Book Review: The Quilters...
04-06-2018, 07:56 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 802
Book Review: The Quilters...
The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art An Oral History by Patricia Cooper and Norma Bradley Allen 1978
Really great book! Its about quilters from Texas and New Mexico. The authors interviewed them in the early 70's when the quilters were in their 70's and up. They tell about moving into the prarie and living in dugout houses until they could build one above ground, and using quilts for warmth while they slept with wind coming through the walls. And of course it has pictures of their beautiful quilts.
One of the most interesting parts to me was one of the women, who had picked cotton one way or another much of her life, complaining about the quality of the cotton, saying it was "bolly" or had pieces of the bolls in it. Lol! I've wondered the same thing while looking at Warm and Natural. Her description of picking, cleaning and combing the cotton to make the batt for a quilt is really fascinating. I'd wondered how they did that back in the olden days.
They also have transcriptions of the things the ladies said while they were quilting. "You sure look fancy today, girl." "Oh, what do you mean? My clothes are ever one ready to go in the scrap bag. I'm going to be able to piece quilts for a year."
Definitely pick it up if you see it. I got it at Thrift Town for $.99. Best deal for months!
Really great book! Its about quilters from Texas and New Mexico. The authors interviewed them in the early 70's when the quilters were in their 70's and up. They tell about moving into the prarie and living in dugout houses until they could build one above ground, and using quilts for warmth while they slept with wind coming through the walls. And of course it has pictures of their beautiful quilts.
One of the most interesting parts to me was one of the women, who had picked cotton one way or another much of her life, complaining about the quality of the cotton, saying it was "bolly" or had pieces of the bolls in it. Lol! I've wondered the same thing while looking at Warm and Natural. Her description of picking, cleaning and combing the cotton to make the batt for a quilt is really fascinating. I'd wondered how they did that back in the olden days.
They also have transcriptions of the things the ladies said while they were quilting. "You sure look fancy today, girl." "Oh, what do you mean? My clothes are ever one ready to go in the scrap bag. I'm going to be able to piece quilts for a year."
Definitely pick it up if you see it. I got it at Thrift Town for $.99. Best deal for months!
04-09-2018, 03:39 PM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South West Ontario
Posts: 2,235
Just ordered a used copy on line - book was $5.33 Cdn, shipping was $15+ ! Yikes!, but it sounds like a good read and there wasn't a copy on any Canadian book seller website that I found.
Any fellow Canadians want to borrow it once I've read it?
Any fellow Canadians want to borrow it once I've read it?
04-10-2018, 05:19 AM
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Jeffersonville, In
Posts: 2,621
Sounds great. Thanks for sharing. I always marvel at the antique quilts. The tools and techniques we have that they didn't and the beauties our great great grandmothers turned out could be stunning.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
butterflywing
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
26
02-02-2010 11:54 AM
