As a quilter nonplussed and over quilted, to some extent, I've been eager to find something new in quilting. Little did I know that I'd find renewed enthusiasm for my craft in the past. This book, Antique Quilt Masterpieces, by Shelly Zegart, is just the bit of quilting history to ignite my passion once again. Blips, here and there, in the quilt world-a new gadget, a new technique or style of fabric will spark my interest, but, after reading the first few pages of this book, I am renewed and will begin a greater understanding of the historical and yet practical reasons why I quilt.
Here is a sample of the fine history and writing in this book, which I could not put down.
"A woman sometimes used a quilt to record her memories and, in the process, to immortalize herself as its maker. An elderly Ohio quiltmaker described a quilt she had pieced as follows: "My whole life is in that quilt. It scares me sometimes when I look at it. All my joys and all my sorrows are stitched into those tiny pieces. When I was proud of the boys and when I was downright provoked and angry with them. When the girls annoyed me or when they gave me a warm feeling around my heart. And John, too. He was stitched into that quilt and all the thirty years we were married. Sometimes I loved him and sometimes I sat there hating him as I pieced the patches together. So they are all in that quilt, my hopes and fears, my joys and sorrows, my loves and hates. I tremble sometimes when I remember what that quilt knows about me."
Isn't that beautiful? "I tremble sometimes when I remember what that quilt knows about me?" OMG! Quilters are awesome! Again, this was written, according to Ms. Zegart, by a woman named Jane Carr, in 1814. I've just begun reading this book, and felt I had to share a little of what I've read so far, with the quilters I've come to share things with on my blog.
I don't have just one quilt that I share my trembles with. I have many, I guess that progress for ya...smile...
4 comments:
sounds like an interesting book. Like you I find it hard to actually stay engaged at times, but then I open my scrap bon and look at all the lovely colours :-)
That sounds great,- when you had to hand piece and hand quilt over years so much of your life would be in the one quilt, Tracey
If only that quilt could talk!
Will keep a lookout for the book.
I adore quilt history books for this very reason. I have as many of them as I've been able to buy over the years. I sure wish I'd had more money when they first came out because now they are going for a small fortune. Did you see the price of the one copy of this book available on Amazon? I love the state quilt search books - some of them are now very expensive also. Were you lucky enough to find an inexpensive copy of this book somewhere, or possibly checked it out of the library? It certainly looks like a good one.
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