A Bountiful LIfe
Karen Mowry
Kansas City Star Quilts; $27.95

More than 150 years ago, an anonymous quiltmaker designed and appliquéd what is today regarded as one of the masterpieces of American folk art. Bird of Paradise, that quilt top, is now held by the American Folk Art Museum in New York. Folk artist and quilter Karen Mowry has created her own version of the quilt top, and, like the inspiration, it is now in the same museum collection. While the story behind the quilt top is unknown, Karen does offer some speculation as to meaning of the blocks and the top. I enjoyed the small bit of history behind the quilt and its bits of whimsy, e.g., the inclusion of an elephant named Hanible. The book includes full-size patterns for the 20 blocks in the book and the border.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

The Civil War Sewing Circle
Kathleen Tracy
Martingale & Co.; $24.99

Perfect for reproduction fabric lovers, The Civil War Sewing Circle offers 16 projects ranging from cot-sized quilts to small wall hangings and doll quilts to pincushions, aka “Tokens of Affection.” I particularly liked the wool appliqué sewing box. What sets the book apart is the inclusion of historical photos and excerpts from letters written to and from soldiers during the Civil War. It was so easy to get lost in the letters.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Orange Peel: New Quilts From Old Favorites
Linda Baxter Lasco, ed.
AQS Publishing; $26.95

I always look forward to each year’s release of the book showcasing the winning quilts in The National Quilt Museum’s annual New Quilts From Old Favorites Contest. The contest features creativity and innovation of individual quilters as they interpret a traditional block with their own design, this year being the year of the Orange Peel block. Each of the 18 winning and finalist quilts is featured in full color along with comments from the quiltmaker. What I like best about the book is that you learn about the quiltmaker’s design decisions, inspiration and techniques in constructing the quilt. I would not have thought about an Orange Peel block incorporating stained glass or Mola techniques. A terrific inspirational and learning resource.

Look for the book at your favorite quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon  if you would like to learn more about the book.

World War II Quilts
Sue Reich
Schiffer Publishing; $39.99

World War II era quilts have not been extensively studied, always being considered with quilts from the 1920s-1950s. Sue Reich became interested in this era after her family attended the dedication of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. This book resulted from five years of researching quilts and newspaper accounts of quiltmaking from World War II years. Sue looked at five styles of quilts: red, white and blue patriotic quilts; quilts with military symbols and insignia; quilts made for donation to the Red Cross and other organizations; quilts made to raise money for the war effort; and quilts that are like other quilts made between 1920 and 1950. I found this to be a fascinating look at quilts from 1940-45, ones I had not previously considered. I was charmed by the “Sweetheart Pillow Quilts” made from silk sweetheart pillow covers that were printed with poems and military base notations. Fun, too, were the variety of “Victory Garden Quilts.” Since I recently looked at the Modern Quilt trend today, I was amused by the notation in one of the articles Sue found: “Quilting, 1943 style, however, isn’t exactly what it was for grandma.” This book adds immensely to the scholarship of quilt history.

Look for the book at your favorite quilt retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers’ Bible Quilt and Other Pieces
Kyra E. Hicks
Black Threads Press; $19.95

This is a fascinating look into the stories behind the well-known Bible Quilt and Pictorial Quilt and the former Georgia slave who created them. Kyra Hick’s enthusiasm for the subject is truly contagious as she takes you along tracing how the quilts made their way from Harriet Power’s hands to the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, respectively. She began this study by compiling a bibliography and started to challenge the assumptions about Mrs. Powers and the quilts. In the end, she offered us a compelling narrative with new facts and left herself with a dozen ideas for further research and celebration into Mrs. Powers. Includes an extensive bibliography.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.