Many American women made warm and attractive quilts to honor and benefit US soldiers during the period 1940-1945, either as outright gifts or as raffle items to raise money for the war effort. This book reflects extensive original research of newspaper and magazine articles of the era, and authenticates the patterns and designs available to quiltmakers, anchoring the quilts historically in time. Color photos and descriptive text identify many patriotic quilts made for donation to the Red Cross and organizations such as Bundles for Britain. When possible, original patterns and designs that inspired the quilts are included. The quilts can now be interpreted from factual and objective perspectives, enhancing their historic and emotional importance.

Throughout our country's history, quiltmakers have honored America's presidents in their quiltmaking. Featuring more than 330 images with insightful explanations, this book looks at the presidential quilts and patriotic quilts that have been made by American quilters. From the presidencies of George Washington through Barack Obama, the quilts-along with intriguing quilt-related comments from newspapers of the times-help us enjoy American history, and reflect on how quilt history has chosen to remember the US presidents. Also highlighted are 43 gorgeous newly-made quilts representing each of the United States presidents to date. Each measures twenty-four inches square, and is constructed in a pattern and fabric historically accurate to the leader's presidential term of office; their makers are quilt historians and enthusiasts affiliated with the American Quilt Study Group.

Quiltmaking in the 1910s can be best described as the convergence of the quilt styles of the late nineteenth century with the new innovations of the early twentieth century. One phenomenon of the era was the emergence of major entrepreneurial quilt designers and the exciting fresh look in quilts they contributed to the quilt world. Two catastrophic events in 1917 and 1918 interrupted the emergence of these new trends in quiltmaking. World War I, also referred to as the "Great War" and the 1918 Pandemic Flu, also known as "The Spanish Flu" brought hardship and death to America, and the entire world. Much of the quiltmaking from April 1917 to March 1919, was mostly focused solely on providing for our soldiers and the Red Cross. With their quiltmaking skills, women contributed thousands of quilts for one of the greatest benevolent efforts of the twentieth century.

Since the early nineteenth century women have been using their fabric collections to make quilts, often using thousands of pieces in a single quilt. These feats of perseverance and art were newsworth and in towns across the United States they caught the attention of the local press, which recognized the women and their work. This book gathers these newspaper accounts of industrious needlework into a chronicle of the work. Arranged chronologically, the reports are accompanied by detailed photographs of quilts made during the same time period. This visual record of the antique quilts make it clear how painstaking and beautiful was the quiltmaker's work, and why it attracted attention. Aficionados of women's history, textile history and quilt history will gain valuable insights into the quiltmakers' dedication to their minute work, and the esteem in which their communities held them. Quilt historians and all who cherish the art of the quilt will gain a new understanding of the quilts and the people who made them.

Historically, societies of women gathering together for the purpose of quiltmaking have been referred to as quiltings, frolicks, and bees. This book brings together newspaper articles about their needlework activities with quilts inscribed with hundreds of names - known as signature quilts. Quilting communities encompassed families, church groups, civic and social organizations, and varied awareness groups. Using their quiltmaking skills, women comforted both their families and those in need. They successfully raised monies for their villages and towns, for veterans and orphaned children, for worldwide organizations such as the Red Cross, and benevolent causes close to home. This nearly 200-year tradition in quiltmaking carries into the 21st Century. With needle and scroll, quiltmakers continue to capture their special family events, hails and farewells of friends and coworkers, and needful societal causes in the medium of cloth.

Many American women made warm and attractive quilts to honor and benefit US soldiers during the period 1940-1945, either as outright gifts or as raffle items to raise money for the war effort. This book reflects extensive original research of newspaper and magazine articles of the era, and authenticates the patterns and designs available to quiltmakers, anchoring the quilts historically in time. Color photos and descriptive text identify many patriotic quilts made for donation to the Red Cross and organizations such as Bundles for Britain. When possible, original patterns and designs that inspired the quilts are included. The quilts can now be interpreted from factual and objective perspectives, enhancing their historic and emotional importance.

From the early 1880s through the second quarter of the twentieth century, American women made crazy quilts in colossal numbers. The velvets, satins, silks, wools and cottons of the crazy quilt era reflect abundance in the economy of the society-at-large. Just as they filled their scrapbook albums with trade cards, calling cards, photos and memorabilia, crazy quilt makers embellished their quilts with their most favorite things. The result was newsworthy...literally. Newspapers picked up on the accomplishments of these talented women and shared them with their communities. This new book contains over 200 newspaper articles dating from 1880 to 1945 that trace crazy quilt patterns and articles in women's magazines and pamphlets. The fascinating text is illustrated with quilts that are contemporary to the source articles. All of the pictures are close-ups, showing their intricate pieces and extensive embellishment. This unusual book enriches the history and appreciation of the quilt as art.

Quilts and Christmas are the perfect blend. This is a quilting-arts book for creative sewists who love and cherish the poem "The Night Before Christmas." This book commemorates the 200th anniversary of the writing in 1822 and publication in 1823 of this most notable holiday poem. The poem has provided 10 generations of children with delight and anticipation of Christmas. The poem, illustrated with 29 festive quilted scenes, offers a beautiful-to-read family experience, and nine antique and vintage quilts are patterned here, with complete instructions, to inspire today's quiltmakers to create their own holiday bed coverings. The nine patterns are appropriately named after the eight reindeer and, of course, Rudolph. Some patterns are re-creations from old, traditional quilt designs, while others put a modern spin on a vintage design. Some patterns can be hand-pieced, while others use fast, new, rotary-cutting techniques.

""Men like to conquer, fight, or subdue the Arctic, while we had a different attitude. We felt that we had to go along with what we were faced with. . . . We tried to have the Arctic on our side instead of confronting it."" In 1997 a group of 20 women set out to become the world's first all-female expedition to the North Pole, hoping to raise awareness and support for sufferers of cancer and other illnesses. Sue Riches, recently recovering from a mastectomy, and her daughter Victoria were among them, and this is their inspirational story of personal accomplishment.