Cover Image Property of PUBLISHER
1980 edition. This image was scanned from the Dianna May Martin personal library collection

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Acknowledgments
  • Preface
  • INTRODUCTION:
    • Why I Machine Quilt
    • What Is Machine Quilting?
    • What Is a Quilt?
    • How to Use This Book
  • CHAPTER 1: BASIC INTORMATION FOR YOUR MACHINE
    • Machine Adjustments
    • Common Problems
    • Machine Tension
    • Recommendations for Each Brand of Machine
    • Machine Accessories
    • Presser Foot and Seam Allowances
    • Machine Location
  • CHAPTER 2: PLANNING FOR MACHINE QUILTING
    • Do's and Don'ts of Machine Quilting
    • Plan and Design
    • Savor Your Machine
    • Choose Strong Fabrics, Weaker Threads
    • Choose Seam Allowance and Thread Type Carefully
    • Preshrink and Color-Test Fabrics
    • Pre-Test Marking Devices
    • Practice Where It Won't Hurt
    • Baste Properly
    • Enjoy Your Work
    • Be Proud of Your Work
    • Don't Use Fussy Designs
    • Don't Pass up Unfamiliar Techniques
    • Don't Rush Your Work
    • Don't Try to Duplicate Hand Quilting
    • Glitches and Gremlins
    • Checklist for Machine Quilting
    • Tools for Machine Quilting
    • Fabrics for Machine Quilting
    • Batting
    • Threads
    • Transferring Designs
    • Enlarging Designs
    • How Much Material Do You Need?
    • Basting: the Secret of Pucker-Free Machine Quilting
    • Finishing Your Quilt By Machine
  • CHAPTER 3: CONSTRUCTION OF QUILT TOPS
    • Piecing and Patching
    • Machine Embellishing
  • CHAPTER 4: QUILTING WITH A PRESSER FOOT
    • Stitch-in-the-Ditch
    • Game Plan for Half-of-a-Square Block Quilt
    • Ernest B Haight's Whole-Cloth Method
    • Machine Quilting a Sheet
    • Other Straight-Stitch Methods
    • Zigzag Quilting
    • Satin-Stitch Quilting
    • Twin-Needle Quilting
    • Decorative Stitch Quilting
    • Tying
    • Traditional Designs for Presser-Foot Machine Quilting
    • Industrial Machines
  • CHAPTER 5: FREE-MACHINE QUILTING
    • The Methods
    • Mock Trapunto
    • Using Heavy Threads in the Bobbin
    • Special Loft
    • Designs for Free-Machine Quilting
  • CHAPTER 6: QUILT-AS-YOU-TO AND ONE-STEP QUILTING
    • Joining Quilt-as-You-Go Blocks
    • One-Step Quilting
            Log Cabin Quilt
    • General Guidelines for One-Step Quilting
            Wigwarm
            Seminole Sleeping Bag
            Crazy Quilt Stocking
            String-Quilted Snap-On Hat
  • CHAPTER 7: ONLY BY MACHINE
    • Fabrics
            Gingham and Geometrics
            Felt
            Napped Fabrics
            Prequilted Fabrics
            Knits
            Recycled Nylons
            Leather and Imitation Leather
            Transparent Fabrics
            Ribbons and Trim
            Potpourri
    • Novelty Threads
            Gold Thread
            Elastic
            Invisible Nylon
    • Novelty Battings
            Foam Rubber
            Down
            Lint
    • Innovative Techniques
            Overlapping Units
            Stuffed Pleats
            Open Work
            Padded Applique
            Circle Quilting
            Layered Work
  • CHAPTER 8: FOR WORKING PEOPLE ONLY
    • The Quickest Full-Size Quilt of All: The Duvet
    • Working Woman's One-Night Wonder Quilt
  • CHAPTER 9: QUICK GIFTS
    • Baker's Mitt
    • Nametag
    • Key/Luggage Tag
    • Fabric Letters
    • Basic Tote
    • Catnip Kitty Bag
    • Needlecase
    • Log-Cabin Pincushion
    • Tooth Fairy Bag
    • Other Quick Gifts
    • How To Design Your Own Alphabets
  • CHAPTER 10: YOUR OWN DESIGNS
    • Design Exercises for Beginners
    • Practical Advice on Color
    • One More Way to Design
    • Print Your Own Fabric
    • Use Your Camera for Design
    • Draw Original Designs
  • CHAPTER 11: THINGS NO OTHER QUILTING BOOK WILL TELL YOU
    • How to Organize Your Sewing Center
    • How to Make Time to Quilt
    • How to Teach Machine Quilting
    • How to Buy a Sewing Machine
    • How to Photograph a Quilt
    • How To Organize Group Quilting
    • How To Care for Machine-Quilted Quilts
    • How to Buy and Sell a Quilt
    • How NOT To Hang a Quilt Show
  • CHAPTER 12: PROBLEM SOLVING AND MISCELLANEOUS TIPS
    • Easy Dust Ruffle
    • Standard Pillowcase
    • How to Tame a Slippery Quilt
    • Fabric Care
    • Stain Removal
    • Dye Chart
    • The Problem-Solving Clinic
    • Ways to Relax
    • Workmanship and Personal Standards...
    • ...And a Final Word
  • Glossary
  • Bibliography
  • Resources and Supplies
  • INDEX

Cover Image Property of PUBLISHER
1994 edition. This image was scanned from the Dianna May Martin personal library collection

  • Foreword by Jackie Dodson
  • Note to Readers Who Use Metrics
  • Preface
  • Introduction
  • Part I: GET STARTED IMMEDIATELY:
    • Basic Information for Your Machine
    • The Message Board
  • Part II: CHOICES:
    • Techniques
    • Design
    • Applications
  • Part III: SPECIFICS:
    • Understanding Your Tools
    • Marking, Basting, Quilting, Finishing
  • Final Word
  • APPENDICES:
    • Mini-Encyclopedia
    • More on Machines
    • Resources
    • Directory
    • Bibliography
  • INDEX

Title: The Complete Book of Machine Quilting
Author/Designer: Robbie and Tony Fanning
Format/Publication Date: TPB:1980;1994(2nd revised edition)
Publisher: Chilton Book Company, Radnor, PA
Language: English
Page Count: 334;272(2nd revised edition)
Book Dimensions(ht. x w.): 10" x 7"
ISBN: 0801968038;0801983886(2nd revised edition)

SUMMARY- Believe it or not, the ToC I've given you to the left is somewhat abridged. This is one of the small handfull of quilting books I have that didn't originally belong to my mother. I'm a bit of an editor groupie, and happen to be Robbie Fanning's biggest fan. I'm also a big fan of Chilton craft-oriented books, because Robbie was a genius at picking her stable of authors. Robbie never produced a bad book, and every one I've ever encountered was extraordinary. This book is somewhat dated now, unless you happen to possess your mom's sewing machine(or if you're several years older than me), but there's still tons of great information here. Just ignore the metric measurements - they're a hilarious artifact of the times, but completely useless and often counterproductive.

I wrote the above brief review in 2019. I ran across a later revised 2nd edition that is about 60 pages shorter, so I bought it to check it against the original. If you scroll down to the bottom of the ToC for the 1st edition, you'll find the cover art and ToC for the 2nd edition. Apparently, Robbie found the metric conversions as useless as I did, and dispensed with them in this edition. All the sewing machine information has been updated to what existed in 1990, and it's shorter because she chose to concentrate only on the quilting aspect of quilting in the 2nd edition. If you want this book, I'd look for the 2nd edition. Robbie is still a genius, and she has a deep love of sharing information that she took such great joy in gathering.