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In Review
The American Quilt:
A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950
Reviewed By Paloma Parra

Kiracofe presents us with a survey of American quilt history that is not only remarkably far reaching in breadth and scope, but also delightfully readable, profusely illustrated and surprisingly affordable in the paperback edition.

Written from a collector’s perspective, Kiracofe artfully pieces together a history of the technological, economic, political and cultural forces influencing the development of quilt production, grounding the narrative in frequent reference to specific pieces and individual stories that illustrate the book throughout.

The chapters are ordered chronologically, with smaller subsections within each chapter highlighting different types of quilts and quilting groups including sections on Baltimore Album quilts, Crazy Quilts, Amish Quilts and African American quilts, to name a few. Sections on dating, caring for and further researching quilts will also serve as a useful reference for collectors.

"The American Quilt" is highly recommended for quilt aficionados, textile and women’s history buffs, and color and pattern junkies.

You can read more about Paloma’s projects and ruminations at: www.lasirena.typepad.com.