Today I am reviewing a beautiful book called “Stories in Stitches: Â Quilts from the Cass County Quilt Documentation Project” by Jenifer Dick, Carol Bohl, Linda Hommontree and Janice Britz.
The book was published by Kansas City Star Quilts and it’s a gem.
The book idea came after some ladies from the Cass County Missouri area got together and decided to try to get together and document the historic quilts of the county. Â After the documentation day they decided to put their work together into a book and share it with all of us. Â The result…amazing eye candy.
I love looking at old quilts. Â I love reading about the people who made them and pattern info too. Â As you can guess, this book was a treat for me. Â I love the red, white and blue star. Â I have a love of patriotic colors and quilts though.
Kelli and I both were in love with the blue star quit. Â Neither one of us had seen that star design before so..you guessed it, Kelli had graph paper out and was trying to replicate it. Â She did it and has committed to trying the block out in fabric next.
Stars again….no the book isn’t just star quilts. Â I just happened to snap pictures of my favorites and most of my favorite have stars in them.
I really smiled when I saw these quilts. Â Don’t the look “modern”. Â They aren’t. Â Both were made in the 40’s.
The majority of the book is just eye candy and quilt information. Â The back features 6 quilts that were part of the project and their patterns.
It was a fun book that I really enjoyed looking through. Â I learn so much about quilts, colors and designs when looking through a book like this…my only complaint..I wish it had about 2000 more pages!!
If you’d like a chance to read it for yourself, leave a comment telling when the oldest quilt in your house was made….Me, I have a quilt from my grandma and one from my great grandma. Â I am guessing each was made in the 40’s. Â I’ll have to show them to you sometime.
We’ll pick a winner next week sometime. Â If you are looking for other giveaways, we have a $100 VISA gift card from Glidden and BlogHer that will be given away.
I have a green and orange Drunkards Path quilt that my Grandma and Great Great Aunt made. I believe it was made in the early 40’s. It has never been used. I have another quilt that my Grandma made with 2″ squares, light green border, scalloped edges and all hand quilted. I believe this one was made prior to the Drunkards Path. When I touch the quilts I can almost see and feel Grandma sitting at her quilting frame in her living room. Priceless!!!
I have a quilt top from my husband’s grandma. It’s a grandmothers flower garden. We bought it at their estate sale. We don’t know the story behind it, but wish we did. I love quilts and the stories behind them. Thanks for the chance to win the great book. I know I would love it!
Thanks for all you do to inspire us to keep stitching!
I love looking at seeing and looking at old quilts. The books is one that I would enjoy owning. The oldest quilt I have is made by my great-grandmother. It is well-worn, but I still love it! It was probably made sometime between 1880 to 1916 (years my grandmother passed away).
The oldest quilt in my home is the first quilt I made. I am the first generation of quilters from my family. They were knitters, if they had any textile hobbies. I also knit as well as crochet and quilt. I am game to learn anything new. I would so love a chance to see this book and possibly make another quilt. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! what a great book to win! the oldest quilt in my apt is a “wonky square” couch throw i made using some Y2K fabric. i quilted before that, but those quilts were gifts for other folks.
I HAVE ONE MY GRANDMOTHER MADE WE WHEN I WAS BORN, 1946.
I have a red and white Irish Chain quilt that I got at a community yard sale for $15.00 about 5 years ago. It was hand-pieced and has wool batting. I had it professionally appraised and the appraiser said it was from the early 1900’s, probably before 1920’s, and was worth at least $400.00. I sent another $100.00 to the community organization (a non-profit) that held the yard sale and told them they needed more guidance in pricing quilts in the future.
The oldest one I have is a grandmother’s flower garden, probably from the 30’s. My great grandmother made it.
I love quilt books that tell about the times and the people who made them. I’ve read all the ones our library has. I have a quilt that i can remember my mother working on. It’s a utility quilt but when i see that quilt I’m a kid again and I can see Mama at the sewing machine and the sun shining in the bedroom window. It has fabric from school dresses she made me in it. It’s so worn all I can do is hold it. It’s from the 50’s, I’d say probably 53 or 54. I have tops my husband grandmother made probably in the 40’s. I don’t think they go back to the 30’s but could. Thanks for all that you share with us…
I have a faded blue/green and white quilt that is old…and I bought it at a Garage Sale for $12. It’s not an antique but it has that soft and worn feel like a really old quilt. I love it!! I too like to look through books about old/antique quilts. Makes me want to reproduce them!
P
I recently inherited a Rose of Sharon made from 30s fabric – pink, white and green. It was bought at an auction by the family antique collector/dealer. She used it on her bed for many years. I have no place to display it, so its in the closet waiting for better days.
I have a crazy quilt that was given to me by my husband’s family – in one corner it says, “Began this for Eric, 1902”. Eric was my husband’s grandfather, who was born in 1896; the quilt was made by either Eric’s mother or grandmother.
I’m with Kelly, I would love to draft a pattern for that blue stars quilt. I think I can do it from the picture.
Thanks Jo, love your blog!
I have a Dresden plate that was made by my husband’s grandmother. He is 54 and it was made before he was born. She gave it too him when he was a teenager because he had always loved it.
I was given a quilt made by my grandma. I know nothing about it but would guess it was made in the 40’s. I wish I knew The story about it bt she had not joined our family then.
I have a Grandmother’s Flower Garden (what’s left of it anyway) that my grandmother made, and another that I bought at a flea market. I’m guessing they’re from the 1940’s.
I have a crazy patch quilt that my Great Grandmother made from worn out clothing of her grand children’s, including my Dad’s and he would have been 78 this year.
Unfortunately I don’t have any old quilts. My grandmother made dolls and my great-grandmother crocheted. I do have a beautiful, lace, crocheted tablecloth that she made so it has to date back to the 30’s or 40’s. This book is amazing! Thank you for sharing it with us.
The oldest quilt in the house is one I made this year when I started quilting. My grandmother sewed so much but only clothes.
The oldest quilt I own is from the 1880s to 1890s. I bought it at a live auction at the American Quilt Study Group several years ago. i think I should get it out and look at it again. It has been folded up for too long.
My oldest quilt was made for me by my grandmother. She made it in 1951. The quilt is documented on the front with my name, her name, and the year.
The oldest quilt I have is my second quilt, made 22 years ago. It’s an Amish style by Quilt In A Day, with black background and red, blue, yellow and green solids. It was for my son. I love looking at books like this, too. Very inspiring.
My husband and I received a quilt for our wedding (20+ years ago) that was made by his great-grandma. She made a quilt for each of her great-grandchildren and put them away for wedding gifts. I never met her but we have the quilt as a reminder.
Thanks for the chance to enter.
Hope your Hubby is doing ok…yikes.
My grandmother died last year and I was left her two sewing machines and her sewing/quilting supplies in her will. I was pleasantly pleased that grandma thought they were valuable enough to list them in such an important document.
I have several of her quilts and I think the oldest one dates back only to the 70s. Most of her quilts were utility quilts and were used to pieces.
I’m guessing my oldest quilt is from the 40’s, but not sure because I have some older ones I have no idea of their history. I also love looking at old quilts, they are so inspiring.
The oldest quilt I have at this point was made about 1958 for my parent’s wedding.
Love the book and looks like very interesting reading.
I love star quilts so thanks for showing so many of those! The oldest quilt in my house was made (I would guess) in the 40s. It was a wedding gift to my youngest aunt signed by her friends. My aunt has passed away and it is a treasured memory.
I have several old quilt tops that I have found at antique malls. The oldest completed quilt that I have is probably from the 60’s. My grandmother crocheted, and she traded something she crocheted for that quilt.
The oldest quilt I have is my grandfather’s quilt made about 1878 or 1879. Family story is that he did it as therapy for ‘tuberculosis of the elbow’. I think he was born with one deformed arm. It is a red work, penny block quilt. He did all the embroidery and piecing and quilting. Fairy tale scenes, birds, animals…perfect stitches…amazing quilt. My grandfather was born in 1862 and made as a teenager. He died long before I was born.
Oh, I would love this book! The oldest quilts I have are two that I picked up at yard sales. One is a huge top that needs a few repairs, then sandwiched and quilted. The other is a top that someone else had started to take apart (WHY???) so someday I will try to put it back together. The oldest finished quilt is the only one my mom made, and it is a dolly quilt made from old plaid pants.
The oldest completed quilt in my house was made in 1985 by me! My kids have taken the older ones to their homes, with my blessing. My oldest uncompleted one is a Dresden Plate, pieced by my grandmother in the 1940’s, stitched to blocks in the 1980’s by my mother and waiting for me to finish it!
I have no idea. The old quilts in my house were all rescued from the bins at Goodwill, and I don’t have the skill to date them by the fabric. Let’s just call them “not new”
Mom has Double Wedding Ring quilts that were made by my great-grandmothers.
i have a tumbling block quit made by at least my great grandmother and i think it was made before my grandmother was born in 1893 so it is old not in that great of shape but one of the stules of quilts i want to make
I have a blue and red cactus basket quilt my husband’s great grandmother made in the 20’s or maybe even earlier. It is hard to date the fabrics in it and of course it isn’t signed or dated. I love the simplicity and the diamond points.
I have a very old Gramma’s Flower Garden quilt which I purchased at a antique mall. I am facinated by all the hexi’s! Its was said to be done in the earlys 1920″s. Just beautiful! wonderful fabrics!
Hi Jo, this sounds like a wonderful book. I’m looking at some old quilts made by both of my grandmothers now, a Wedding Ring, a Reel, another triangle quilt, maybe made in the 30’s and 40’s. Just remembered my first quilt, an embroidered nursery print quilt made for home-ec in 1952, my grandmother who lived with us quilted it. And I do have a Star top signed by Ann Cox 1865. I wish I could find some of her family. I’ve been keeping track of your house adventures and charity quilting. I hope your husband’s hand isn’t giving him too much trouble, it sounds like a bad injury. My husband did something like that too years ago, got his finger caught in a sander and tore off the nail, ugggh. Another “you’d better come here” moment.
The oldest quilt in my home is one my Mom gave me in 1966. It was hand pieced and hand quilted by Amish/Mennonites in Lancaster County, PA. I treasure it dearly as my Mother was taken to heaven at the young age of 51 and every time I look at this quilt my thoughts go to my mother. Thanks for the opportunity for this book. MIT looks terrific!
My oldest quilt is a butterfly applique quilt my grandmother made. I would guess it was made in the 30’s.
Hi! The oldest quilt in my house is my first quilt that I made 3 years ago. I would love to read this book. I live in Rich Hill, MO and have not even heard of this book, but just seeing the pages that you shared makes me want to see the whole thing! Thank you for the chance to win one.
I have a mint green and pink one made by my husband’s grandmother. I’m guessing it was made in the late 30s or early 40s. It is quite worn but still in tact.
I have a quilt top that my great grandmother pieced. I am quessing in the 30’s. She died in August 1945 — just before I turned 3 in early September. I also have another quilt top that she did late in life, so I am guessing in the early 40’s. I made it into a quilt. Then I have another quilt — a Grandmother’s flower garden that she had started for me before she died. Then my grandmother continued piecing on it and got it to twin bed size. Then it set until I got engaged, and grandma gave the top to me along with the rest of the hexigons that her mother had cut. I pieced it while sitting in dorm meetings and got it to a double bed size. For a wedding gift my grandparents had it finished for me. Not sure how to date that one:) I have some other quilts that my other grandmother made in the 30’s and 40’s. I feel very fortunate!
My grandmother made quilts for my mother, sister and I back in the mid seventies. I know these aren’t very old compared with most of the others mentioned here, but they are very dear to me. I still sleep under mine every night.
we have some of hubbys mothers that are 60 years old
I don’t have an old quilt but I have my mother’s quilt frame. She is still living (in assisted living) and we have not divided her quilts yet. These were simple utility quilts, not patterned, heirloom quilts. But I have made quilts for my children and for each grandchild so the next generation will have a different story!!
I have one my mom and grandma made me, I think it was for graduation, so 23 years ago. I have one that my husband’s grandmother had, but it had become a “pickup” quilt. It covered the seat of the pick up to protect it from dirty clothes/pants on the ranch. I do not know if she made it or if some other relative did. I would guess late 40s, but am not positive.
I love the old quilts. My oldest one is a QS SunBonnet Sue that my mom made when she was 16 (her one and only). She is now 84, so it is almost 70 years old. It was a huge project for her first quilt project (and all hand quilted as well), but she was so tired of it when she finished that she never tried another one. lol. I love it. Thanks so much for sharing
My quilts are the oldest. I’ve been quilting for 15 years.
I have a quilt dated 1910 and the name Zelda on it. Have no idea who Zilda is but my
dad found it in an old trunk when they cleaned out my aunts house. Have no idea the
pattern but it is pink and white and in good condition. I love it!!!!
The oldest quilt in our house was made by my husband’s grandmother out of men’s wool suiting samples. It is heavy, heavy, heavy. Very drab colors but each rectangle is stitched with feather stitch embroidery in ombre thread. I’m guessing it was made in the late 1800’s.
The oldest quilt in my house was made around 1910 by my great-grandmother. It’s a star quilt in green, red and a black-on-white print. The oldest UFO in my house is a set of quilt blocks embroidered by my father in 1935, for a baby quilt for me. When Mama gave them to me, I said, “DADDY made these?” She said, “There wasn’t money to go anywhere during the Depression, so everybody stayed home. He didn’t have anything else to do.”
Mine is the quilt I “won” as a toddler. My Aunt put my name in a raffle drawing for a church fundraiser.
We have my husbands great, great, great grandmother’s quilt which we are guess was made around 1900.
I think we have some quilts made by my Grandma in the 70s…but we used them a lot. I don’t have any heirloom quilts :) Thanks for the chance to win.
I have a Dresden Plate quilt made by my great grandmother in the 30-40 ‘s. she used the same fabric as my grandmother’s dresses. I am so grateful to have this quilt.
I have a yo-yo quilt one of my grand mother’s made out of feedsacks in the 30’s or 40’s. When I got it, it was in 3 strips that had never been sewn together & I finished it. It is a treasure to me.
The star quilts in the book are beautiful as I am also a big fan of stars in quilts. The oldest quilt in my house is one I made in the 1980’s and just tied. As far as I know I do not have any quilters in my family so I am the first generation to make any quilts.
In August, one of my aunts passed away and when her children went through her things they found two quilt tops, both made with “Feed Sacks”, both completely hand stitched, both had a piece of masking tape that had writting on them, one said “made in 1943” and the other said “made in 1945”, then in my Grandma’s handwritting they said “made by my Mother”, so these two quilt tops were hand pieced by my Great Grandma on my Mom’s side. Well my cousins gave the quilts to ME, yeah. I hope to be able to hand quilt them and give them the finish they deserve, they are a true TREASURE to me and I’m so thankful my cousins thought of me. So the oldest quilt in my home was made in 1943, and I would love to win this wonderful book, thanks for the chance.