My Favorite Quilting Magazines

I am so grateful to the many wonderful designers who design quilts or quilt related projects so that non-quilt designers, like me, can make beautiful quilts. I have designed quilts, and I use the patterns in the magazines to build off of what they have done. I may use a different color way, or it may spark another idea for me. Again, I am grateful for the many hours these people spend to create a quilt design for all of us to enjoy creating for our homes, loved ones, and friends.

Here are a few of my favorite quilting magazines. American Patchwork and Quilting is published by Better Homes and Gardens. My first quilt magazine was an American Patchwork and Quilting in 1995. On the cover was a little heart quilt designed by the girls at Little Quilts. It's amazing how something so simple could make someone go full throttle into the world of quilting. If you would have told me in 1995 that in 2005-2007 I would be the President of a Quilt Guild of 150 women, be in charge of huge events like quilt shows and other events, teach quilting, and consult people on their quilts (ideas, colors, motivation) I would have said, "Really??? Me??? Are you sure??? Do you think I could really do that??."

I love Mary Ann Fons and Liz Porter. I first "met" them on PBS when I lived in a little town in Pennsylvania. It's the same place I "met" Eleanor Burns. They make quilting so easy and so understandable. Debbie Mumm, Linda Jenkins (Thimbleberries), Fons and Porter, and Eleanor Burns were great for a person like me who was trying to learn to quilt on her own without anyone's help. It's funny now, but since those days in PA, I have become friends with Eleanor Burn's sister Patricia Kneochel, and Eleanor knows me when she sees me at quilt shows. That's so cool. I had the opportunity to meet Mary Ann and Liz, but I got too nervous. At least I didn't have tears rolling down my face like I did when I saw Alex Anderson!!! How STUPID was that???

Quilter's Home is a fairly new magazine. It really isn't a quilt magazine per se, but it does have some good articles and a lot of laugh out loud moments. Mark Lipinski is funny, and says some really off the wall things, so it helps to keep an open mind. I love how he introduces new fabric lines that he thinks we could use to decorate our homes, as well as make quilts.

My other two magazines that I subscribe to are McCall's Quilting and McCall's Quick Quilts. My favorite designers that contribute to the magazines are Pat Sloan and Linda of Lindereralla designs. I haven't met Pat personally, but I do belong to her Yahoo Group where we vist often. She is so sweet. If you are a beginner quilter the best beginner quilt book out on the market is Pats beginner quilting book. I have done the comparisons via Hobby Lobby's book rack. She covers hand piecing, machine piecing, and hand or machine quilting. She's a fun person, and a great inspiration.

My favorite pattern designers or quilt book authors are Nancy Halvorsen of Art to Heart, Barbara Brandenburg, Teri Christopherson, Pat Sloan, Lynette Jensen of Thimbleberries, Debbie Mumm, Eleanor Burns, Amy Butler, and Terri Atkinson of Atkinson Designs.

Now I have a new list of inspirational quilters/sewers/crafters to add to my list: the people in blogland. There are so many who have blogs who love to share their ideas, give tutorials, and inspire me to create beautiful things. Autum and Heather make me look at my fabric stash and want to start over.

So, thanks, all of you inspirational women. Your ideas and fabric collections help me to keep in touch with that little girl inside of me that still loves to play, and create things.