Ready to get inspired and step up your quilting game? If you are looking for a book to bring you to the next level then the following 16 quilting books are ones you should consider. From patterns to inspiration and new techniques, these books offer a little something for everyone. Any of these books would look great on your shelf or make a perfect gift for your favorite quilter.
Our 16 Favorite Quilting Books
1. Better Homes and Gardens: Complete Guide to Quilting
Pages: 352
Skill Level: Beginner to advanced
Type: Instructional
Ideal for both beginner and expert quilters, the Complete Guide to Quilting by Better Homes and Gardens teaches you how to master just about every quilting technique, tool, fabric, seam, block, knit and stitch.
If you’re just getting started with quilting or looking to improve your skills, this is the right book for you. You won’t find any patterns inside, but you’ll learn a lot about technique. The instructions are clear and well-written, and the colored photos make it easy to follow along. This is one of my favorite books on quilting that I own.
2. The Complete Guide to Machine Quilting
Pages: 128
Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
Type: Instructional and projects
In The Complete Guide to Machine Quilting, author Joanie Zeier Poole teaches readers how to use their home sewing machine to make quilts that look like they were made by hand. This thoughtful and thorough guide will teach you how to: work with different weights of batting and fabric, use decorative stitches, and save time with helpful tips.
Ideal for beginner and intermediate quilters, this book will help you achieve professional results and also includes fun projects that will show off your new skills. The author owns Heirloom Quilting Designs and has had a passion for quilting her entire life. This is one of the best quilting books you will find on machine quilting.
3. Quiltmaker’s 1,000 Blocks
Pages: 528 pages
Skill Level: Advanced beginner to intermediate
Type: Inspirational and instructional
From the well-known Quiltmaker magazine, 1,000 Blocks covers a wide range of block-making techniques, including foundation-pieced, applique, pieced and mixed techniques. The quilting book also includes helpful information, like yardages and features settings, to help turn your blocks into stunning classic and modern quilts.
We love that this book comes with PDF templates and a bonus CD to help us along in our quilt-making adventures.
4. The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt
Channeling the strength of the women lived through the Great Depression, The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt is a wonderful book for quilters who enjoy a bit of nostalgia and appreciate a time long gone.
Pages: 272
Skill Level: All
Type: Pattern and project
What we love about this book is that it’s about more than just quilting; it’s about appreciation of history. While scrolling through the pages, you get the pleasure of reading through real-life letters published in Farmer’s Wife magazine.
This book features a queen-size, 99-block sampler quilt that’s inspired by the letter written in the magazine. The quilt uses reproduction 1930s fabric, too.
Each block contains detailed instructions for the template piecing and rotary cutting (if applicable). The nice thing about this is that you can piece the quilt whichever way you want. A CD is included, too, with all of the patterns featured in the book.
5. Jiffy Quick Quilts
Pages: 48
Skill Level: Beginner
Type: Project and pattern
If you’re like me, you get excited about quilting projects and want to get them done – like yesterday. Jiffy Quick Quilts is your go-to book for quick but modern and stylish quilts. Every single project in this book can be made in a single weekend.
There are 20 total projects in this book, and 10 of them have sizing options. With simple but beautiful patterns, this book is ideal for beginner quilters. This is one of my favorite quilting books to give as a gift.
6. Jelly Roll Quilts
Pages: 128
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced
Type: Instructional and projects
Just as its name implies, Jelly Roll Quilts teaches you how to turn jelly rolls into quilts. And each quilt can be made from just one roll.
We like that this book takes a different approach to fabric, and the author – Pam Lintott – offers plenty of advice on how to use fabric this way. Tips are also provided on how to adapt quilts to your stashes.
The diagrams and step-by-step instructions make it easy to create unique and beautiful quilts.
7. Charm School – 18 Quilts from 5″ Squares
Pages: 128
Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
Type: Project and pattern
Want a book that offers a lot of inspiration? The Charm School – 18 Quilts from 5″ Squares book has more than a dozen quilts made using 5″ squares. Simple but beautiful, these projects are great for beginners. The author, Vanessa Goertzen, takes the guesswork out of piecing your quilts.
For each project, you can use pre-cut squares, or cut your own from your stash.
8. Simple Quilts from Me and My Sister
Pages: 32
Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
Type: Project and pattern
Featuring quick and easy quilts, Simple Quilts from Me and My Sister makes a great quilting gift for the beginner in your life. This book features 12 stunning quilts that are simple yet elegant.
Each project teaches you new skills. When going through the patterns, you’ll move from squares to strips, and some of the designs have stitch-and-flip corners, pinwheels and more. These patterns are great for quilting retreats or for weekend projects.
We love that these projects are simple yet beautiful, and quilters of all levels can tackle these patterns with ease.
9. Free-Motion Machine Quilting
Pages: 144
Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
Type: Project and instructional
Interested in free-motion machine quilting? This is the book for you. Free-Motion Machine Quilting by Lori Kennedy teaches you how to use your sewing machine to quilt creative designs – without frustration.
The book is a complete visual guide to this fun but challenging quilting technique. Lori includes easy-to-follow instructions and plenty of photos to guide you along the way.
You’ll learn how to quilt motifs, including swirls, flowers, zigzags, animals and more.
We also like that this book has a spiral binding that allows for easy hands-free use.
10. Pat Sloan’s Teach Me to Machine Quilt
Pages: 96
Skill Level: Beginner
Type: Instructional and project
Author Pat Sloan teaches readers how to use their sewing machine and the walking foot to create beautiful free-motion quilts. Pat is a well-known designer and teacher. She even has her own radio show.
Teach Me to Machine Quilt is a great book for beginner quilters, and includes plenty of fun projects to create.
11. Beginner’s Guide to Quilting
Pages: 128
Skill Level: Beginner
Type: Instructional and Projects
In the Beginner’s Guide to Quilting, Author Christine Mann, experienced quilter and best-selling author helps readers master beginner quilting skills through 6 easy and fun starter projects, which include placemats, 4 full-size quilts and table runners. Mann even includes four quilt labels, so readers can stitch their own labels into their first quilts.
This quilting book is jam-packed with color photographs and provides a wealth of creative inspiration.
Every detail of Mann’s book was designed with the beginner in mind, from the lay-flat spiral binding to the step-by-step illustrated instructions.
Mann also covers the history of quilting, and even offers tips on cutting and coordinating colors. Readers will also enjoy the quick-reference guides as well as the included templates.
12. Longarm Quilting Workbook: Basic Skills, Techniques & Motifs for Modern Longarming
Pages: 144
Skill Level: Intermediate
Type: Instructional and Inspirational
Author Teresa Silver takes readers on a journey from novice to successful longarm quilter in the Longarm Quilting Workbook. Silver has been longarm quilting for many years and for some of the most well-known names in the quilting industry.
This is the best quilting book for longarm quilting if you’re new to the practice.
Silver covers every detail, including thread selection, loading the quilt, sewing textured stitches and even planning a design.
The Longarm Quilting Workbook teaches readers:
- The basics of using a longarm machine
- A helpful guide for buying a longarm machine
- 20+ quilting motifs
- The best tools, supplies and materials for quilting
- How to visualize, plan and create multiple styles of quilts
Silver also includes three pieced projects for practice and to get the creative juices flowing.
13. Rulerwork Quilting Idea Book: 59 Outline Designs to Fill with Free-Motion Quilting
Pages: 192
Skill Level: Beginner
Type: Instructional and Projects
Rulerwork Quilting Idea Book is a different kind of quilting book that focuses on the use of quilting rulers to bring projects to life.
Author Amanda Murphy begins by teaching readers how to use the six basic shapes of machine quilting rulers to create a foundation for quilting. From here, she walks you through 59 different designs.
In this book, Murphy covers a variety of designs, including arcs, S-curves and spines. She also encourages quilters to use free motion quilting to fill in the background.
Rulerwork is ideal for quilters who aren’t proficient with free motion quilting and want more instruction on how to work with rulers for their projects.
14. Step-by-Step Texture Quilting
Pages: 112
Skill Level: Advanced Beginners
Type: Projects
Step-by-Step Texture Quilting was written by Christina Cameli, who has been quilting for more than a decade. This colorful book includes step-by-step tutorials on how to create 65 designs and 10 variations.
Readers will learn how to create organic and geometric textures through free motion quilting on home sewing machines or longarms.
Cameli covers a wide range of techniques, from echoing to open spaces, and even the use of foregrounds and backgrounds.
Whether you’re an advanced beginner or a seasoned professional, Step-by-Step Texture Quilting will have you exploring the world of quilting textures in new ways.
15. Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts
Pages: 176
Skill Level: All
Type: Instructional and Projects
Quilting Modern is both an instructional and projects quilting book written by Jacquie Gering and Kate Pedersen. The book teaches readers how to use improvisational techniques to create modern quilting projects.
Throughout the book’s 176 pages, the authors explain seven core techniques and work through several projects using each technique. All projects and techniques include detailed instructions. The authors also include step-by-step instructions on materials, tools, and quilting basics. Expert advice is given on color and design.
In total, the book includes 21 projects, such as bed quilts, wall hangings, pillowcases and table accessory quilts.
16. Quilting (Idiot’s Guides)
Pages: 288
Skill Level: Beginner
Type: Instructional and Projects
Quilting (Idiot’s Guides) is an excellent resource for beginners who are just getting started with quilting. Author Jennifer Fulton helps readers master the basics so that they can avoid the common pitfalls beginners face when starting quilting.
The book includes full-color photos and step-by-step instructions to educate readers on each skill, from the basics to more advanced techniques.
This helpful resource includes more than 20 sample projects along with photos, materials lists and step-by-step instructions. It also includes a guide on all of the tools and supplies that you’ll need for each project, including a review on sewing machines and stitches.
Fulton will also teach readers how to assemble quilt blocks into a finished quilt top, and the best stitching methods used to turn a quilt top into a finished quilt.
Click here to see our list of sewing books we recommend for beginners
Hello and welcome to my site! My name is Shannon and I have been and avid quilter for over 20 years. My love of quilts came at an early age from my grandmother. I am a mother of 2 and lives in the US with her loving husband.