Quilts and Coverlets: A Contemporary Approach

From a rich heritage of traditional work has come a new impetus to create quilts of modern design; for quilts–like other folk arts–provide a worldless; yet personal communication from one generation to another. The lovely, detailed quilts of early America are certainly objects to be admired, but they need not be slavishly copied. — Original designs are so easily applied to quilt making, there is no need to imitate previous ones, and the creative person should not deny herself the opportunity that quilt making affords for self-expression through the use of color, pattern and composition. The purpose of this book is to celebrate the work of contemporary quilt makers and to inspire those who are skilled in either sewing or in design to employ their talents toward an end that is both practical and artistically satisfying. Two methods of making quilts and coverlets are explored here. One considers the entire fabric as a canvas upon which the designer can embroider with thread or yarn, or apply a collage of fabric cutouts, or paint with dyes using the batik process. The other deals with forming the quilt or coverlet top by building it up piece by piece. The latter method is excellent for geometric designs and is especially appropriate for those who feel hesitant about their drawing ability. The actual process of quilting by stitching the top layer of fabric to a lining and holding the padding firmly between the two pieces of material is carefully explained in a separate section. Making quilts and coverlets does not, in any case, require academic training, but rather encourages the growth of natural talent. Striking photographs of contemporary works show the enormous potential for a renaissance of this art and how easy it is to achieve excellent results with a bit of persistence and a willingness to learn. . .