This work is the result of a three-year project carried out by the Quilters' Guild in Britain, the aim of which was to create the first national index of quilts in the country made prior to 1960. There are over 150 colour illustrations, including examples of: wholecloth quilts; pieced quilts; military, Bible and signature quilts; Red Cross quilts from Canada (sent as war relief); American quilts from the 1930s; applique panels from Egypt; and embroidery from China. With chapters written by some of the leading authorities on quilts, quilting and textiles, this book provides both a record of historical interest and a source of inspiration to contemporary quiltmakers.

Patchwork quilts are hugely evocative emblems of our domestic past. With no two quite the same, each example hints both at the story of the particular household in which it was produced and at a larger piece of social history. But quilting is by no means only historical, with the craft seeing a huge revival in popularity in recent years, and items that were once made for purely utilitarian and practical reasons are now produced and appreciated for the connection they afford us to a rich vein of heritage and nostalgia. Illustrated with a stunning range of examples from the Quilters' Guild Collection – of which the author is curator – this book is a wonderful introduction to a hugely important aspect of British domestic history.

"Here's your chance to get up close and personal with an amazing collections of crazies!" - Quilter's Newsletter Magazine. Made from the finest silks, satins, and velvets and stitched together with elaborate embroidery, the crazy quilt is a testament to quilters’ rich imagination and artistry. This beautiful book traces the bewitching history of “Crazies” from their earliest origins to the present day. Distinguished quilting teacher and appraiser Cindy Brick follows the crazy quilt from colonial times, the Civil War, the Victorian era, and through today, decoding the mystery and meaning of these curious quilts. Also included is a detailed how-to section on constructing crazy quilts. Brick offers methods for planning, piecing, and embroidering or embellishing your quilt, and gives numerous helpful tips that only an expert could provide.

In contrast to much current scholarship on women and material culture which focuses primarily on women as consumers, this essay collection provides case studies of women who produced material objects. The essays collected here make an original contribution to material culture studies by focusing on women's social practices in relation to material culture. The essays as a whole are concerned with women's complex and active engagement with material culture in the various stages of the material object's life cycle, from design and production to consumption, use, and redeployment. Also, theorized and described are the ways in which women engaged in meaning making, identity formation, and commemoration through their manipulation of materials and techniques, ranging from taxidermy and shell work to collecting autographs and making scrapbooks. This volume takes as its object of investigation the overlooked and often despised categories of women's decorative and craft activities as sites of important cultural and social work. This volume is interdisciplinary with essays by art historians, social historians, literary critics, rhetoricians, and museum curators. The scope of the volume is international with essays on eighteenth-century German silhouettes, Australian aboriginal ritual practices, Brittany mourning rites, and Soviet-era recipes that provide a comparative framework for the majority of essays which focus on British and North American women who lived and worked in the long nineteenth century. This volume will appeal to a broad range of students and scholars in women's history, art history, cultural studies, museum studies, anthropology, cultural and social history, literature, rhetoric, and material culture studies.

The expert quilter presents sixty-nine unique quilt blocks drawn from the rare eighteenth-century coverlet constructed in the Mosaic patchwork tradition. The 1718 Coverlet, the earliest known dated piece of patchwork, has fascinated quilters and textile historians since its discovery in Wiltshire, England. Now quilting expert Susan Briscoe invites readers and crafters to explore this treasure trove of historical inspiration. With this illustrated, step-by-step guide, you can recreate each of the stunning sixty-nine blocks featured in the 1718 Coverlet. Use the blocks in your own creations or make your own replica of this rare historical artifact.

An exquisite and authoritative look at four centuries of quilts and quilting from around the world Quilts are among the most utilitarian of art objects, yet the best among them possess a formal beauty that rivals anything made on canvas. This landmark book, drawn from the world-renowned collection of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, highlights the splendor and craft of quilts with more than 300 superb color images and details. Fascinating essays by two noted scholars trace the evolution of quilting styles and trends as they relate to the social, political, and economic issues of their time. The collection includes quilts made by diverse religious and cultural groups over 400 years and across continents, from the Mediterranean, England, France, America, and Polynesia. The earliest quilts were made in India and the Mediterranean for export to the west and date to the late 16th century. Examples from 18th- to 20th-century America, many made by Amish and African-American quilters, reflect the multicultural nature of American society and include boldly colored and patterned worsteds and brilliant pieced and appliquéd works of art. Grand in scope and handsomely produced, Four Centuries of Quilts: The Colonial Williamsburg Collection is sure to be one of the most useful and beloved references on quilts and quilting for years to come.