New Pathways into Quilt History written by
Kimberly Wulfert,
www.antiquequiltdating.com
Book Suggestions on:
Children's
Quilts & Books
Books for children
Books about children
Quilt of States: Piecing together America
by Adrienne Yoricks,
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (October 11, 2005)
Gr. 5-8. "Yorinks quilts an image of each state, its capital indicated by a
star, surrounded by "conversational prints," patterned fabrics that reflect the
state's history or products, and a floral with the state flower. . . " by
GraceAnne DeCandido. Read more of GraceAnnes' review by clicking on the title
above.
Quilting Now & Then by
Karen B. Willing,
Julie B.
Dock,
Sarah
Morse ages
4-8 reading level. This is the best book on the history of quilts and making
quilts today that I have come across. Both girls and boys love quilts in this
story. The illustrations will be a delight to the grown-ups too. A MUST-HAVE!
Thank You, Sarah : The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by
Laurie Halse Anderson,
Matt
Faulkner ages
4-8 reading level This is another side of The Sarah Hale, of Lady Godey’s Book.
It ctells the true story of her relentless letter writing and pleas to her
readers and 38 years of petitioning presidents, sto secure Thanksgiving's status
as a national holiday. Abe Lincoln was the president who finally agreed with her
wish.
Meema's Memory Quilt:
Treasured Stories of Watauga County History by
Jane Wilson,
Michaele
Haas baby
to pre-school North Carolina, from a quilt that has squares depicting its people
and events. MeeMa's Memory Quilt is illustrated by children from Watauga County
schools.
Queen Of
Inventions: How The Sewing Machine Changed the World by
Laurie M. Carlson grades
3-5, reading level 9-12 This book takes a look at the history of sewing and the
sewing machine. Carlson describes the tedium of hand stitching, early French and
American machines from the 1840s, and Singer's 1850 invention that solved the
problem of loose lower stitches. There are period drawings and photographs on
every page show nineteenth-century fashions, scenes of home sewing, and garment
factories, but they are not captioned, which is unfortunate.
The Quilting Bee by
Gail Gibbons grades
1-4 Quilt history and blocks, with a project. The organization of the
interesting text with the illustrations can be hard to follow at times, but
worthwhile in it’s information.
Quilt Block History of Pioneer Days by
Mary Cobb,
Jan Davey
Ellis ages
4-8 reading level. This is a quilt block history and project book. Great
illustrations for easy reproducing of the patterns.
Sam
Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt by
Lisa Campbell Ernst ages
4-8 reading level. The story of a farmer who discovers he enjoys sewing patches
together, so he tries to join his wife’s sewing circle, and is turned away
The Name Quilt
(Farrar, Straus & Giroux) by
Phyllis Root,
Margot
Apple grade
1-3 A family history in patches and stories told from Grandma to her
granddaughter building memories that stay even after the quilt is gone.
My Paper Memory Quilt: A Family History Pack by
Bill Zimmerman,
Maria
Carluccio.
The author use to love the times when he sat under the holiday table to listen
to stories the adults told. Now he is a journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner.
This craft book includes twenty-four paper quilt squares and help getting
started recording your families history. Includes exciting craft ideas and
suggestions for classroom use!
Quilts for Young
Readers" offers list
of quilt storybooks for young readers.
Karen Cutter is a Library Media Specialist at Nesbit Elementary in Belmont,
California. She is also a quiltmaker and member of the Peninsula Quilter's Guild
in San Mateo in Northern California, south of San Francisco. Last year, she
headed a project called,
"Quilts for Young Readers."
Guild members, including elementary teachers, resource teachers, and moms, were
asked to choose a children's book that included a quilt in the story, and to
make the quilt as they envisioned it. The quilts were wallhanging size, so they
could be easily shown at the San Mateo libraries and in school classrooms. The
book is always included when they are shown .
Some teachers bring in a particular quilt and book that pertain to the
subject they are currently teaching, e.g., math, the Civil War, pioneer living,
art, and so on. Others use them to increase students' interest in reading.
Teachers "check out" the quilts, as they are stored at their County Office of
Education. The quilts were exhibited at their Quilt show at the College of Notre
Dame de Namur.
Karen has provided a list of the books (see below) with which they started, and
in most cases includes the interest level (IL), publisher, reading level (RL),
and overview of the book. Karen's project made sure the books, from which the
quilts were designed, were available in their public libraries. So, she has
provided library style citations.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if quiltmakers donated their book of choice to their
school and/or local library. If either has a story time, perhaps the maker would
offer to read the book and show their quilt.
"Luka's Quilt"
Georgia Guback (a Hawaiian quilt and story)
paperback N/A
hardcover
Library Binding N/A
digital download version (e-book using Adobe Acrobat Reader) N/A
"The Pinata Quilt"
Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli
paperback
hardcover
Library Binding N/A
digital download version (e-book using Adobe Acrobat Reader) N/A
"Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt"
Barbara Smucker, Janet Wilson (Illustrator)
paperback
hardcover (Check availability.)
Library Binding N/A
digital download version (e-book using Adobe Acrobat Reader) N/A
"Dream Quilt"
Amy Zerner (Illustrator), Jessie Spicer Zerner, Jessie Spicer-Zerner
(Illustrator)
paperback N/A
hardcover
Library Binding N/A
digital download version (e-book using Adobe Acrobat Reader) N/A
"A Name on the Quilt: A Story of Remembrance"
Jeannine Atkins, Tad Hills (Illustrator)
paperback N/A
hardcover N/A
School & Library Binding (Check
availability.)
digital download version (e-book using Adobe Acrobat Reader) N/A
"Peter's Patchwork Dream (Barefoot Beginners)"
Willemien Min (Illustrator)
paperback N/A
hardcover N/A
School & Library Binding
digital download version (e-book using Adobe Acrobat Reader) N/A
"Pieces: A Year in Poems
and Quilts"
Anna Grossnickle Hines
paperback N/A
hardcover
library binding edition
digital download version (e-book using Adobe Acrobat Reader) N/A
I want to thank Karen and the San Mateo Quilt Guild for providing us with an
inspiring project. If you as the teacher are not a quilter yourself, I can
assure you that if you contact the quilt guild in your area, you'll get many
volunteers (they will use their own supplies to make the quilt). A quiltshop,
listed in the yellow pages, could give you a contact number. Or, simply ask the
moms of the kids in your class. One of them will know where to go to put out the
"quilter call."
For Teachers
Pam Brees tells us about quilting grants for teachers to teach quilting in the
classroom, and provides a library list of books on quilts and quilting: Thank
you Pam.
"I am a retired elementary school teacher . . . 37 years . . . and a quilter.
Under my guidance, my guild, Piecemakers of Southern Alameda County, CA, gives
quilting grants to teachers to teach quilting in the classroom. The grant is for
$100 and a book on teaching quilting to kids to get them started . . . and of
course the guild provides helpers and expertise and in some cases materials. We
also give them a library list of books on quilts and quilting. I am glad to
share what we did and how we did it with other guilds and groups. People can
contact me directly at
pambrees@lovestoquilt.com. You can also check
out some of our grant quilts on our website . . .
www.piecemakersguild.org
One that is a handy one to know for the classroom is the potholder quilt,
inspired by a Peace Quilt made for the US by Japanese Quilters after 9/11 and
designed by Yoko Ueda."
"I am also delighted to
have learned, just recently, that the book has been cited in Weaving through
Words: Using the Arts to Teach Reading Comprehension Strategies, by Mantione
& Smead. The book is listed under Appendix D: "Art and Literary Resources."
(Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 2003). We, as quilters, know
that many of the skills we use in our favorite art form are applicable to many
other disciplines, and it's very satisfying to have that fact recognized in a
book that teaches teachers."