Product Description

This abundantly illustrated volume arises out of the painstaking work of the Georgia Quilt Project, the most authoritative survey of quilts and quiltmakers ever undertaken in the state. Georgia Quilts showcases the diversity of quilting materials, methods, and patterns used in the state from the nineteenth century to the present and reveals how quilts serve as conduits of history and culture. From plain bed coverings of fabric scraps to exquisitely wrought pieces made for the "best bed," each of the 120 examples featured in the book tells its own story of abundance or want, peace or war, tradition or novelty.

Instead of the usual chronological approach taken by many quilt histories, Georgia Quilts looks at a number of themes through which the common story of the state, its people, and its quilting legacy can be told. Chapters follow various threads of the craft, including Civil War-era quilts, the cotton economy, quilting groups, feed sack quilts, everyday and fine-craft quilts, and special-occasion quilts, including those made as gifts to honor athletes at the 1996 Olympic games. The volume's contributors have a deep knowledge of, and strong personal ties to, quilt history and quiltmaking in Georgia.

The Georgia Quilt Project, beginning in 1990, has documented more than 10,000 quilts. Volunteers conducted dozens of Quilt History Days around the state, interviewing quilt owners and examining and photographing their quilts. The 120 quilts included in this book have been chosen from the thousands seen by the Project. Some are notable for their beauty, rarity, or workmanship; others are simple, functional objects that have been cherished for their ties to family history. All have their own stories to tell about family, community, and the desire to leave something tangible behind.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #503608 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
"Georgia Quilts offers more than quilts. It gives us the women who made them and 200 years of the Georgia in which they lived. It shows that so-called women's work is as much a part of the fabric of our state's heritage as wars and politics. Amen to that." --Southern Living, October 2007, Patricia Willens

About the Author
Anita Zaleski Weinraub is the chairwoman of the Georgia Quilt Project and a contributor to The Olympic Games Quilts volume. She has curated four quilt exhibitions at the Atlanta History Center.

Customer Reviews

wonderful addition to state quilt books
from the wonderful plays on words in the title, to the chapter notes at the end of the book, this book is filled with delights.

as two other reviewers have noted, there are wonderful, amazing and rare quilts included in this book. besides the lethal (perfect adjective!) saw quilt, there are broderie perse, pieced, four block, crazy, and string pieced quilts (and a quilt machine pieced and quilted--in the 1860s!). a feature of this book that i particularly enjoyed was the number of late-20th century quilts included. i was left with the impression that georgia quilters had no problems with innovation and individuality. also interesting were the run-of-the-mill quilts, many near disintegration. these not only showed what was used on a day-to-day basis, but give context to the more elaborate quilts.

the georgia history is interesting--i had no idea the state had had a thriving textile industry. there are many fascinating photos, and even diagrams of various styles of quilting frames. there is a very interesting section that compares statistically euro-american and afro-american quilts by subject matter.

since two other reviewers have done such a good job of reviewing this book, i will end by saying that this is a must-have book for quilters.

Very 20th Century
I'm interested in Vintage quilts, and State Quilt Study Groups publications are a great place to become acquainted with regional quilt patterns and aesthetics prior to 1900. Georgia Quilts is a bit disappointing compared to some other State Quilt books. Relatively few quilts prior to 1900, although some are superb; a Circular Saw that looks positively lethal, and a breathtakingly beautiful Lotus Blossom. Most State Quilt books are organized chronologically, this one is not, so there may be more pre-1900 quilts than I think. There's a lot of space devoted to non-quilting topics- including a chapter on King Cotton, which was interesting, and - not un-associated with quilts. Oh, two of Harriet Powers' fabulous quilts are pictured.

great delivery
Great book and very reasonably priced

Received within 5 days to Australia

Well done