Thursday, January 14, 2016

True Confessions: My addiction to vintage quilt books

My latest acquisitions.

While I realize that there are much worse things to be addicted to, there are surely some of you who share this issue me. As quilters we love to collect all forms of things that contribute to this wonderful process we dedicate ourselves to. Surely we need fabric and needles. We need machines and tools and notions. Some of us more so than others, but that's another story for another day. *wink*



My love of history and my love of quilting come together perfectly in the older but still wonderful books that have been published in years past. So naturally, books that offer the stories and histories of quilts and quilters would be hard for me to resist. I do have my limits though. I only shop for the used books online (usually Amazon) when I find really good deals. What's a really good deal? Less than $10 with shipping. That's right, most of these books were only a few dollars, so with shipping, they often cost between $7-8. That's less that a yard of fabric folks!


Look at all the inspiration there! I find that the quilts are so amazing but reading about the quilt makers and where they were from and when they stitched these adds so much to the fascination. Even if you don't soak up history and stories the way I do, you have to admit there is some serious quilt eye candy here. 



Some of my favorite books are from the state projects. Each state did a record keeping project to collect photos and stories and record their own quilt histories. My first book was from the state of Texas given to me by my dear friend Patsy. I enjoyed it so much that I went online looking for other state quilt books. I have only collected about a dozen so far, some of them are still kind of pricey, but I will keep looking until I find them for a deal.

So go ahead and collect your thimbles, or vintage Singers, or whatever makes you happy. I'll keep searching for deals on old quilt history books. Like I said, it could be a lot worse!

I would love to hear what you collect, please leave a comment letting me know!
Diane




18 comments:

  1. No limit with this addiction ! It's a good one !
    I am collecting thimbles...if I can, old thimbles but it's hard to find !

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  2. I'm a quilt book collector too but I don't have any of the books that you have ( I need to get that Connecticut one!). I like the 'less than $10' idea - keeps us in line. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. I have been collecting quilt history books since my earliest days as a quilter. They are easy gifts for family members to give me, and I don't feel guilty adding more when I can buy them used from Amazon for just a few dollars! I do have a small collection of vintage and antique sewing machines, but I don't actively add to the collection now. I love the old beauties, but I don't sew on mine enough to justify having a house stuffed full of them.

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  4. Well, aside from the obvious which is any and every scrap of fabric, I collect china. I know it's not quilting related, but I just can not pass up a beautiful tea cup in a thrift store! :) That and paperdolls. sarah@forrussia.org

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  5. I don't collect "other" quilt items, but I do collect historical quilt books too! I check out the thrift store and rarely pay more than $5!

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  6. I also like to collect "state" quilt books or museum books--they are wonderfully inspiring. I also have a big collection of pin cushions (does thread count?--haha!).

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  7. May I ask which book you are showing the inside of? I like the large full color photos. I have a couple of state books, may need to get some more. I also like to look at antique quilts on eBay, not to buy, but just for great inspiration.
    valekort at yahoo dot com

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  8. This is a very dangerous post for me. I love these quilt history books too! I am not one to follow a pattern, I can look at most blocks and figure out very quickly how to make them and what sizes to cut. I love picture books! But I never thought of looking at used books on Amazon! I collect lots of things, vintage enamelware (to use in the sewing room), vintage toy sewing machines, etc.

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  9. One of my favorite books is A People and Their Quilts by John Rice Irwin. I see it is on Amazon used for around $5!

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  10. Quilt related - I collect old pincushions, old sewing notions, and wooded spools of thread. Non-quilt or sewing related... too much to mention!!!

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  11. These look wonderful. I have the Kentucky book and it was filled with inspiration. I guess I collect cat fabric, sort of.

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  12. I have a ton of vintage quilt books (and singers too actually lol) I also collect vintage recipe books and Pyrex. I display the books in plate hanging racks too and on shelves. I got a terrific McCalls Sewing book from the sixties yesterday, it went straight on my display quilt book shelf, so retro cool!

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  13. I have a few of the state history books and totally agree that they are filled with inspiration and wonderful stories. The documentation of quilts certainly was a great idea and I'm glad that so many people were involved so we can have so much to enjoy.

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  14. check, check and check. I'm a long time collector and have picked many up at quilt show sale tables. Your have a great stack of inspiration there.

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  15. Hello from Belgium,dificult here to find them.
    The last one is fabulus : Quilts of the Oregon Trail
    Mary Bywater Cross.With a lot of history...
    Tine

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  16. I collect books on sewing and quilting. And knitting and crochet and... I actually have TWO copies of the Wisconsin quilt book because I liked it so much! No, actually I was not organized and bought it twice. I also collect blue and green pottery pieces, but those have to be something I really love or it's just a dust magnet so I limit them to the AHHH pieces. That's a small collection. Unlike the books which threaten to take over my house.

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