Maggi McCormick Gordon

Bought for $1 at the Rising Star Quilters Guild annual quilt show. It is pretty comprehensive and full of good ideas, pictures, and patterns. The organization is curious - the section on techniques are toward the end instead of the beginning - but there's plenty here for inspiration and enough practical information to get started on a variety of projects.

Tumbling blocks
Lemon/LeMoyne stars
House
Butterflies (p. 84-85)
Fans
Contained (patchwork diamonds with diagonal sashing, p. 119)
Alphabet
Irish show more Chain (single and double)
Applique hearts
Four-patch
Log Cabin
Pinwheel
Flying geese
Reverse applique show less

"The Needlecraft Book" by Various

Although I have always wanted to be (and am) a homemaker, I also wanted to help support my family financially. To that end, I researched various things I could do out of my own home and in my spare time. Crochet and knitting made the top of the list, and with the help of the Internet, I taught myself both.
I am now designing and selling products online, but I am still constantly trying to improve my skills. While I was browsing the crafts section of a show more bookstore one day, I came across "The Needlecraft Book". It stood out to me as the most comprehensive guide to a variety of needle-based crafts, and I subsequently purchased it as a reference book to have on hand, or at least look pretty on my shelf.
It has been much more than a reference book in the short time I have had it. As I mentioned above, I taught myself to crochet and knit from the Internet, and whatever my skill level became, there were still gaps in my knowledge. "The Needlecraft Book" has helped to fill some of those gaps. It is appropriate for someone just starting on any of the crafts it covers, as well as for someone like myself who has several years' experience. The color illustrations and concise directions are quite helpful, and the projects and patterns can easily be incorporated into whole new ideas.
I highly recommend "The Needlecraft Book" to anyone interested in needle crafts. I purchased it at a Barnes & Noble, but it can also be found new and used online. show less

This could be a good reference book for beginning quilters. I bought it for the photos of some 19th Century quilts I haven't seen elsewhere.

Encyclopedic resource for quilters of all levels. Has extensive pictures and the chapters are grouped by types of quilting. Includes instructions for projects.