North Carolina Quilts

My wife and I found this book and decided to get it as a gift for my grandmother, who has arthritis (from making so many quilts) and is no longer able to quilt, but who also loves to read. We found that this fit her well and hope that she enjoyed it!

north carolina quilts have a distinctive character. you will see quilts unlike any others, many of them beautiful, all of them interesting. there is a good sized section devoted to chintz applique quilts (also known as broderie perse in other states) with several examples i have not seen in other quilts books. there are pieced quilts unlike most i have seen, and some appliqued and pieced and appliqued quilts that are simply stunning. an added bonus is the number of quilts post-1920 that are included. some of these quilts are stunningly quilted, and this can be seen clearly in most of the photos. the photo quality of the quilts is good, with occasional detailed photos. there are also photos of many of the quilters who made these wonderful textiles, their families and their homes. there are exerpts from letters and diaries. the text is very well written and well researched, and stays on the subject. the section dealing with north carolina's history is short and deals mainly with the stages of the textile industry. any quilter, and especially any applique-er, looking for traditional or historical inspiration will find many singular or little known designs. defnintely recommened.

This book has wonderful photographs of North Carolina quilts, terrific documentation of quilts and their makers, and good historical context. The photos are great, but the stories of the quilters are really compelling. One touching story describes Rutha Ann Stiles, a lovely young woman who was born without hands. There is a photo of a very serviceable crazy quilt she made with her feet, for a favorite niece. On the quilt, she embroidered a hand. Her quilt is a monument to determination and love. This book is filled with beautiful quilts and amazing stories. If you love antique quilts, you need this on your bookshelf.

I checked this book out of the Cashiers, North Carolina Library and spent a week browsing it. It has many fascinating color plates of North Carolina's historical quilts. There is an early embroidered farm scene quilt that is particularly spectacular and worthy of reproduction. There are also many black and white vintage photos of North Carolina's quilters in period dress. I spent almost as much time looking at the vintage clothing photographs and the names of the women as I did the photos of the quilts. This is not a "how to quilt" book, but I think the photos and historical information in this volume would be beneficial to anyone interested in primary source research in vintage clothing and quilts of southern origin.