Shopping for a quilting book?

Oh good. I get to talk to myself here for a few minutes. In case 'penurious' is not a word you toss about frequently, it is a very uppity way to politely say 'cheap'. FWIW Polly

My thoughts are, quilting books are awfully expensive. The last one I bought, I paid $27 for it. But then again, individual patterns are sometimes $10-$12 so buying a book with several patterns is the better buy, I suppose. I've been making "block" type quilts lately, and don't need whole patterns for them, I usually just download free block patterns. Thank you for the link! It sounds interesting. Gonna check that out.

Sherry

My thoughts are, quilting books are awfully expensive. The last one I bought, I paid $27 for it. But then again, individual patterns are sometimes $10-$12 so buying a book with several patterns is the better buy, I suppose. I've been making "block" type quilts lately, and don't need whole patterns for them, I usually just download free block patterns. Thank you for the link! It sounds interesting. Gonna check that out.

Sherry ~~~~~~~~~~~ Can you recommend a good site for downloading patterns?

Thank you

I am glad you gave us ( well me anyway ) the definition of 'penurious' as it is a word that I have never heard of.

Back to the question.

I too am a tightwad, (black-belt at that) and all of my book have come from ebay. I am willing to wait, and very often manage to get them for half new price including postage. So far I have mainly purcahsed 'basic' type books ( as opposed to advanced) that have been recommended to learner quilters by those on RCTQ.

There are a couple of books that I would loooove to have but I can't afford to spend the $50+ required. I also subscribe to Australian Patchwork and Quilting.

Dee in Oz

Since quilting books in Oz are often $50-60 most people don't collect masses of them. About six years ago I offered to teach ONE beginner class and the FOUR classes that started then are still running pretty much unchanged. What I ask for classes is minimal, but all the money goes to buying every gadget and interesting book/pattern I can find. The "girls" who sew from my place are happy to keep coming and using the communal resource.

So basically I am in the happy position of pretty much buying things that interest me or that I think will interest others here. It's fun - esp now that I am limited in the amount of sewing I can do myself. I still get to see and try all the new ideas, methods and gadgets.

Basically I see my buying in two categories - patterns are not new but the use of colour/fabric/etc is so innovative/clever it is worth having for inspiration; and new techniques/tools, where I am more interested in clear instructions or reviews that say there are good illustrations.

Of course all this collecting has led to the oft discussed issue of who gets the books and the enormous stash when I finally fall off my perch rofl!

I go into Half Price Books at least once a month and see what they have, I've bought some fairly recent books they must have got in bulk, mostly they cost 5.99-7.99. I've also bought several second hand books, a lot author signed, from 3.99 upwards.

I've bought some in JoAnns either with a coupon, or when they are on sale. Very occasionally I buy full price at a LQS or order online. I've also picked up a couple at our local mini chain when they have a sale (a few days a year they have a blanket 25% off everything in store).

I'll definitely be looking at that site you suggested, Polly.

I'm a big reader of quilt books, many I have bought after searching for ages online for help on a particular technique. I use them an awful lot, I don't think there are any I've only looked at once. Even if I don't make a quilt out of them, I'll get inspiration from them, or use a technique or block.

Anne

Before the big storm here, I'd frequent several fabric stores through the week and got to know the sales people and managers. They would let me know when they were "dumping" books and magazines that didn't sell. They had to remove the back cover to get credit for a return, but threw the actual books in the trash. I'd cart a big bag of "trash" to my van. When my quilting group met on Wednesdays I would take the trash to the group. They could keep any books or magazines they wanted, then what was not wanted went into a recycle bin.

We've made several quilts from this "trash" and sell them at the Street Fair. The monies made go for extras at the senior center. One shops trash is a senior center's treasure and has our treasury grown.

Kate T. South Mississippi

Interesting question Polly. I'm glad you asked that. Hmmmm well okay I 'fess up. I'm a book -a- holic as well as a fabric one. I LOVE quilting books. Rarely read any other type of book... how sad is that... Living miles away from a book shop that would sell quilting books (though now a quilting friend of mine who has a business and sells me nearly at cost price, since we're buddies) (I'm not making much sense this morning but hope you get the gist) I like to pop into the book stores when Inverness for the day but more often than not only find one or two quilting books on their shelves....sooooo To cut a long and muddled story short, I usually find the books I'm interested in (having seen write ups in magazines) on Amazon. Sometimes they don't have the books themselves but have links to individuals that do. I've had many a bargain this way. Including from the place you mention below Polly (via Amazon) Incidently, I often shop at the US Amazon to get gifts for my friend in Iowa. Being as the exchange rate at the moment works in my favour (not the otherway round though). I've also had one or two bargains from on-line quilt stores.

My recent acquisition from an on-line US bookstore is the book "Nearly Insane" by Liz Lois - A book with small intricate blocks..... one to start one day maybe when I've caught up on several more ufos. I love samplers and small. I don't often buy books from the US directly since the postage is usually high but this I HAD to have and the postage wasn't that bad in the end. Though I bought some Debbie Mumm 'bargain' books from her online store once. The books were a bargain but the postage was horrendous. Still in the end all things considered they were still a bargain.

Penurious? Me? only when it's an option... hee hee...

I'm all talked out now so better go get dressed. Elly

Polly Esther" wrote:

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You Scotch!! That is too funny!!! And a good attitude too.

Thanks for sharing a bit of your attitude. :-)

Marsha in nw, Ohio

I shop for 2 ways: the expensive way and the less expensive way.

(My whole life growing up in Miami and going to school in New Orleans, the words "cheap" and "inexpensive" were synonyms. "Cheap" was a more informal way of saying "inexpensive", but they meant the same thing. Up here in New England, I've been caught a few time using the wrong word. Here, there's a different nuance in meaning. "Cheap" is a negative word for merchandise that's poorly made, doesn't cost much but isn't worth it in the long run. "Inexpensive" is a positive word for good merchandise that's being sold at a low price. It's the same with "tightwad," and "penurious." Thrift is such a value, such a positive thing, that you need a different word for people who are stupidly thrifty, thrifty to the point of cheapness or un-generousity.)

But now to answer your question--

The expensive way I buy books is through ads in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, other magazines, and American Quilters Society. They advertise new books that are being sold at full price. I also browse for them at stores. On occasion, there will be something out that I'm especially interested in reading right away. If that's the case, I go to the store and buy it.

The other way is the by-chance, serendipitous method. I get the E.R.Hamilton catalogue, look through, note the quilt books for $4.95, read the blurbs and buy a few. I do end up with books that way that don't turn out to be keepers, but I also end up with books that I love, use again and again, and never would have found any other way.

Now about these newer techniques that you're interested in. Could you be more specific? Are you thinking of:

-rotary cutting different shapes,

-machine quilting,

-using your sewing machine to full advantage including decorative stitches, zig-zag,

-machine trapunto,

-using sheers, satins, silks, and other non-cotton fabrics,

-couching,

-silk ribbon embroidery,

-fusibles for applique,

-paper piecing,

-watercolor,

-realism as in portraits or landscapes?

Those are off the top of my head. I hope others will add to the list. I ask because it makes sense to get recommendations for the right book for the technique you're interested in. It's frustrating to get a book with pretty pictures but instructions that aren't clear, or something that requires a fancy machine that you don't have. If you buy the wrong book, no matter how little you paid for it, it's a waste of money if it turns out to be the wrong book for you.

--Lia

Yes, yes, yes, yes ... I do all those things. Plus, I ask friends. In my bees, we often bring our new or recent purchases, so that is another way to decide if I 'need' a certain title. I read the book reviews and comments here in RCTQ Land. I ALWAYS check the shelves at my County Library, as well as the Guild Library bins for any new book. I check it out first chance I get. If I find I've borrowed a book three or more times, I go ahead and buy my own copy. PAT in VA/USA

Polly, I have given up on quilt books. There are so many great patterns online for free that I would rather spend the money on fabric. Quilters Cache has hundreds if not a thousand of patterns in all sizes and types. The directions are easy to follow.

All of the "below". Both DH and I have a love of books. I have a lot of quilting/sewing books. Just bought 5 more this past weekend. (The booth I was working at the Craft/sewing festival is known as "the book place".) Both DH and I are trying to cut back on buying stuff, so these are all books I have been considering for quite a while. I also looked at, and put back several other books. I really like to be able to look at a real book before I get it. Although I may look, then order on line if I find a good deal on one. I have bought quilting books at "regular" chain bookstores, often at any of the LQSs, and sometimes on line. Depends on where I find what I want.

Pati, > Please share with us how you go about shopping for a quilting book. Do you

Well golly, Lia. Thank you for helping narrow what would be interesting for a quilter's book buying. I already have or have no interest in many you listed. - rotary cutting different shapes,

-machine trapunto,

-using sheers, satins, silks, and other non-cotton fabrics,

-couching,

-silk ribbon embroidery,

- fusibles for appliqué and certainly unlikely is

-realism as in portraits or landscapes. Most of my quilt making is for the children's shelter and the preemie units. Each quilt needs to be special but I take care that all are sturdy. An excellent answer. Thank you. Polly

"Julia Altshuler" But now to answer your question--

I figure another book is completely non-essential, and therefore an impulse purchase. A special treat. The only book I have recently purchased in a premeditated way was Pat's. Otherwise, I truly have enough books. Rather spend my money on fabric! Roberta in D

"Polly Esther" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

I don't buy many books any more, but seldom buy anything without having seen it hands on or have heard positive reviews of it. I have several books that I borrowed first, either from the guild library or the local public library, before buying. When I do buy, it's often from a local store, though I also buy from amazon.

Julia in MN

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Polly Esther wrote:

In that case, you need block books. I like _The Quilter's Album of Blocks & Borders_ and thought it was worth buying at full price. I see that the copyright on mine is 1986. I'll bet you can find it used on Amazon. (I just checked. You can.) I also like Doreen Speckman for designing blocks.

Sturdy and special might mean machine quilting. Try Harriet Hargrave or Maurine Noble.

I'm guessing you also might like something with cool applique designs, but I'll let someone else guide you there since applique is a bad word in my book.

--Lia

Polly Esther wrote:

I enjoy books of all kinds. I have a fairly good amount of quilt history type stuff here. There are certain authors I buy just because I know and like them. I do take note of work and ads in magazines and buy books that look interesting from the work the author does. Books for the sake of patterns I don't buy as often as I do those that lend toward technique. I don't get into artsy type technique too much though.

If you br> Well golly, Lia. Thank you for helping narrow what would be interesting