Monday, June 16, 2008

Grist for the mill.....

...and stuff near and dear to quilters *VBS* Sweet Pea, at Coffeetime Quilt Studio is having a contest. She wants us to show a container that 'aids' us in our quilting. My 'aid' is a snaplock plastic pencil box, sold everywhere just before school begins. I've struggled for years with storing spools of perle cotton. Getting them all in one spot, and being able to find them when I want them. Thess boxes are PERFECT for the size of the spools. They hold a single layer and it's easy to see what you have without them roling around. They stay dust free and out of the cat's reach. I currently have 4 of them, filled with a rainbow of colors.
 And I wanted to share part of my 'collection' of quilt books. I was surprised when I began putting them in this tall bookcase. Surprised at how many I really have....LOL
 Even more surprised at that they don't all fit into one case. There is another bookcase across the sewing room from them...with still more quilt books. Many, many of them date back to the 1980's and a time when everything was templated. I've found some older books by Michael James, Nancy Crow and Jeanne Ray Laury to round out my collection. I add only 3 or 4 books a year now. With so many books, I'm more careful what I buy these days.
 But books by Gwen Marston are always the exception. I have nearly all of hers *VBS* When the "String Quilts" book came out, Betsy and I talked and she bought it for both of us to share. We are doing that more and more. We each own quite a few of these "TWenty Little ---------" books. The Twenty Little Four Patches book was published in 1996 and several of the quilts show the trend of the upcoming "Liberated Quiltmaking" which was coming next! Most of the quilts in all the "Twenty Little ------" are traditionally pieced. Interstingly enough, there seems to be at least one in each book that 'leans' towards the Orphan Blocks or Liberated style....'atta girl Gwen!!!
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8 comments:

Lilly said...

I came here from a link on myras-tactilepleasuresinfabric.blogspot and what a pleasure it has been. It is going to take me some time to look at all your interesting posts. Thanks for a great read! I am going to add you to my blogs list.

Norma said...

I have so many quilt books that I forget what I have in a way, that defeats the purpose of having so many. Unless it is a special book, I have stopped buying them, you can only say the same thing about quilting so many ways. I love just sitting and looking at them, and cookbooks too. It is like visiting old friends.

QuiltedSimple said...

You've got a lot of books - I'm slowly working on adding to my collection.

Kris

Quilting Memories said...

Books have always been one of my weaknesses, I have quiet a few quilting books, I don't think I have made a quilt from one, but I DO use them a LOT for references.I can sit for hours and just read quilting books. There's a lot of knowledge in them...I, too, enjoy your blog, Your blog really is like getting a letter from an old friend. Bobbin

Sweet P said...

Thanks for joining the contest! A pencil case is a cheap, yet a great way to store projects. I have a pencil case I use for small projects too.

You have quite the collection of quilt books. I have vowed to stop buying books for a while. I want to make some of the patterns I have before I buy more.

Libby said...

Books, books, books . . . they can be hard to resist. It's such fun to go through them again and again to see what new inspiration can be found in the pages.
I find myself buying fewer and fewer 'pattern' books as time goes on. Instead I am trying to fill the quilting library with 'documentation' books. Because they can be pricey, it's usually only one or maybe two per year. How I love to look at those old quilts!
Have a great day!

Elaine Adair said...

Hey, I see a few books in your collection that I don't have .. (let's see, what's the URL for Amazon?)!!!

Buying books is like having a new friend for a while! Sometimes I will take a new book with me to Dairy Queen and enjoy an hour of pure pleasure!

meggie said...

That series of "Twenty Little... " looks very interesting. I have tended more to magazines, as they have such great patterns in the Aussie mags. Also a good variety. But more & more, I am just doing my own thing!