Use the CDROM packaged with Barbara Brackman's Create Your Family Quilt to blend the goals of celebrating family heritage with making a family quilt. From quilt blocks which represent states to vintage pictures, state facts, and regional flavor, this tells how to incorporate state quilt blocks and symbols to create a unique family portrait. Access to a CDROM drive is essential, here.

I love a quilt that tells a personal story. I also love quilt books that come with CD software to help with design and pattern.
Although Barbara Brackman focuses on states to build a family story quilt--it can be the foundation for so much more.
The book itself is gorgeous, filled with facts and art from all fifty states. The software loads easily and is the same format as Electric Quilt which let me use it immediately.
I grew up in central east Florida in a neighborhood called Palm Bay Point. It's a small peninsula that juts into the Indian River. Hibiscus and orange trees decorate front lawns. Giant oaks hold heron nests and palms sway in the salt breeze of the Indian River. Pelicans and dolphins are plentiful.
I designed a Palm Bay Point quilt as a test. Here is what I found. The applique designs as well as the state blocks were interchangeable. I was able to use hibiscus from Hawaii and Pelicans from Lousiana as well as Orange Blossoms from Florida.
Since the point is surrounded by water and sailboats are a frequent sight--I borrowed the Mayflower block from one of the New England states. The end product was a quilt that told a visual story of my childhood neighborhood.
I particularly liked the attention given to border(applique) design as well as the body of the quilt.
I can imagine designing many personal story quilts using this software and book.
I'm a fan of Barbara Brackman (although I have never met her.)
She researches her material well, her writing voice is easily read and understood. She has been on many quilting journeys of history and design and she is generous to share the highlights with others in a beautifully designed format.
I'm already having fun with this book. So far, it's my favorite book this year.
:)

The Brackman sisters have done a wonderful job researching and organizing the way in which American families have incorporated man's best friend into their family. This book is a MUST GIFT for anyone who loves dogs, has a dog, or wants one. The Brackmans have created an interesting piece of American history through their tasteful use of pictures and words.

I bought this book about 20 years ago. It was first published in 1929, but it reads as if it were written at the height of the feminist movement in the 70s! The author had a great sense of humor and a marvelous appreciation of how women needed, and found in quilting, an artistic/creative outlet, at a time when just about everything else in their world was controlled or created by men.

She traces the development of techniques and designs, from simple to complex, interweaving her discussion with descriptions of the social and environmental circumstances that influenced design and especially the naming of designs. For example, "It was impossible for the women who every morning viewed nature's most glorious spectacle not to create a 'Rising Sun' quilt pattern. How they loved the sunrise is best proved by the remarkable beauty of the pattern it inspired...It is a triumph of design and is so difficult of execution that only the most expert quilt-makers attempted it. A 'Rising Sun' was post-graduate work, and consequently is one of the rarest and most valuable of quilts."

She traces how pattern names often changed as the quilters' circumstances changed. For example, a pattern that has been known as the "Bear's Paw" (and sometimes as "Hand of Friendship") since the early 1800s in PA and Ohio was called "Duck's-foot-in-the-mud" in Long Island!

Describing Pennsylvania Dutch quilts within the context of the drabness of the Pennsylvania Dutch woman's existence she says, "...it may have been some unconsciously craved compensation for the drab monotony of their days that caused the women of these households to evolve quilt patterns so intricate. Only a soul in desperate need of nervous outlet could have conceived and executed, for instance, the "Full Blown Tulip"...It is a perfect accomplishment from a needlework standpoint, yet hideous" (she describes it in detail and goes on): "This green-red-lemon-orange combination is enough to set a blind man's teeth on edge..."

There are 100 figures (drawings and diagrams) of patterns, 90+ photos of antique quilts (black and white), and sections on sets, wadding, fabrics and dyes, etc. History has not been one of my favorite subjects, but I love this book. I have gone back to it again and again in the twenty years since that first reading, whether to find a pattern or to enjoy again her discussions. I have a rather extensive library on many subjects, and this book rates as one of my top ten favorites.

This book could use a lot more pictures. It is a great source of written information, but does not provide much help in the visual identification of calico fabrics. Eileen Jahnke Trestain's book is much more useful in providing pictures, but Trestain's book does not come close to providing the written documentation and depth of discussion that Barbara Brackman does in Clues in the Calico.

I use both books and they are great companion guides for solving the mysteries presented when you attempt to identify the age of old fabrics, especially in old crazy quilts. HOWEVER, in general, I find I refer to the Trestain book more often than the Brackman book.

This book is essential for anyone who wants to learn about antique quilts. Comprehensive information about textile technology, pattern dissemination, and chronology of stylistic influences on quiltmaking in the United States presented by the leading authority on quilt history.

I purchased this book several years ago in preparation to becoming a certified quilt appraiser, It proved to be invaluable. I have used it so much it is literally falling apart. I have highlighted it's pages until it looks like like they were colored to begin with. I consider it to be the best guide for fabric identification on the market. I own many quilt books on lots of subjects, but this is my favorite.

Thelma L. Stone

I have mixed feelings about this book. The collection of patterns is priceless if you're seeking a specific, obscure pattern difficult to find elsewhere. Unfortunately, however, nothing is shown in color (or with clearly delineated components), so I couldn't visualize how they'd look as quilts. I, myself, much prefer BH&G's _501 Quilt Blocks_, which shows each in color (gorgeous!), along with a block clearly showing each segment, and directions for assembling it. That one is so gorgeous (it just arrived) that I'm about to see if I can buy it in hardcover; it sparks my creativity whenever I look at it. If this (the Bannister book) had included color photos, I would be wildly enthusiastic about it -- but the tiny black and white blocks seem very uninspiring, with no hint how they might look good, tips toward assembling them, etc. I'm returning my copy; it just cost too much and takes up too much room for something this plebeian. However, if you're just seeking basic sketches of obscure old blocks, you'll adore this one -- which is obviously a million times more complete than the BH&G book I just raved about (or any other book I've ever heard of, for that matter).

I have wanted this book ever since i heard of its existance, because i can't even count how many times i've found myself in the position of trying to describe a quilt pattern that I *know* has a recognizable name that i just can't remember, or wanting to look up patterns by name for one reason or another (for example: "Hrm, i wonder if there are any quilt patterns with Tennessee in the name, something like a Tennessee Star...?")

It is pretty much exactly what i imagined it to be, a compendium of as many patterns as the author could track down (over 4000 total), sorted using a grouping system that makes it pretty easy to look up a pattern to find its name if you know what the block looks like but not what it's called. I imagine it would be a valuable resource for museum curators, quilt collectors, and quilt scholars, in terms of identifying antique quilts or writing about them, and also perhaps for instructors. If you are looking for actual patterns, you won't find them here; it does not provide templates or any piecing instructions. It is not a how-to book, but more of a reference book.

The patterns are depicted in small black-and-white drawings, so that several can fit on a page, and they are shaded to show how they are traditionally pieced using lights and darks, if applicable. Brackman lists each pattern and the name(s) by which it is known, along with the earliest known source mentioning the pattern by name. It's interesting to see how "old" some of the patterns we think of as "traditional" really are! (A lot that i thought went back a couple hundred years actually cropped up in the 1930s, according to this book!) The book covers up to as recent as the 1970s.

Another amusing note: The author, Barbara Brackman, is--no surprise--a serious quilt scholar, but was also involved in that "The Sun Sets on Sunbonnet Sue" project, with the quilt blocks depicting Sunbonnet Sue dying in horrible ways....

This is probably the most used book in my quilting library, both for researching the names of patterns I've seen, and for inspiration for new quilts.

For those interested in learning more about the various roles that women played in the Civil War, this book is a terrific starting point. For those interested in ideas of civilian living history activities, this book has some great ideas for women Civil War reenactors who want to do more than sit under the tent fly until their man returns from battle. For those interested in making a quilt inspired by old-fashioned patterns, this book contains some beautiful projects and good instructions. For those interested in faithfully recreating historically accurate quilts, this book is not for you.

After reading Barbara Brackman's wonderful "Quilts from the Civil War," I anxiously awaited "Civil War Women"--expecting another book on recreating historic quilts. Ultimately, I appreciated "Civil War Women" for what it was--a book containing interesting stories about the lives of women abolitionists, newspaper reporters, spies, plantation wives, nurses, government clerks, refugees and soldiers' wives. In the book's nine chapters, Brackman focuses on describing the life of one women from each group, and then discusses others in these roles. Numerous photographs and engravings help take the reader back to the 1860s.

I especially loved the suggested activities for reenactors: a quilting bee, giving a stump speech, collecting signatures for an album quilt, smuggling contraband, staging a bazaar, to name a few. Brackman reprints a speech given by Amelia Bloomer and excerpts diaries discussing quilting bees and fairs, which help to provide primary sources for these activities. Even those not involved in living history might be inspired to try some of these activities for a different old-fashioned party.

For a book with a quilt on its cover that primarily has been marketed in quilt shops, however, the paucity of original quilts was disappointing. Of the 30-some quilts depicted in "Civil War Women," only a quarter are originals. And although Brackman describes the project quilts as being inspired by originals, in many cases, she does not depict the originals so that the quilter interested in authenticity can determine where accuracy left off and inspiration took over. Unlike the reproduction quilts in "Quilts of the Civil War," which many times appeared very similar to the originals, these quilts just don't quite look like other historic quilts that I have seen from the period.

Had this book not clearly targeted reenactors, I would not complain about the quilts. But for those involved in living history for the sake of public education rather than because they like "theme camping," authenticity is important, and the suggestion that reenactors can create good reproduction quilts by relying merely on this book does a disservice.

This book contains 9 projects adapted from period quilts. These are linked rather whimsically to 9 women of the period. There is no evidence that the women profiled actually made quilts like these or, in fact, ever made any quilts at all. Ms. Brackman has used a little creative journalism, what the TV people like to call the docu-drama approach, to connect nine women who represent particular types and quilts that women like them were making. If your love is for historical trivia, about women or the Civil War period, you will likely find this book fascinating. Each chapter ends with a series of activities which could be used by re-enactors or by history teachers. There are numerous etchings and photographs of the period.  

Where was Barbara Brackman when I was studying history in school? She has brought real women of history into our living rooms, introducing us to the most intimate of their thoughts and actions during the Civil War, each unique in her own role. But she doesn't stop there. For Civil War reenactors, she goes on to build on the historical facts to suggest activities in order to walk in these women's footsteps. And for quilters, she provides patterns of quilts of the era. This book is a must for anyone learning about women's roles in the Civil War, for Civil War reenactors, for quilters fond of old patterns, and generally for almost any history buff. Brackman has successfully spanned the line between quilter and historian in a way that her peers and even Brackman herself have not done before.

"Quilts from the Civil War" not only contains project for reproducing numerous quilts of the 1850s and 1860s, it also contains an excellent discussion of the role quilts played in people's lives. Barbara Brackman describes quilts made for freedom fairs, by the Sanitary Commission for use by soldiers, and quilts made to express patriotic fervor. Brackman goes beyond a mere discussion of quilts, however, to discuss the development of chemical dyes, women's involvement in the war effort in general, the effect of the blockade on southern textile production, the need to hide quilts from occupying Yankee forces, and even the relationships that developed between quiltmakers and soldiers who received the donated quilt.

Brackman also examines the argument that quilts were used as clues for slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, and concludes that these tales likely were a myth. (Nevertheless, she includes a Jacob's Ladder-style quilt that honors the Underground Railroad.) In evaluating this theory, she discusses the history of the Log Cabin quilt.

Period photographs of women and children, engravings of Sanitary Fairs and other gatherings, photographs of original and reproduction quilts and original dresses beautifully illustrate this book. Excerpts from journals, letters and newspaper articles and reprints of ads calling for the production of items for soldiers add further interest.

Brackman provides a unique timeline that combines both traditional historic events, such as "March 4, 1864 - Grant becomes Commander-in-Chief of the Union Army" with social or women's history, such as "August 1864 - Ladies Christian Commission of San Francisco sponsors a Grand Fair" and "October 5, 1864 - Mary Jones of Georgia records paying $16 a yard for calico."

Footnotes provide directions for those interested in further research.

One drawback is that the projects contained in the book do not faithfully reproduce the historic quilts. Some are fairly easy to adapt to make more authentic, such as the Underground Railroad quilt, which adds 8-pointed stars to a Four Patch in a Strip pattern. Since the book contains a picture of the original, a quiltmaker can easily see that by leaving off the stars, she can make a quilt that's closer to the original. Other patterns will take a little more ingenuity to adapt, but again, pictures of the originals should help.

Those mostly interested in southern quilts would probably do better with "Southern Quils: Surviving Relics of the Civil War." Brackman concludes that few quilts were produced in the Confederacy due to blockade-caused shortages of fabric, needles, thread and other necessities.

For those interested in trying some of the projects contained in the book, the directions are clear and easy to follow. Brackman provides strip quilting directions for some of the quilts (such as the Underground Railroad) but not for others where this technique could speed production (such as the Log Fence). The appendix contains excellent information on batting, quilting styles, binding and other details to give quilts a more period look.

Overall, despite projects that are more inspired by historic quilts than faithful reproductions, "Quilts from the Civil War" is an excellent source of information about textile production during the 1850s and 1860s.

In "Quilts From the Civil War" you will find that glimpses of news items, letters, and diary entries blend with facts and myths to tell the story of quilt making surrounding the Civil War. Beginning with abolitionist quilts and ending with commemorative quilts Barbara Brackman tells the story that changed the course of our country. In this comprehensive book even the patterns are provided. You will find complete instructions for Underground Railroad quilts, patriotic quilts, Sanitary Commission quilts and many more. So your fascinating journey just begins with reading the history found in this book. That only prepares you for your personal quest to find reproduction fabrics as you began to plan to make your own period quilt.

I purchased this book over a year ago and since that time I have referred to it repeatedly for ideas on historical fabrics and patterns. The text gives details about quilts and quiltmaking that can not easily be found elsewhere. The author's perspective on the subject is invaluable whether you make quilts, collect them or both. The historical quilts and newer quilts are beautiful. Quilts from the Civil War is my favorite among a collection of several dozen quilt-related titles.

A gorgeous collection of quilts created for the World's Fair Contest sponsored by Sears. It shows the diverse backgrounds of some of the quilters involved, the scandal surrounding the winning quilt, and what happened to some of those quilts. It encouraged me to enter a contest with my first quilt.

I could hardly wait to receive the applique patterns - at last - patterns at my fingertips - needless to say, I was disappointed when I discovered that the book did not contain applique patterns but illustrations only. The pictures are not even illustrated properly so that they may be enlarged to use for patterns.

Filled with hundreds (thousands?) of sketches of applique patterns from antique and modern quilts, this book can be useful in either identifying the name of a certain pattern or in designing your own pattern for applique.

As a previous reviewer stated, it is not a book with ready-to-use applique patterns, but it was never intended to be. It is, however, a valuable resource for anyone who owns or appreciates applique quilts or any quilter willing to use the sketches for inspiration in designing their own pattern.