Immortal Wordsmith

This list of quilting books gives you seven different options to get those creative juices flowing. I’ve selected books that I have read or are on my wish list, as well as the most highly rated books across the internet. If you are looking for inspiration, clear instructions, and beautiful quilt projects to get stuck into, you will find a great book below.

Psst. If you are brand new to quilting and don’t know where to start, read my article How to Make Quilts for extra guidance.

My 7 Favourite Quilting Books

These are books that I have personally read or have been recommended to me. You can find all of them on Amazon using the links below – I may receive a small commission if you click a link and make a purchase, but this is at no additional cost to you. It really helps us keep our blog running!

The Reddit Quilting Community is also a great place to go for some free online advice and inspiration.

1. The Gentle Art of Quilt Making by Jane Brocket

• Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Patterns: 15
• Where to Buy: Amazon

Striking that perfect balance between modern designs and floral fabric, The Gentle Art of Quilt Making was the first quilting book I ever owned, and I continue to recommend it to anyone and everyone who will listen!

The book only contains 15 designs, but the tips on selecting fabrics that work together and other tricks are worth noting too. The designs in this book really feel like art. Furthermore, you can easily swap out the floral fabrics for other designs or even plain fabric instead.

This book encourages you to buy whole pieces of cloth, rather than fat squares, jelly rolls, and charm squares. If you prefer to work with pre-cut fabrics, check out the next book on my list.

2. Little Bits Quilting Bee by Kathreen Ricketson

• Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Patterns: 20
• Where to Buy: Amazon

The Quilting Bee book features 20 designs that range from beginner to intermediate. The patterns are actually rated by difficulty, so you can choose ones that are within your skillset. Compared to the first book on my list, any quilting books that use pre-cut fabrics (jelly rolls, charm squares, etc.) will be much easier.

I also really like that this book has tips at the beginning that make the technical aspects of quilting much easier. It has a section explaining how to choose a padding material, cheats for making binding, and ideas to create a quilting bee with friends and fellow quilters.

My top choice for beginners!

3. Urban Quilting by Wendy Chow

• Level: Beginner
• Patterns: 30
• Where to Buy: Amazon

Described as comprehensive guide, this quilting book includes 30 patterns that are unashamedly modern. If you’re tired of floral fabrics or just can’t bear the thought of making a quilt your grandma would like, then this is the book for you.

Wendy Chow delivers 30 different patterns for creating modern, urban and edgy quilt designs. Expect plenty of geometric shapes and fresh colour combinations to breathe some life into your home. Any quilt made from this book will be an instant success on Instagram. I all but guarantee it.

4. The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird

• Level: All
• Patterns: 99 blocks
• Where to Buy: Amazon

This is less of a pattern book and more of a novel for quilt lovers. The Farmer’s Wife contains 99 blocks sent in by genuine farmer’s wives in the 1930s. Along with the design of each block, the book includes letters and stories from their lives. It’s an interesting read, for sure!

You receive a CD with this book that contains the paper patterns for you to print off at home. Some readers have had some trouble with the CD, but most intermediate and experienced quilters will be able to figure out the patterns and correct dimensions without it.

5. Oh, Scrap! by Lissa Alexander

• Level: Intermediate
• Patterns: 12
• Where to Buy: Amazon

This quilting book is perfect for the intermediate quilter who has the basics down but wants to explore some more intricate designs. The entire book is a guide to using up the tiny scraps of fabric you have saved from quilt projects in the past, so it’s best if you already have a few quilts under your belt.

Lissa Alexander will take you through 12 different projects to use up your scraps. You will probably need to bulk up your supply, and then there’s the backing fabric too, so don’t expect this short book to reduce your quilting stash significantly!

6. Modern Quilts by Modern Quilt Guild

• Level: Expert
• Patterns: 100
• Where to Buy: Amazon

Rather than containing quilt templates, instructions and measurements, this book just shows you 100 absolutely beautiful quilts. Think of it as a photography book, but rather than birds or architecture, the subject is quilts!

The photos are stunning in this book. Many people buy it as a book for the coffee table – your guests will pour over it to decide which is their favourite – but the more experienced quilters will be able to replicate the patterns by eye. It also serves as a fabulous source of inspiration.

7. Quilting by Hand by Riane Elise

• Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Patterns: 23
• Where to Buy: Amazon

Although it contains all the basic instructions that beginners need, some of the quilts in this project will really develop your skills as an intermediate quilter too. Quilting by Hand contains 23 different designs that can all be made by hand – no sewing machine or quilting machine necessary.

As an advocate of the hand quilting technique (read my guide How to Start Quilting by Hand), I really love this book. It embraces the art of quilting and helps you slow down. Taking your time to enjoy the process is very relaxing and only enhances the feeling of accomplishment when you’ve made the last stitch.

If you have any other quilting books that you’d like me to include on this list, leave a comment below!