Quiltmaking by Hand: Simple Stitches, Exquisite Quilts

An unexpected gem!! Not seeing the book in advance makes it hard to know what you're getting but WOW. The book is big - check out number of pages. I don't usually read the entire book - I'm more a scanner for 'how to' books but it's so beautiful and well-written I couldn't help myself and I'm reading every page! I quilted years ago and decided it was time to start again. I found I'm reading sections for basics that I already know and I'm not only getting more pumped up to start stitching, but picking up tips I would never have thought of. I'm also giving my machine piecing a second thought - a bit scary to think of hand piecing q whole quilt but I think I'll start small and keep going. Thank you Jinny for this book - it's a treasure.

This book came highly recommended for people who are interested in learning to quilt by hand, and it doesn't disappoint. It appears to be quite comprehensive, and even has close-up photos showing how to hold your needle, wear thimbles, and hold your fabric. It's these little things which those of us who don't have anybody around to teach us really need. I grew up with quilts my great-grandmother had made entirely by hand, and alway wanted to learn to quilt by hand myself. It finally feels as if that goal is within reach!

Absolutely must have if you are considering how to fill those minutes with handwork. The tips make all the difference between smooth stitching and matching points or wonky work. I have a carry along pouch that fits in my purse to work on blocks whenever I have 15 minutes or more. So relaxing! This lady knows her stuff and guides you to success. Best quilting book I’ve bought in years!

I already knew a lot about quilting, but through this book I learned even more. I am now willing to tackle making a king size quilt by hand. I have a deeper appreciation for Jinny Beyer's creativity, talent, and skill. I am very appreciative of her willingness to share what she has learned over the years. Her techniques are clearly described, photographed, and simple when following her step-by-step directions. However, I do have one thing to share with those who might want to buy the folding scissors she has used for decades when traveling. They are quite small, light weight, take up almost no packing space, and have stayed very sharp without her having them sharpened. That's a high quality pair of scissors. I decided to see if they were available for sale on her web site. They were -- for $82, plus shipping. After doing a brief internet search, I found the identical scissors through Garrett Wade for only $57, with free shipping since my order was over $50. So, buy the book, learn more than you thought you would, but buy the scissors from Garrett Wade!

I bought this book because I was interested in learning hand quilting having had absolutely no prior experience at quilting. This is a fabulous teaching aid and resource book. Every aspect of hand quilting is covered, quilting essentials including stash, a basic pattern drafting how-to, piecing basics, beyond piecing basics, setting in angles and curves, borders for quilts, preparation for quilting, finishing quilts. The accompanying text is clearly understandable, enriched by the author's years of experience, and the photos are excellent quality, in a step-by-step sequence particularly in the chapters on hand piecing. One thing I would like to add is that this book is beautifully produced. The paper quality is velvety, the format (9"x 11") is spacious, and the sharpness of the photographs is excellent. As a bibliophile, I think it is a satisfyingly lovely book to own, and at approximately 260 pages of excellent instruction it is well worth its price of $22.42 if you are seriously interested in the art of hand quilting.

I am new to quilting and with all the advice I don’t get how to do something’s how I’m shown. With the pictures and details to refer back to I think I’m going to do an okay job on my first one. There are several anecdotes and patterns to be interesting to the seasoned quilter too.

This book has a wealth of information. There are a few photos of quilts that I would like to make and no pattern is included. With graph paper and my husbands' drafting tools I was able to create my own version that works well. Jinny Beyer and Harriet Hargrave are incredible teachers. Their books are easy to understand (especially if you make the projects to learn, rather than making a big finished project. I recommend this book, Jinny's book on color, her big patchwork book and the Quilter's Academy series by Harriet & Carrie Hargrave.

The first quilt I ever made was a queen sized, all hand pieced and quilted quilt, and it was such a joy that it made me take that trip into the Land Of Quilts. Since then all of the quilts I've made are machine made because I enjoyed the quickness of getting it done to try my hand on the next project. Now I want to go back to my roots where I can have a sewing project with me where ever I go instead of a Wi-Fi connected tool attached to the tips of my fingers. Besides it's a good conversation starter...

I can't praise this book highly enough. Books are not what they used to be and you have to go a long way to find a decent one these days. This one is fantastic and was like receiving a gift when it arrived. It is a heavy book made with excellent quality paper, so not only is it a pleasure to flick through but it will last a long time. This book seems to have been put together with the same care and attention with which the author would create a quilt. The photographs are excellent and detailed and are combined with step by step instructions to match the photographs. Even the fonts used add to the presentation. The information is very comprehensive, ranging from very basic matters that you won't find answers to on the Internet eg why is my first quilting stitch always bigger than the second and third on the needle, to much more complex matters like how to deal with curved piecing. There are also sections of historical information sprinkled in, and although I have never been interested in the history of quiltmaking before, I have quite enjoyed reading these. There are ten detailed patterns at the end of the book with detailed instructions and templates to copy. They start at beginner level and increase in complexity pattern by pattern. All the techniques needed are covered in detail earlier in the book. One customer was disappointed that the pattern on the front cover of the book is not included. Once I read Jinny's story of how this quilt came about, I totally understood why it wasn't included. I highly recommend this book for yourself, and it would also make an excellent gift. Well worth the money and I doubt you would want to return it once you receive it.

This veritable tome is an endless resource for those who are serious about quilting by hand. It isn't a book for those looking to pick up the needle and go however. With small type it is packed with content covering the history of this practical art form as well as personal anecdotes from a lifetime of work on the subject. Once you do reach the actual instructions they are clear and well thought out. Covering every aspect it is unlikely you would need another book on the subject and she covers techniques such as how to create patterns from the fabric design itself which I have yet to see covered elsewhere.The palette favoured by Mrs Beyer is quite muted and not exactly contemporary but I feel this lends to it doubling as a coffee table piece, there is no doubt the spectacular quilts have been well photographed and it has an air of a classic already.

I agree wholeheartedly with the previous reviews, the writing and technical detail within this book are second to none. An excellent reference book that should be part of every quilters library.So why only 4 stars? I made the mistake of assuming the stunning quilt (called 'Windows') pictured on the front cover, would be detailed within the book, which was my main reason for choosing this book.It would have been more accurate to have used one of the 10 quilts detailed within the book for the front cover and not a quilt that is very briefly mentioned and the pattern of which is not available in the book or from Jinny Beyer's web site. To say it is mis-leading is an understatement.

I was a little disappointed with this book. I do most of my quilting by hand, preferring the "old ways", but didn't feel that this taught me anything new. It also had a lot of historical information which I really didn't need. Also felt that some of the illustrations seemed to me to be very dark and not too clear. Personally I prefer "The Quilter's Bible", which although has machine techniques included, I have always found it perfectly possible to adapt to hand work.

This is a lovely book with great pictures and inspiration. There are great instructions, tips and techniques. A great read and I would recommend.