Summer Reading- Quilt History (2 of 2)
At the start of the summer, we visited the "Friends of the Library Book Store" at a local library for some summer reading. I love to support the library in this way, and sometimes you can pick up great reads at a fraction of the "new" book price, (plus that recycling thing draws me in every time.) But it never occurred to me that people might donate their gently used quilting books; I could have saved a lot of money, if I'd run across their crafting section earlier!
My first find was a book entitled Mary Black's Family Quilts, by Laura Horton, which examines the multi-generational quilt collection of one family. Since Mary's first quilt can be dated back to the 1700's, her sixteen quilts chronicle the textiles and trends of a significant amount of US history. Horton combines that history with snippets of family history and a close examination of the quilts themselves. It got me wondering what more I might find at the library.
So, off I went to check out multiple library book stores. I found Stitched from the Soul- Slave Quilts from the Antebellum South, by Gladys-Marie Fry. This book provided a look at quilts sewn during the same time frame and in the same general geographic region as those produced by Mary Black's family, but under very different circumstances.
Are you picking up a theme here?
Yes, my summer reading list eventually expanded to include a history of the patchwork quilt, beginning in the 1600's and encompassing quilting applications in many cultures and locations. For you non-quilters, this might seem like very dry stuff indeed. But there were a couple of "take-aways" I got from this reading. First, it was a glimpse of the evolution of this craft and it's place in the home, along with the cultural subtexts that impacted it. Second, I picked up some new-to-me terminology and references to techniques which may have gone out of style, but which could be revisited in up-dated applications. And third, in reading the analysis of these quilts, I gained a better understanding of what is valued in construction and execution from an academic and historic viewpoint. This will give me a stronger appreciation of quilts in general, both old and new.
I also enjoy putting the histories of quilting, or fashion, or art, or any creative outlet in the context of the events of the time. This gives a feeling of what life was like, how people's lives were shaped by their circumstances, and how they reacted to those circumstances.
Of course, history is still being written for quilting, as well as all forms of artistic expression... wonderful to think of making a small personal contribution to this narrative!
At the start of the summer, we visited the "Friends of the Library Book Store" at a local library for some summer reading. I love to support the library in this way, and sometimes you can pick up great reads at a fraction of the "new" book price, (plus that recycling thing draws me in every time.) But it never occurred to me that people might donate their gently used quilting books; I could have saved a lot of money, if I'd run across their crafting section earlier!
My first find was a book entitled Mary Black's Family Quilts, by Laura Horton, which examines the multi-generational quilt collection of one family. Since Mary's first quilt can be dated back to the 1700's, her sixteen quilts chronicle the textiles and trends of a significant amount of US history. Horton combines that history with snippets of family history and a close examination of the quilts themselves. It got me wondering what more I might find at the library.
So, off I went to check out multiple library book stores. I found Stitched from the Soul- Slave Quilts from the Antebellum South, by Gladys-Marie Fry. This book provided a look at quilts sewn during the same time frame and in the same general geographic region as those produced by Mary Black's family, but under very different circumstances.
Are you picking up a theme here?
Yes, my summer reading list eventually expanded to include a history of the patchwork quilt, beginning in the 1600's and encompassing quilting applications in many cultures and locations. For you non-quilters, this might seem like very dry stuff indeed. But there were a couple of "take-aways" I got from this reading. First, it was a glimpse of the evolution of this craft and it's place in the home, along with the cultural subtexts that impacted it. Second, I picked up some new-to-me terminology and references to techniques which may have gone out of style, but which could be revisited in up-dated applications. And third, in reading the analysis of these quilts, I gained a better understanding of what is valued in construction and execution from an academic and historic viewpoint. This will give me a stronger appreciation of quilts in general, both old and new.
I also enjoy putting the histories of quilting, or fashion, or art, or any creative outlet in the context of the events of the time. This gives a feeling of what life was like, how people's lives were shaped by their circumstances, and how they reacted to those circumstances.
Of course, history is still being written for quilting, as well as all forms of artistic expression... wonderful to think of making a small personal contribution to this narrative!
I love the incorporation of books and history into the theme of creativity! It would be interesting to do a comparison of different countries’ creative histories to see how greatly historical context shapes mediums and methods. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThat would be interesting!
DeleteThe first culture that comes to my mind is the Hawaiian islands and the way Hawaiian artisans applied their own culture and creative vision to the art form of quilting introduced by colonists. I've done some pieces with their techniques which I'm planning to share eventually.
And there's so much more of the world to explore!!!