Hey, so I remembered libraries exist!

I was a rampant library goer since elementary school, you kind of have to be when you're an avid reader.  After I was done with all my "higher learning" and moved back to WA in 2003 I just never got around to getting another library card.  When I started looking into quilting at the beginning of the year I saw a ton of books I wanted, but with full bookshelves and that thing called a "budget" I was in a bit of a quandary about figuring out where to start.  I've bought a number of sewing books that weren't that useful and I didn't want to repeat that with quilting/crafts.

I used to pacify the guilt I had at borrowing books instead of buying them by reminding myself that since I didn't have kids, but taxes went to support schools and libraries, that I should take advantage of the library services as much as possible.   Once I remembered that, I ran to get a card pronto!

Our library system is awesome, Seattle has so many branches I've managed to get a ton of books in the last two months so I could winnow through them and see which ones I felt I needed. (By the way, technology has sure advanced, I was totally embarrassed to find out that you don't check your books out at the desk anymore, you just go to a computer and scan them all in - I mean even held books are just on a shelf in alphabetical order by lendee name and you just go in, grab them yourself, check em out yourself...60 seconds tops, its amazing.)

First picture in Denyse Schmidt's Quilts - decided I must buy it no matter what, must make beds and all!

I have a technique for figuring out which books to purchase.  I use business cards to mark projects I'd like to make as I browse through them.  If I bookmark more than two projects I consider it, and if it has 4 pages bookmarked its a "must buy".

Yep, the only reason I'm writing this post is to say that if you aren't utilizing your library I highly recommend it!  My most recent purchases are;
Denyse Schmidt: Quilts - by Denyse Schmitdt and Bethany Lyttle
Fat Quarterly - Shape Workshop for /quilters -  by 4 awesome people
Doodle stitching: The Motif Collection: 400+ Easy Embroidery Designs by Aimee Ray