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Are you trying your hand at quilting for the first time? Are you a beginner quilter eager to start making hundreds of beautiful designs for your friends and family?
If so, you are probably terrified and confused about how to begin.
Taking up a new craft is always accompanied by fear and confusion. You must have a hundred questions burning in your mind. Which tools to use? What kind of fabrics should I start with? Should I start quilting blocks or purchase them?
You might have a myriad of other questions and concerns as well. The best way to learn any new craft is to read about it.
MOST EDUCATIONAL AND FUN QUILTING BOOKS FOR BEGINNERS
In this article, we’ll give you a list of some of the most educational and fun quilting books for beginners. By the time you’re done applying all the tips and tricks mentioned in these books, you’ll be a pro quilter!
5 Best Quilting Books for Beginners Reviews
1. Beginner’s Guide to Quilting: 16 Projects to Learn to Quilt, by Elizabeth Betts
Beginner’s Guide to Quilting by Elizabeth Betts is a cornerstone book for beginner quilters. This book takes you through all the most important techniques and methods involved in quilter via a series of projects. There are a total of 16 projects in this book. Each of these projects will teach you a new and valuable set of skills. Over the course of this book, you will learn how to design cushions, table mats, bags, quilts, and so much more. The author, Elizabeth Betts, is a member of the Quilter’s Guild so you know her word is golden!
2. Teach Me to Make My First Quilt: A How-to Book for All You Need to Know, by Pat Sloan
Once you finish the previously mentioned book, you would have learned all the basic concepts of quilting. The next stage in your education can be reading this seminal book by Pat Sloan. Teach Me to Make My First Quilt takes the reader/quilter through every single step in the making of a quilt from scratch. The author’s instructions are extremely simple and clear, and they are accompanied by over 140 photographs. Even the most inexperienced beginner will be able to create 9 classic blocks and quilts by the end of this book.
3. The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker, by Elizabeth Hartman
The Practical Guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman takes beginner quilters through all the techniques of cutting, piecing, machine quilting, binding, and finishing necessary to make quilts. It comes with 12 unique projects that increase in complexity as they go along. As such, you’ll start as a beginner but advance into an intermediate quilter by the time you’re done with all these projects. The instructions are simple and concise, and the process is largely carried through photographs and graphics. As such, it’s perfect for beginners.
4. Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting: 50+ Visual Tutorials to Get You Started, by Natalia Bonner
Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting by Natalia Bonner is a book that focuses solely on free-motion machine quilting. If you have gone through some of the other quilting books mentioned in this list, this would be the natural next step in your progression. This book shows you how to use machines and guides you through thread selection, batting, basting, and layering. There are 6 geometric quilting projects and 50 designs in total, and they take you through all the techniques you need for quilting. The author, Natalia Bonner, has won several quilting awards and has been featured in the Quiltmaker magazine.
5. Teach Me to Applique: Fusible Applique That’s Soft and Simple, by Pat Sloan
As the name suggests, Teach Me to Applique by Pat Sloan is all about the art of appliqué. This is a far more focused and specific book than any of the others. However, if you want to learn how to create an appliqué project, it’s perfect for you. Pat Sloan is one of the most reputable names in the world of quilting with an immensely popular online radio show following. In this book, she shows beginners how to make everything from tapestries and banners to complete quilts.
What Should I Look for in Quilting Books for Beginners?
When you’re looking for a quilting book for beginners, you should take the following factors into consideration.
Glossary
Since you are a beginner, it is possible that you won’t be familiar with all the quilting jargon. You might come across several words or concepts that you can’t understand. As such, you should get a book that either explains all those concepts in text or in a glossary of terms at the back. This will help you follow the instructions and guides without getting lost in jargon.
Simplicity
This point leads from the previous point. Since you are a beginner, you won’t be able to follow books that are heavy on jargon. As such, look for a book that’s written in a simple style that you can follow without having to Google complicated terms and concepts.
Pictures
The availability of pictures is a must! The more the better! The bigger the better! Reading the instructions won’t be enough, you’ll need a visual representation of what you’re reading. This will help you make sure that you are on the right path.
Authority
Believe it or not, there are books on the market that have been written by people who have never quilted in their lives! As such, when you research books, briefly research the author as well. Make sure that the author is a skilled quilter before heeding their advice.
Projects
Quilting is a craft. It is driven by action. As such, you will not benefit from reading a purely theoretical book. You should get a book that’s full of practical tests and projects. Even if the book is dealing with theoretical chapters, they must be accompanied with challenges and projects. This will help you test out what you’re learning and gauge your progress.
Wrapping Up!
I hope this article has helped you get started with quilting. Once you go through these books, we’re confident that you’ll become a champion quilter. So go forth and give free rein to your creativity!
Your next read…
Best Quilting Books for Experienced Quilters Who Want to Go to The Next Level
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