Quilting The Complete Guide by Darlene Zimmerman

Before I consider the contents I have to say I like books which come hard bound and spiral so they will open and lay flat by the sewing machine or chair and you can look and work without continually losing your place when the book closes up of its own accord.

Of course you shouldn't judge a book by its cover - however it is clearly written and beautifully illustrated.  At the beginning there are Quick Reference Guides - standard sizes for batting, mattresses, bedspreads and so on.  Formulas for cutting shapes, setting and corner triangles, formulas for backing and binding.  I think these are extremely useful and I have used them to help me finish off quilts which have been started at workshops and I haven't been able to understand the finishing instructions.

The rest of this book contains a huge amount of information and gives a clear understanding of how to tackle many techniques, blocks, binding methods and embellishments such as applique.  Some good edge finishing including how to mark and bind a scalloped edge - the book is packed with info and I was delighted with it. 

Definitely a keeper which I will continue to dip in and out of.