I had some unsettling news.
My Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns is out of print.
I know, I know the book is dead
An old-fashioned format for information....
But how are you going to figure out the name of an old quilt pattern?
#1493 Square and Compass
About 1890
Lost Ship by Barbara Brackman
#1362
Where are you going to get ideas for new ones?
I still have a copy. (Not in the best of shape as I use it nearly every day.)
If you don't have a copy you'd better get you one now.
The new books are twice the price they were a few months ago.
The used books are still reasonable.
It's been in print since 1979 in some form or another but people are still discovering it.
Click here to read Faith's post about it.
and LuluBloom's
It's pretty low-tech. I typed it on an IBM electric typewriter (with variable spacing)
and drew the pictures on gridded paper.
I photocopied copies for ten years and then AQS published it in hard back about 20 years ago.
I drew each one of those little blocks an inch square and tried to draw a tiny fabric pattern that the photocopy machine wouldn't blur or splotch.
I am sure that there will be some kind of higher tech version of this book in the future (and of the digital program BlockBase---also out of print.) But until then....
Oh, Barbara, I laughed all the way through your post and am still laughing. Of course, I am OK, I got the book when it was new(ish) and have Blockbase. I am wondering why Blockbase went out of print, though; are they going to bring out a new version? And I have always wondered what little elves converted your drawings to EQ. I would be lost without Blockbase (and EQ).
ReplyDeletei am so pleased i took the plunge and bought both (and your Applique block book) a couple of months ago. Although I am still trying to work out how i can print an 8 inch block (from blockbase) on my printer in Australia. I think the problem is because our standard paper sizes are different to the US. It would be useful if like the Dear Jane software, there was a "Move " button, so templates can be moved around. (I don't have EQ)
ReplyDeleteI've never been lucky enough to have a copy of your encyclopedia, but I do have blockbase and would be absolutely lost without it. Thank you so much! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine being a quilter with out your book! I use it almost every day to look up a pattern...Hours of fun can be had looking at quilts on eBay and using the book to identify what the seller can't. I might need to buy a back up copy just in case.
ReplyDeleteTim
The binding on my copy of the book is starting to look a bit ragged but still so useful! I also have blockbase and your applique encyclopedia.
ReplyDeleteYour Encyclopaedia is a treasured possession and hardly a day goes by when I don't dip into it - also your many other wonderful books. Cheers from Tropical North Queensland.
ReplyDeleteI've had that book for years. It's a great resource for planning quilts. I've used it for guild block of the month programs and other projects. I always wondered how you made the diagrams. Wow! That's dedication.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed my copy for many years!
ReplyDeleteOur library has that one and a few of your books, so nice to be able to get them when I want.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
So glad I got a copy years ago.
ReplyDeleteI love used bookstores. I guess I am just an ol'fashion gal.
I was thinking as I read your post that the little blocks you so carefully drew by hand on graph paper was a form of what we're seeing a lot of now called zentangle. Great books do live on - so many are flash in the pan. I have your book on applique (the original) and have loved it. Even though I am not a dedicated piecer, I appreciate pieced quilts so much.
ReplyDeleteWow! That is pretty amazing. Its a fantastic book!!
ReplyDeleteI still read books -- ACTUAL books. I have quite a collection of quilting resources and wouldn't trade those hard copies for anything (well, maybe fabric).
ReplyDeleteLove my copy. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI have your book in notebook form (from some time in the 1980's) and it's still getting frequent use. I've used it for everything from simple blocks to much more complex blocks. I loved being able to search the categories (and still do) and see when and where the blocks were published.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sorry to hear that. It's sad that future quilters won't have it available to them unless they discover an old copy at an auction or used book store. It's been a "staple" for years and still useful. I'm "old school" though and I don't think books can or should be replaced. I like to hold and feel a book in my hand while I read. I'm glad I own a copy already, and yes, I have the software version too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight into how the book came about. What I've always wanted to know was how did you see all these quilts back in the day before quilts were so widely collected and popular? Did you travel the country to go to museums and guilds? Did other dedicated quilters send you tons of photos? I'd love to hear. And I hope the book becomes available in perpetuity in some kind of print-on-demand format. It is the one and only indispensable aid to quilt pattern dating.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I took the plunge several years ago to purchase the Encyclopedia to backup the Blockbase software! I have scoured that book over the years and only just recently uploaded the software, I thought it would be too hard so it sat collecting dust until I started doing the CW BOW's. Silly me!... and now I can enjoy the blocks with my EQ as well!!! These resources have been a wonderful source of inspiration!! I also have a few of your other books too, which I carefully paw over, and enjoy all the research you have presented in them. Thankyou so much!!!! from Springtime in Northern NSW, Australia
ReplyDeleteIf you don't have a copy now, buy it! You'll never regret it. I have a personal copy and we have more than one at the museum.
ReplyDeleteI have both books so not to worry but for those poor souls who don't they might try half.com. You can quite often get used books at a reasonable price there.
ReplyDeleteI have many of your books including the "biggie". All of them teach me about history, the many names of a block, and some that are not commonly used blocks. Cant say what I like more, the history (big fav), all of the names, or how wonderfully you present a book.
ReplyDeletePlease dont let it get you down. if you think about it you can reinvent any of your books.
Thank you again...Karencg
Take heart! 626 libraries worldwide own it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.worldcat.org/title/encyclopedia-of-pieced-quilt-patterns/oclc/27812938&referer=brief_results
Wasn't there an electronic copy available for awhile? Maybe that was Clues in the Calico...very sad, this is a great resource!
ReplyDeleteWent straight back to my sewing room and there was my copy on my bookshelf. It has helped me so many times to identify a pattern name so I could find the actual pattern. So glad I still have it.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, I still have and use the old blue 3-ring binder. I think the sections came one at a time back then. . . and I remain amazed at the hours it took to compile this resource. Now to purchase an extra copy of the hard-bound version before they are snapped up!
ReplyDeleteI have the double sided copies with the hole punches. I bought a "signed" copy from a former Parsons instructor and I treasure it as well as every book you have published!
ReplyDeleteMan, I wish I could afford a copy. The cheapest used one I can find is almost $200.
ReplyDeleteI am so sad that this book didn't appear on my Christmas list. Have you seen the prices that are being asked on the internet?!?! Oh my?!?
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't happen to know where I could get one at a more reasonable price of less that that of $172!! (and that is the cheapest I've seen!)
p.s. Almost finished with my Civil War quilt!
Out of print?!?! I'm certainly glad I got a copy quite a few years ago. I think I need to get your applique book too. While I often see pieced quilts that I love, it's the applique ones that make me think "oooohh myyyyy!!!"
ReplyDelete