The Quilted Home Handbook
When I first started quilting, I bought quite a few quilting books and enjoyed making different patterns. For several years, I didn't buy a single quilting book. Not because the books didn't have pretty quilts, but because what I am looking for in a book has changed.
These days, I am much more likely to buy books that are inspirational to look at. In fact, some of my favorite books that I keep in my office don't contain patterns or aren't even strictly about quilting (A Field Guide to Color or Living with Pattern). I am generally more inspired by an artsy coffee table book than a quilting book.
Recently I was sent a copy of The Quilted Home by Wendy Chow and it is a gorgeous — it is a coffee table book that is masquerading as a quilting book. Are there pretty patterns in the book? Yes, there are some really interesting patterns in the book. But even more important to me is that the book (from the paper, to the photography, to the colors) is inspirational itself.
The book isn't all photos — there is a ton of information about every step in the quilting process and lots of diagrams and descriptions to help you decide how you want to make your quilt.
If you are looking for a little eye candy to get you excited about quilting again, this book is a good one to reach for. You can find the book in shops (and also Wendy's previous book Urban Quilting) and you can follow Wendy on Instagram @the.weekendquilter.