick colors, how to launder the fabrics and finished quilt, what tools you need, and there are lots of basic and advanced blocks to choose from (with full size patterns). I am so happy with my results now and want to make sooo many quilts! The book is also so beautiful to look at... the color pics and the drawings are so accurate. This is the ONLY book you need to learn to quilt! I'd give it 10 stars if I could!

I always loved quilts, but never thought I could learn to do it. After only two days with this book, I have completed my first block -- and it looks really good!

This book is excellent in that it tells you how to buy tools and fabrics, and explains what is truly essential vs. what is just a "neat gizmo." It explains the color wheel and a foolproof method of picking a whole color scheme for your quilt. At the end of every chapter, the author sums up the very basic things you should know -- a sort of "cheat sheet," if you will.

It also has tons of great tips that you would never think of asking about. I love the "Don't get stuck" items! Reading this book is like having an experienced quilter in your living room showing you how to do it step-by-step. Great book!

I really had next to no sewing experience and recently developed a desire to make a quilt for my son. I got my start from some old time mountain quilting women. They got me started, but they really did not have technical expertise. I decided to buy this book and it has given me so much usable information. It takes you from the humblest beginnings of color and fabric selections, patterns, etc. to template cutting, amount of material to buy and finally to finished quilt. An excellent choice.

This book is very helpful. From the history of quilts to how to put a quilt together, this book is truly helpful for people like me. It takes you through every step of the quilting process and even gives you all kinds of helpful tips along the way. If you know nothing about quilting and want to learn...this is the book to get

If you machine piece and machine quilt I do not recommend this book. The author is so biased toward hand quilting and feels machine quilting is so much more difficult that she gives very little instruction, information or advice in this area. If you plan to only do hand sewing and hand piecing it is informative. There is very little information on strip piecing or rotary cutting, rather it mostly contains information on making templates. I found it unhelpful as I primarily do machine sewing and machine quilting of my quilts.

I agree with the previous reviewer. Buy this book and either Alex's or "Your First Quilt Book (Or So It Should Be)." The two compliment each other well. Prior to starting this journey, I could barely reattach a shirt button (heck, I still don't know how to use a sewing machine ~ that's next). Thanks to the above mentioned books, I completed a beautiful lap quilt for my mother in 6 weeks, BY HAND!!! (Mind you, if you don't have children and have your evenings free, you'll be able to finish even sooner. :oD) My mom couldn't believe it and kept turning the quilt over and over, looking for a label. :o)

Anyway, the book is straight forward and even a bit funny, which helps. Once you get bit by the quilting bug, I suggest Keepsake Quilting's website and catalog. You'll go CRAZY!! :oD

As a skilled beginner (5 completed quilts), I wanted a good book on the fundamentals of quilting so that I could refer to it when I got stuck on a current project or pattern. Although this book has good information on fabric selection, I did not find it to be a good, complete beginners book. One of the most popular methods of quiltmaking is rotary cutting your pieces...not using many small, time-consuming templates. This book only gives instructions for using templates. Also, this book emphasizes hand-piecing (with some info on machine piecing) and hand-quilting (with very limited info on machine quilting). Although I admire those who sew quilts entirely by hand, these are not simple, easy, fast methods for a beginner. I will be looking for another reference book to use- one with lots of different methods explained, lots of color photos (few in this book), and lots of examples of finished patterns and quilts.

Being a first-time quilter with a lot ambition, I bought this book to help me along. Great book for novices. I recommend you buy this one and "Hand Quilting With Alex Anderson: Six Projects for Hand Quilters". The Idiots Guide tells you everything you need to know before, during, and after. Hand Quilting tells you exactly what you need and how to cut the fabric for individual projects. The step-by-step individual instructions helped me make sense of what The idiot's Guide was saying. They complement each other perfectly and make that first scary quilt much easier to understand.

After reading "Quilting For Dummies", I was certain I'd have to search for a "Quilting for Complete Morons" book or give up. I ordered "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Quilting" with high hopes and I'm thankful I did. Just like the "Dummies" books they are easy to read and are somewhat comical, but the "Idiot's Guide" is wonderful because it assumes the reader knows nothing (that was me!) and leaves no questions unanswered for the beginner. Don't get me wrong--the "Dummies" book is a good one but I didn't feel comforable starting a quilt when I finished reading it. There were too many things left out. After having the "Idiot's Guide" only a few days, my mind was at ease. I'm ready to start quilting!

I thought this book was wonderful. I bought it about 8 months ago and have already made two beautiful quilts for my daughters. I like that it uses hand stiching, as I am not too familiar with a sewing machine and am less comfortable using it.