Patterns of Progress: Quilts in the Machine Age

by Barbara Brackman

Patterns of Quilts in the Machine Age examines quilts as clues to women's lives, especially women who lived and worked in the West, and to the changes they experienced because of the invention and accessibility of the sewing machine. Amply illustrated with more than 50 beautiful color images, author Barbara Brackman's lively text situates quilts within the culture of the American West. In such a context, quilts become more than just bed they are cultural artifacts, revealing much about women's lives, their roles and their perceptions of the world.
Brackman also examines the ways in which the sewing machine changed women's aesthetic perceptions of the beauty of their work, and how that aesthetic has evolved to the present day.

127 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Barbara is a free-lance writer, historian and museum curator with seven published books on quilts and numerous museum catalogs to her credit.

Reviews

[Ronni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Brackman always delivers. Great opening chapter on early sewing machine sales. Quilt gallery follows with Barbara's inciteful commentary about the importance of each design. Includes mid-century quilters you've never heard of (check out Earnest R. Haight), plus early Joe Cunningham, Libby Lehman, Ruth Powers, Therese May, Caryl Bryer Fallert, Harriet Hargrave, Ann Merrell, more- with two quilts from each artist. Records an important quilting era between handwork and longarms.

[JayeL · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book, again, because of the stories and also the technology that they talk about in conjunction with the quilts.