Civil War Women by Barbara
Brackman In Barbara Brackman’s second book about women during the American Civil War, she explores a more personalized view of nine women. In each of the nine chapters, the author describes the life of the quilter as determined primarily from personal writings, offers an activity for Civil War re-inactors and instructions for a quilt that she imagines that the quilter could have made. For example, the chapter on freedwoman Susie King Taylor presents a touching portrait of her life. The re-inactment project is a detailed description of how to put on a quilting party and instruction for a Tobacco Worm (Feathered Star) quilt. Additional chapters revolve around women newspaper correspondents, refugees, nurses, Confederate spies, plantation owners, government clerks and soldier’s wives. All in all, an interesting cross section of the women of the Civil War era. The color photos of quilts from this time of our history are lovely. The instructions, diagrams for machine pieced and appliqued quilts and full sized, traceable templates are very clear and easy to follow. Although I am a maker of contemporary and art quilts, I feel drawn to several of the quilts in this book; especially the Feathered Star, Kansas Troubles and Doggy Mountain (Rock Mountain). I may make the Doggy Mountain quilt You will have to read the book to learn the funny origin of the name. The gripping stories of these brave and creative women set the stage for us to have a new appreciation for the quilts of that era. Never in my most sentimental moments, did I consider having an old fashioned quilting party to make a quilt called Doggy Mountain. It does sound like fun, doesn’t it. - Reviewed by Diana Norris |
