Product Description

Since the early nineteenth century women have been using their fabric collections to make quilts, often using thousands of pieces in a single quilt. These feats of perseverance and art were newsworth and in towns across the United States they caught the attention of the local press, which recognized the women and their work. This book gathers these newspaper accounts of industrious needlework into a chronicle of the work. Arranged chronologically, the reports are accompanied by detailed photographs of quilts made during the same time period. This visual record of the antique quilts make it clear how painstaking and beautiful was the quiltmaker's work, and why it attracted attention. Aficionados of women's history, textile history and quilt history will gain valuable insights into the quiltmakers' dedication to their minute work, and the esteem in which their communities held them. Quilt historians and all who cherish the art of the quilt will gain a new understanding of the quilts and the people who made them.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #442531 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-20
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

Quirky quilting history
This is a quirky little book full of newspaper excerpts about quilting. The best part is the background printing on each page which is a close-up of original fabrics used in the featured quilts. A lovely book to go back to and browse over coffee.

Lots of old newspaper snippets about quilts
This book was enjoyable, but got to be a little redundant after awhile. I loved the photographs of the antique quilts and quilt tops. A good read, then pass it on to the next quilter you know who is interested in quilt history. I don't consider this a book I would read over and over again.

Bringing together closeup images and close up news reports
From the beginning of the 20th century, through 2 World Wars, the Great Depression, the Great Society, the quilt revival, and continuing into the 21st century, quilters have searched their local newspapers, national magazines and books for new patterns and mention of quilts, quilt shows and famous quilters.

In Ms Reich's beautiful new book we will read news of noteworthy quilts and quilters of the 19th century directly from local newspapers of the times. Especially newsworthy were quilts made from "gazillions" of tiny pieces of fabric, painstakingly cut apart and then resewn together in set patterns. It is obvious to this reader that as the 19th century advanced the men who wrote those little filler blurbs became less and less amazed at the feat, and more and more incredulous at why anyone would even attempt such a thing as cutting fabrics into tiny pieces only to sew them back together again into gorgeous patterns. We quilters know why, and so does Ms Reich.

The photos that accompany the text, both in closeup of the fabrics used and the quilts seen as a whole, are incredibly clear and true as to color. Those fabrics are as packed with mouth-watering goodness as a good bar of dark semi-sweet chocolate, and are just as satisfying. In addition the short news articles are often good for a chuckle. This book gives joy on many levels, and as a new addition to the history of quilting is invaluable.