I work in a book store that sells new and used books. I now have the used book buyers trained to let me see the quilting books they buy before they are out on the shelves. Not sure if this is such a good thing, but I recently came across this absolute treasure.
The author writes about growing up in Sweden, her love of fabric as a child, learning to sew and make quilts, studying textile arts, and teaching classes in quilt-maiking and "the adaptive recycling and reuse of clothing." I love it!
After finding two old quilts in a a rubbish dump, she decided to find and have an exhibition of old patchwork quilts. She made it her hobby to ask everyone she met if they had any old patchwork quilts.... Whenever she found one, she interrogated (her words) the owners about the history of their treasures. The histories of the makers are as fascinating as the quilts. It's a little like the quilts of Gees Bend. - There is so much poverty and hardship in the stories, and yet people find the time and resources to make something not only functional but artistic. Her exhibitions of the quilts she found led to the publishing of this book both in Swedish and English.
Here are just a few of my favorites...
This log cabin quilt was made by Anna-Britta Persdotter, in 1890. I think the large black centers to the log cabins give this quilt such interesting depth.
This quilt was made by a man - Karl Magnus Jonsson, a tailor. It was made in the late 1800's from scraps of the clothes he made.
A string quilt! Everything old is new and trendy again... This was made by Maria Augusta Lindholm in 1938. Because of an injury she received as a young girl, her parents thought she would never get married, so they decided to provide her with an education. She was sent to Helsinki where she received training as a linen-goods seamstress. She made this quilt for her niece as a wedding present.
These are just a few of the many fascinating stories and beautiful quilts in this book. I hope you can find a copy for your own quilt-book library.
What quilt books are you looking at these days?
