The Standard Book of Quilt Making and Collecting

Here is the best available book on quilt making - a complete, easy-to-follow guide that shows you how to make beautiful, useful quilts that you will be proud to own and display. Even if you are a beginner, you will soon find yourself quilting like an expert by following these clearly drawn patterns, photographs, and step-by-step instructions.

All the information you need is here, lucidly and throughly explained. You learn how to plan the quilt, the number of blocks to fit a bed, how to select the pattern to harmonize with the design and color of the room, and how to choose materials. You are told how to cut, sew, make appliqued patterns, patchwork and strips. An entire chapter on design discusses basic elements, sources, making your own designs, avoiding sewing problems, how to use the rag bag, and much more, while the section on patterns gives directions on tracing, seam allowace and estimating quantity. There is full information on borders, quilting and tufting, and just about every other aspect of quilt making.

Mrs. Ickis shows you over 100 traditional and unusual quilts, including Basket, Tree of Life, Flowers in a Pot, Traditional Geometric, Friendship, Square and Cross, Saw Tooth, Drunkard's Path, Flying Geese, Mexican Cross, Pennsylvania Dutch, Crazy Quilts, Yo-yo Quilts, Album Quilts, and dozens of others, including over 40 full-size patterns. You are given other uses for quilting, such as drapes, curtains, upholstery, lunch cloths, purses, cushions, and Italian quilting.

Completing the coverage are fascinating chapters on collecting quilts as a hobby; how to make full-size patterns of famous American quilts from pictures, small designs, and museum or collectorsquilts; and an historical story of quilt making, with personal memories.