Customer Reviews

The Quilter's Ultimate Visual Guide: From A to Z-Hundreds of Tips and Techniques for Successful Quiltmaking (A Rodale quilt book)

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you have never sewn, or have limited experience at best-grab this book! Quilting books-and I have a huge " beginners" collection-are geared towards those who have at least grasped the basic terminology of sewing and quilting. If you do not understand "stitch in the ditch", "burying the knot", "selvage", or how the determine the "crossgrain"-start reading today! It will save you a lot of time, frustration, and wasted fabric, money, and resources. Quilting should be inspiring, fun, and relaxing-not an exercise in frustration. This book will save you the heartache of a dust gathering project. Remember that all learning involves the basics-the bulding blocks of knowledge-sewing and quilting are not the exception. Do not be discouraged by those who have been sewing for years-everyone has to begin somewhere. Peruse the other selections that Amazon has to offer. Arm yourself with the basics, and you will be confident when you begin your next project! Good LucK!

I bought this book a while ago because it was so well recommended here. As a beginning quilter, I figured I could use all the help I could get. However, the book languished on my side table for quite a while, because I began with the wrong expectations.

Most books for novices are "follow the bouncing ball," showing you how to create a project step-by-step. This one is different; it's more of a visual encyclopedia. So, if you're trying to learn the basics (first you choose the fabric, then you cut it, then you stitch...), start with another book before this one.

But DO pick up the Quilters Ultimate Visual Guide, because it's a truly excellent reference book. At some point, you'll have a "simple" question for which you don't know the answer, and this book seems to have them.

Case in point: I've finished a small wall quilt. (Yay!) I want to hang it up. How the heck do I do that? This book shows me several options, including how to construct a sleeve to hold a dowel, and advice about using a dowel versus a curtain rod.

It's not the first quilt book you should buy. But it's sure to find its way into your collection.

This book is an amazing reference, and a great beginner's book, because it covers EVERYTHING. It is easy to read and understand, and interesting to just flip through as well - the illustrations are lovely and informative, and draw non-quilters and quilter's alike to it.

I also like the fact that it is not just one person's opinion on quilting - instead, each article is written by a different person, so it's almost like you are reading a mini-book written by everyone. The techniques described are simple and easy to understand, and the language is clear. Since it introduces you to a lot of different authors, you can often choose one you like, and follow their technique - find their books and enjoy what they have to offer. And if you don't.. well, there are tons of other articles to read!

this was the second quilting book I ever bought, and I consider it a great investment. The price was also great, and well worth it for all of the information that I received.

I am a beginner quilter but this book was absolutely perfect! I spent hours in bookstores pouring over each reference book available. This is the best one I found. Every page is in full color. This guide has wonderful pictures and step-by-step instructions to help you understand each technique. It teaches you color selection, fabric selection, quilting patterns, applique techniques... You name it, it's in here. My first experience with quilting was not as intimidating as one might think. Because of this book, I am well on my way to finishing my first project and it is BEAUTIFUL!. DO NOT PASS THIS UP!

If I could have only one book on the updated methods of quiltmaking, this would be it. Beautifully illustrated, clear instruction, and best of all, just flip open the book and "Voila"!, it is all in alphabetical order. Who has time these days to read intense dialogue, when what we really want to do is just start quilting!!! This isn't just for beginners. There is enough information to use until you wear this book out. You must have been reading my mind Ms. Pahl. Thank you!

This book has helped me a lot! I am a true beginner, I just learned how to use a sewing machine! There are literally hundreds of COLOR pictures and drawings that explain how to do procedures. I am making a baby quilt right now and I am teaching myself how to do it with the help of this book. All of my questions have been answered so far and I am learning a lot! There are advanced techniques included too, like the many different kinds of applique. I think if you are an experienced quilter you could get a lot from this book too.

Here are some excerpts from my review of this book. You can see the complete review on the Quilter's Review website.

"If you could only buy one quilting book, which one would it be? If you're having trouble answering that question, it's because you haven't seen 'The Quilter's Ultimate Visual Guide' yet. Ellen Pahl compiled information about all areas of quilting to put in this encyclopedia of almost 300 pages.

"This book meets the usual high standards of Rodale Press, with lots of color pictures, charts, tables, tips, and excellent illustrations in full color to show how each step of each technique is done....

"Ellen worked with a different quilter for each section of this collection, clearly the best feature of the book. Ellen picked the foremost authority in each area to author that section....

"...prominent quilters who contributed to this volume include: Carol Doak, Sharon Craig, Robert Horton, Lynette Jensen, Judy Martin, Marsha McCloskey, Debbie Mumm and many, many more. The complete list of authors is a veritable Who's Who of quilting. This volume contains the best of the best and should be on every quilter's bookshelf."

This book is THE BOOK. A MUST HAVE. I have read alot of reviews on quilting books and ended up in time purchasing five books in total. This is one of the last two I purchased. I wish I had known about this book first. It is the only one you need! Other books are good for additional block patterns and such but if you want something to realy help you this is the book. It even goes deep into the actual quilting. Most websites and books focus on the blocks, bindings and appliques. This book focuses on EVERYTHING with awesome pictures to help you understand everything. Just like the title reads it is the Ultimate Guide. BUY IT. You will not be sorry!!

Please, I actually felt DIZZY thumbing through this book! It is not just for quilters, the tips, guides and hints apply to anyone who has an interest in sewing. Example: how to tell if your machine needle has a burr or is even slightly bent.
I do not propose to be an experienced quilter, only one who appreciates so very much the time it took to put this well written and well thought out book together.
I'd like to take a vacation just to read it through without interuption! If this book piques your interest, get it! I can't imagine you being disappointed.

I LOVE this book! Any problem I have come up with, I have found the answer to it in this book. Pictures go with every explanation, and it is explained in plain English so you can understand it. I have even explained a quilting method to my daughter (9 yrs old... a quilter already) using this book as an excellent aid. I highly recommend The Quilter's Ultimate Visual Guide as one of the basic essentials of a quilter's library. It's a wonder I've gotten this far without it!