America's Quilting History

Glimpses of news items, letters, and diary entries blend with facts and myths to tell the story of quilt making surrounding the Civil War. Beginning with abolitionist quilts and ending with commemorative quilts Barbara Brackman tells the story that changed the course of our country. But you do not have to be a distant observer of these turbulent times for this unique book goes one step farther. You are invited to experience the making of a quilt typical of the Civil War era. You might want to make a simple nine patch quilt like those used to keep a soldier warm or you may choose to replicate an anti-slavery quilt even penning a poem such as this one found on a pre war quilt.

"Mother when around your child
You clasp your arm in love,
And when with grateful joy you raise
Your eyes to God above ^_
Think of the Negro-mother,
When her child is torn away ^_
Sold for a little slave ^_ oh then,
For that poor mother pray!"

In this comprehensive book even the patterns are provided. You will find complete instructions for Underground Railroad quilts, patriotic quilts, Sanitary Commission quilts and many more. So your fascinating journey just begins with reading the history found in this book. That only prepares you for your personal quest to find reproduction fabrics as you began to plan to make your own period quilt. There is something magical about working with these old fabrics and patterns. You began to feel a shift in time as you sew. Soon you will find you are imagining yourself as an ardent abolitionist, the wife of a soldier or a patriotic young woman showing your support of either North or South. As you sew and muse the lives of these long ago women begin to become so very real.

© 2001 Anne Johnson (Do not reproduce any material from this site without permission.)