BOOKS IN MY MINIATURE QUILT LIBRARY

Hello, I'm Back! Cold Weather is coming, and I am in the mood to finish up some projects and start some new ones. I decided to look through the small and miniature quilting books in my library. Some of them are out of print, and some of them are brand new. I picked up a few through Amazon's used books for a good price, so there is always hope of finding one if you want it.

Favorite Foundation - Pieced Minis - from the editors of Miniature Quilt Magazine
This book has patterns for 30 miniatures. It is a nice book, but if you have EQ6, you could print out the foundations more easily. Nearly all of the patterns in this book are a traditional pattern or a variation
The BEST of Miniature Quilts - Volume 3
I like this book. It is a mixture of miniature applique and pieced. Some of the patterns are like Oak leaves and Acorns, log cabins, baskets. Again though, these are mostly traditional patterns.
It's a Small World by Els Feteris-Stam
This book has some interesting patterns. I like one that is spools with selvage strip columns, there are also more traditional style quilts. The hitch with these patterns are.. they aren't paper pieced.
Blue Ribbon Miniature Quilts - Miniature Quilts Magazine Miniatures from the Heart Contest.
This book is one of my favorites just for great quilt designs. They are patterns for miniature quilts that won in a contest put on by the now defunct Miniature Quilt Magazine. There are patterns for 8 uniquely designed quilts. Not for beginners.
Prairie Children and Their Quilts - Kathleen Tracy
This is a book that has simple patterns for 14 small quilts, doll quilts. The finished quilts are small; many under 20 inches. But the blocks are for the most part 4 or so inches which doesn't really put them in the miniature realm. But they are easy traditional patterns.
Foundation Piecing with a New Attitude - Ellen Rosintoski
This is also a book with small blocks, around 4-6" some of the quilts are 40". But the blocks are intricate foundation blocks, Mariner's compasses, pickle dish, kaleidoscopes. Interesting book.
Twenty Little Patchwork Quilts - Gwen Marston & Joe Cunningham
This book has 20 quilts that are good for experimenting with color and design . They are less intimidating than tiny miniatures, or their full size counterparts. The quilts rang in size from 13-22 inches. They are non- foundation pieced traditional patterns like houses, nine patches, and bow ties.
Baltimore Bride's Quilt Designs - Doreen Lynn Saunders
I guess this isn't necessarily a miniature quilt book. I picked up this 'Dover Publication" book, while waiting in line at an Amish Restaurant. It is full of Applique designs, set in 3or 4 inch squares. There are even some border applique designs. I'm sure they are meant to enlarge, but why would you want to?
Twenty Little Log Cabin Quilts - Gwen Marston
20 small log cabin quilt designs for quilts ranging in size from 14-20 inch log cabin quilts. Different lay outs, NOT foundation pieced
Miniature to Masterpiece - Nancy Johnson-Srebro
Another favorite. I got it for $7.00 as a used book from an Amazon dealer. I was so happy to find it. I had taken it out of the Library several times already. The cover features an awesome broken star quilt. It was published almost 20 years ago, so I guess there are updated ways to do things, but, it gets you back to piecing basics. Non foundation, but good advice on piecing a miniature lone star, which is why I bought it.
Celebrate with Little Quilts - Alice Berg, Mary Ellen Von Holt, Sylvia Johnson
I picked up this book in a used book store for 5.oo. It features small quilts for decorations. Theme quilts for autumn, patriotic, birthdays, friendship quilts. Non foundation pieced. But a nice book with some good ideas
Scaling Down - Trudie Hughes
I picked this up for free at on a giveaway table at guild. It features some interesting ideas on pieced borders, and several feathered stars ideas. Small scale, not paper pieced.
Small Scale Quiltmaking - Sally Collins
This lady knows how to piece miniatures. She prides herself on NOT ever using foundations. I think that is just crazy talk since her quilts are perfect and tiny. But she can do it.
If you can get books by Sally Collins, you will have great miniature quilting references. There are nine projects in this book
The Art of Machine Piecing - Sally Collins
This books gives you advice on precision piecing and methods that will help you attain quality workmanship. Sally makes wall to full size quilts using 4" intricately pieced blocks. A must have for your library
Borders Bindings & Edges - The Art of Finishing your Quilt - Sally Collins
this is the ultimate reference guide for borders and edges. This book gives advice on planning, cutting, stitching, and attaching pieced, appliqued or whole cloth borders. There are instructions for piped bindings, scalloped edges and lots of other finishes. She works in small to miniature scale, but the knowledge you get from this book can be used with any size quilt.
Marvelous Miniatures - Rodale's Quilting Library
This is a great little reference book. With lots of ideas from many different miniature quilt makers. If you can find this book, it is worth having
Fat Quarter Small Quilts - Darlene Zimmerman
It says on the book.. 25 projects you can make in a day. It's a nice little book if you can pick it up cheap. Mostly traditional small scale patterns, baskets, stars, album blocks. quilts with scalloped borders.
Easy Paper-pieced Miniatures - Carol Doak
This book has a lot of instruction on Paper piecing from the go to person on Paper piecing. This book has patterns for Mariner's compasses, Stars, Flying Geese, little houses. A lot of ideas. It's hard to explain though, when you see these quilts, you know they are Carol's designs. They have that look

The next two are new releases, so they should be easy to find.

Flip Flop Paper Piecing - Mary Kay Mouton
I have seen the quilt by the same name in shows recently. It is a sort of mariner's compass surrounded with tiny flying geese with tiny tiny pieced blocks in the borders. I don't think that they are even an inch big. The premise of her book is her unique way of foundation piecing. For instance, if you were going to make an Ohio Star block on a foundation, you would probably make it in 3 foundation strips and sew the strips together to make one block. Mary Kay would take the one foundation of an Ohio Star, and piece the whole block on one foundation. That is how she manages to make 1/2" churn dash blocks. It's pretty amazing.
Little Lone Star Quilts - Lorraine Olsen
I just got this from Amazon yesterday. Lorraine's way of piecing miniature lone stars is unique. It reminds me of a tiny version of a "Quiltsmart" foundation. I have made a miniature lone star the old fashioned way, and it nearly drove me over the edge. I'm hoping that this way turns out to be easier and more precise.

I'm hoping to give the ideas in these last two books a whirl this weekend. I'll let you know how things turn out.

There are many ways to make a miniature quilts. Absorb as much information as you can, and then practice and find the way that is best for you. It's challenging, but it is worth it because it will be so much easier when you want to make a larger quilt. Good luck!