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 Book Review : America's Printed Fabrics 1770-1890 : 8 Reproduction Quilt Projects

When most people think of a reference book, rarely would they imagine something enjoyable to read. "America's Printed Fabrics", however, is an exception to this stereotype. Containing all the details one would expect of a quilting history reference, it nevertheless, is engaging, informative and visually striking.

The author, Barbara Brackman, is clearly an expert on the topic. She is credited with the creation of numerous quilt history books, and boasts an excess of twenty years experience with the topic. Her knowledge is so extensive, in fact, she has been named to the Quilters' Hall of Fame.

Rather than page after page of dry historical facts, "America's Printed Fabrics" features photographs, diary entries and letters in addition to historical information. Use of such a variety of materials provides an engaging framework for exploring quilt designs popular in various eras. Readers will enjoy exploring the patterns within the context of time.

The book's organization and writing style will be very much appreciated by readers. Beautiful full color photographs accompany interesting text and provide a very clear understanding of the subject. This book allows readers to focus on quilts of a particular era or explore more than a century of design trends.

In addition to historical information, quilters will be happy to see eight projects are included in this volume. The information provided with the projects is particularly helpful in making color choices that most closely replicate historical quilt designs. The wealth of information included in "America's Printed Fabrics" is quite useful for fans of historical quilts. Unlike many quilting history books, it focuses on creating replica quilts rather than the ins and outs of fabric science.

Features

- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: C&T Publishing (August, 2004)
- ISBN: 1571202552
- Eight projects included

Pros :

This book is organized for ease of use. Fabrics are grouped by time period, and projects inspired by each period are featured in the corresponding section. Each project makes use of beautiful reproduction fabrics. Readers will enjoy the full color photos of historical fabric swatches on the left, and modern reproductions on the right.

"America's Printed Fabrics" can be used as a reference as well as inspiration for quilting projects. Readers may use this volume as an aid in identifying historical fabrics and quilt patterns. It is also helpful for anyone seeking to date particular quilts.

Unlike many reference books, information is not overwhelming to those new to quilting history. Instead, the book is informative and engaging. Quilters seeking inspiration and guidance for new projects will also find much to enjoy in this book, whether or not they have previous knowledge of historical quilts.

Cons :

Hardcore quilt historians may not appreciate "America's Printed Fabrics". Anyone looking for extensive details on textile history may find this book lacking depth to some degree. In comparison to other volumes by the author, "America's Printed Fabrics" is less dense in terms of text and details. The focus of this book, instead, is the study and reproduction of historical quilts.

Related : More Book Reviews - Quilting Projects

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