Southern Quilts: Surviving Relics of the Civil War

Ramsey and Waldvogel begin "Southern Quilts" with a discussion about the tradition and techniques of quilt making in the antebellum South, and then a review of how these efforts changed during the Civil War. The core of the book, however, is the oral history behind the varied and absolutely gorgeous quilts depicted in the book. We hear about Barbara Broyles of Tennessee who had the unusual experience of having soldiers "unkind enough" to return quilts that she sent for their use in a nearby camp. (Usually quilts were not returned in these circumstances.) Why unkind? The quilts were infected with typhus from the diseases in camp and Broyles and her husband died four days later. Her perhaps-fatal trapunto-style white whole cloth quilt is one of the most beautiful in the book. Also depicted is an Irish chain and applique quilt given to a wounded Union soldier who was stranded behind lines. The maker draped it over his shoulders to cover his blue uniform while he made his way back through Confederate-held territory. My absolutely favorite story is the about Cave Hill Farm Quilt. During the war, a sickly Confederate soldier, who had escaped from a group of prisoners, showed up at Kinkead family's door, asking to be hidden from the Yankees. The mother directed him to a nearby cave, and gave him a feathered star quilt to keep warm. The family wondered whether he made it safely to the cave--until sometime after the war when the quilt was discovered in the cave. "Southern Quilts" illustrates this story not just with a "glamour shot" of the quilt but closeups of the damage done in the cave, and photographs of the Kinkead mother and daughters who created the quilt. Among other quilts depicted are ones made to raise money for gunboats, quilts buried with the family silver, a quilt turned into a poncho for a soldier, quilts sent off to war, quilts similar to those covering the beds of generals on campaign, and commemoration quilts made after the war.Especially interesting for me was a chance to see good close-up pictures of homespun and linsey-woolsey--fabrics to which southerners resorted due to the blockade.Between the color photographs of quilts dating mostly from the 1840s to 1860s and interesting tales of individual experiences during the war, "Southern Quilts" is a book that I enjoy looking through again and again.

Very interesting history of particular quilts during the Civil War. Many color photos of each quilt. Worth buying just for the beautiful photographs. After seeing the photos, the history of each quilt was just icing on the cake. Many of the quilts that were stolen or sold are traced to the original maker. Viewing what these Southern ladies made has inspired me to put more effort in my quilts!

Good historical account of the role quilts played in the Civil War. Stories about quilts from both sides of the War are portrayed and showed the determination womem had to the side they were on. Quilts were used to for warmth as well as, to express art or a political statement.