Cloth & Comfort : Pieces of Women's Lives from Their Quilts and Diaries

Rating:
Summary: Voices and Fragments from the Past
Review: This is a lovely small book which gives colorful visual images
of our American quilting history. The ladies of the 1800's
left us their stories in diaries and letters. They also left
us their beautiful quilts.

The hardships of life on the American frontier was helped by the
quilting projects that the women used to fill their time.
In 1831, Lydia Marie Child wrote, "The true economy of
housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up all the
fragments, so that nothing be lost. I mean the fragments of
time, as well as materials. Nothing should be thrown away so
long as it is possible to make any use of it, however trifling
that use may be..." This is certainly an idea that is far
removed from today's thinking where we throw away many useable
items.

The quotations that are used throughout the book are poignant
and very interesting. These words from our history are set against the background of pieces of quilts and wonderful photographs of ladies, and the various accoutrements of sewing.

The longing to keep connected to her young married daughter is
reflected in the following letter from a mother. In 1850, Hannah Shaw wrote to her daughter, "I have been looking for something to send to you, but I could not find anthing that I could send in a letter bitt a piece of my new dress..."

This is an easy and charming way to reflect on our American
history.

Rating:
Summary: Voices and Fragments from the Past
Review: This is a lovely small book which gives colorful visual images
of our American quilting history. The ladies of the 1800's
left us their stories in diaries and letters. They also left
us their beautiful quilts.

The hardships of life on the American frontier was helped by the
quilting projects that the women used to fill their time.
In 1831, Lydia Marie Child wrote, "The true economy of
housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up all the
fragments, so that nothing be lost. I mean the fragments of
time, as well as materials. Nothing should be thrown away so
long as it is possible to make any use of it, however trifling
that use may be..." This is certainly an idea that is far
removed from today's thinking where we throw away many useable
items.

The quotations that are used throughout the book are poignant
and very interesting. These words from our history are set against the background of pieces of quilts and wonderful photographs of ladies, and the various accoutrements of sewing.

The longing to keep connected to her young married daughter is
reflected in the following letter from a mother. In 1850, Hannah Shaw wrote to her daughter, "I have been looking for something to send to you, but I could not find anthing that I could send in a letter bitt a piece of my new dress..."

This is an easy and charming way to reflect on our American
history.