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The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950
For more than two hundred years, American women have been recording their hopes and dreams, their fears and frustrations in the exacting stitches and exuberant designs of their quilts. The American Quilt shows how these virtuoso textiles, long appreciated for their bold graphic appeal and naive charm, are also a fascinating reflection of cultural and social attitudes, painting an indelible portrait of our nation’s history and the remarkable women who lived it.
America of the 18th and 19th centuries developed at a breathtaking pace, and the changes that marked each era were inevitably mirrored in the prevailing quilting styles of the period. The American Quilt marks the first time the evolution of quilting has been traced chronologically, identifying the fabric, design, and construction hallmarks of each period and showing the genesis of beloved patterns and styles. A thorough discussion of America’s textile history, complete with a fabric time-line, provides further insight into antique quilts, offering important clues to their age and provenance.
The American Quilt charts the course of quilting in America, from the earliest whole-cloth and broderie perse quilts through the emergence of the block style in all its regional and popular permutations. Special sections are devoted to quilt subgenres, including Amish quilts, Baltimore Album quilts, mourning quilts, and African-American quilts, that are highly prized by collectors today.
Quilt collectors will also find helpful information on displaying, storing, and caring for quilts, as well as an exhaustive directory of dealers and quilt collections that have been updated for this edition.
Filled with more than 250 photographs of rarely seen quilts and delightful evocations of quilting’s colorful past, The American Quilt is a thought-provoking and important step forward in our ever-expanding knowledge of this remarkable folk art.
“[ The American Quilt ] offers a profusely illustrated survey that ingeniously weaves the threads of America’s social, political, economic, and industrial history into the evolution of the quilt-making arts.” — New York Times
“A longtime dealer of antique quilts, Kiracofe has given us a guide to evaluating and dating old quilts, and has included methods of tracking down the makers, and advice on their cleaning, storage, hanging, and restoration. A pleasure for the generalist, this book will be indispensable to serious students and collectors.” — Washington Post
“A must for any serious student of quilts.” — Quilter’s Notebook
A “classic quilt tome.”— USA Today
America of the 18th and 19th centuries developed at a breathtaking pace, and the changes that marked each era were inevitably mirrored in the prevailing quilting styles of the period. The American Quilt marks the first time the evolution of quilting has been traced chronologically, identifying the fabric, design, and construction hallmarks of each period and showing the genesis of beloved patterns and styles. A thorough discussion of America’s textile history, complete with a fabric time-line, provides further insight into antique quilts, offering important clues to their age and provenance.
The American Quilt charts the course of quilting in America, from the earliest whole-cloth and broderie perse quilts through the emergence of the block style in all its regional and popular permutations. Special sections are devoted to quilt subgenres, including Amish quilts, Baltimore Album quilts, mourning quilts, and African-American quilts, that are highly prized by collectors today.
Quilt collectors will also find helpful information on displaying, storing, and caring for quilts, as well as an exhaustive directory of dealers and quilt collections that have been updated for this edition.
Filled with more than 250 photographs of rarely seen quilts and delightful evocations of quilting’s colorful past, The American Quilt is a thought-provoking and important step forward in our ever-expanding knowledge of this remarkable folk art.
“[ The American Quilt ] offers a profusely illustrated survey that ingeniously weaves the threads of America’s social, political, economic, and industrial history into the evolution of the quilt-making arts.” — New York Times
“A longtime dealer of antique quilts, Kiracofe has given us a guide to evaluating and dating old quilts, and has included methods of tracking down the makers, and advice on their cleaning, storage, hanging, and restoration. A pleasure for the generalist, this book will be indispensable to serious students and collectors.” — Washington Post
“A must for any serious student of quilts.” — Quilter’s Notebook
A “classic quilt tome.”— USA Today
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 27, 2021
This is a lovely book I'd recommend to anyone interested in American quilts. Loads of beautiful color photos with explanations. The text traces styles and uses of quilts through American history up to 1950. I read this in preparation for the special exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts St Petersburg, "Pieced and Patterned: American Quilts c. 1800-1930, on view through Jan 23, 2022.
February 17, 2018
For anyone interested in history of textiles and womens' vital contribution to the settlement of our nation and the development of our culture, this is a great book. The text is concise, well researched, and filled with citations.
The author cites texts that suggest that the original Jamestown settlement was a disaster because no women accompanied the men to colonize the new territories and men were unable or unwilling to perform all tasks necessary for survival. It details the contribution of colonial women in farming, clothing, trade, textile, and apothecary fields. When agrarian culture evolved sufficiently to allow some leisure, women were "elevated" and confined to domestic arts practiced in the home, parallel to Victorian trends in England.
As is often the case with written women's history, the narrative of enforced domesticity ignores the hard work and struggle of women who were widowed or abandoned, particularly in the years during and after the civil war. These women were forced to enter the working world, sometimes in the cotton trade working as spinners, or in textile factories, paid approximately 1/2 the wage of men, but with similar or even more burdensome responsibilities than the men they worked alongside.
This book is illustrated with superb examples of fabric and pattern throughout and dispels myths about quilting being an art of necessity rather than an art form comparable to women's needlework in other domains. It is well worth reading.
The author cites texts that suggest that the original Jamestown settlement was a disaster because no women accompanied the men to colonize the new territories and men were unable or unwilling to perform all tasks necessary for survival. It details the contribution of colonial women in farming, clothing, trade, textile, and apothecary fields. When agrarian culture evolved sufficiently to allow some leisure, women were "elevated" and confined to domestic arts practiced in the home, parallel to Victorian trends in England.
As is often the case with written women's history, the narrative of enforced domesticity ignores the hard work and struggle of women who were widowed or abandoned, particularly in the years during and after the civil war. These women were forced to enter the working world, sometimes in the cotton trade working as spinners, or in textile factories, paid approximately 1/2 the wage of men, but with similar or even more burdensome responsibilities than the men they worked alongside.
This book is illustrated with superb examples of fabric and pattern throughout and dispels myths about quilting being an art of necessity rather than an art form comparable to women's needlework in other domains. It is well worth reading.
March 10, 2023
I thought this a great introduction to American quilt history.
Though filled with an abundance of illustrations, it’s not a comprehensive survey. African-American quilts, for example, don’t have a strong presence. But that remains for larger or more specialized books.
Though filled with an abundance of illustrations, it’s not a comprehensive survey. African-American quilts, for example, don’t have a strong presence. But that remains for larger or more specialized books.
October 7, 2025
I've long held this book to be the quintessential overview of American quilt history. While other books probably have just as much information, this one has the most stunning images and photographs. It also just feels like the author loves and appreciates quilts.
April 18, 2021
Love love. Great resource and reference book.
August 5, 2008
Not only is it full of eye-candy quilts, there's excellent history along side them. I have drooled over this book time and time again :)
May 8, 2009
Beautiful historical quilts. It will provide a lifetime of inspiration.
December 16, 2016
Extraordinary.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews