Beautiful quilts that demonstrate why quilting is an art form. A perfect book for a non quilter to just enjoy the feast for the eyes. Also perfect to get the creative juices flowing for any quilter who maybe hasn’t indulged for a while.

WHY WE QUILT by Thomas Knauer is a beautiful book which I ordered earlier this year to share with our Art teachers, one of whom has an annual project involving quilts, form, and color. The history and expression behind quilts is amazing – there are so many individual stories to tell and variations of artistic expression. Knauer focuses on "Contemporary Makers [who] Speak Out about the Power of Art, Activism, Community, and Creativity." Knauer showcases numerous artists and divides them into chapters that explore reasons for quilting like "to connect with a rich tradition" or "to move beyond modern consumer culture" or to "change the world," highlighting quilts that are "still materially comfortable, but ... emotionally fraught."

This is indeed a rich subject and resources about quilts and quilt-making abound. Booklist called WHY WE QUILT a "beautiful celebration" of quilting while also being a "reflection of the overwhelming whiteness of that community." I would encourage readers to investigate further, perhaps reading "The Radical Quilting of Rosie Lee Tompkins," a review filled with vivid pictures, that appeared in this week's New York Times. If you have more ideas to share, please let me know. As Knauer writes, "whatever the reason we are initially drawn to the practice, quilting seems to satisfy something deep inside, to touch us, and to allow us, through our quilts, to share with the people in our lives."

An interesting book, and a good look at some of the most modern quilts out there. Many of these quilts are dissonant, social commentaries about events happening right now. It was very hard to follow on a Kindle, as the descriptions and the designer information might be on one page and the photos on another page.

This book was interesting reading, and geared to a much younger, hip audience. Someone described this work as a conversation starter about quilting, and I agree with that. This is in no way a "how to" book.

Nonfiction | Adult
As I near the end of my first year of actual quilting – the first year and a half was spent procrastinating as I learned a lot of techniques – I am struck by the imaginative, creative, and collaborative nature of quilting. I don’t quilt to save money. I don’t quilt because I need another blanket. I quilt to create, to show love, to enjoy time alone and time with your equally besotted friends, to learn new things, and to wrap yourself in the warmth of a tradition that goes back centuries.
Knauer looks at all of this, but also at the political or activist aspect – remember the AIDS quilt? “But beyond being a creative outlet, quilting is often also a personal outlet, a means of speaking out” (p. 36). Each chapter opens with a short essay; first he looks at the history of quilting in American, then examines various motivations from creativity to family to reform. Within each chapter, he features several quilts with a brief statement from each quilter about what drives them to quilt, followed by two short entries by quilters explaining what inspires them and how they go about creating and designing. Quilting vocabulary pages finish each chapter, giving inexperienced readers the basics to better appreciate the designs they are looking at. There is a mix of styles from abstract to modern to traditional to portraits. The full-page images of the featured quilts invite you to dawdle – they dazzle and inspire and shock. One of Knauer’s quilts is made of a series of blocks of a girl in a bonnet. Upon closer examination, you realize each is holding a machine gun – a protest against the pervasive nature of gun violence in the U.S. Some of the quilt backs are shown too, reminding me of the b-side of a 45 record that I liked even better! As one new to the art, I really enjoyed this journey into quilting. If you have any interest in quilting, even if you aren’t a quilter, it will fascinate for sure, though my focus right now is on quilt patterns! And of that there are none. Space is allocated for an index thought it was not included in the copy I reviewed. My thanks to Storey Publishing for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this title: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40592055

Interesting book for quilters but not full of tips and not necessarily for UK readers. More like interviews with quilters and their stories.

This book highlights various quilt makers who describe their work. Quilts are the rare works of art that also become part of our everyday lives. I really enjoyed reading about the stories behind the quilts. It made me look at my own quilting and uneven stitches in a whole new light.

I received a complementary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved the stories by different quilters and the pictures of various quilts. This was a fun, inspiring read.

I've often wondered about the story that patchwork quilting began as a way for women (and myth would have it that it was always women) to make an extra blanket out of material which would otherwise go to waste. This undoubtedly did happen but when you think about it, you need an awful lot of material to make a quilt and the time could have been better spent if all that was required was bedding. Like Thomas Knauer I've come to the conclusion that it began as an art and has largely continued down that same road with fluctuations in popularity over the years.

There's a rich history, particularly in the USA of individuals and communities using fabric and thread to express themselves and through that to connect with others both on a personal and political level. Knauer is primarily an artist and craftsman but his writing is succinct and thought provoking and he's brought together a group of quilters to tell their stories. These are interspersed with the history of quilting. Some themes - activism and the bringing together of communities - resonate throughout the profiles of the quilters, but all are interesting and, above all, inspiring.

I began reading in the middle of a sleepless night, thinking that I would read a few pages to soothe my mind and that I would then be ready for sleep. Hours later I was still lost in the book. It was fascinating to read the profiles and then to look at the images of their work through the lense of what I now knew about them. The photographs are stunning and I found myself closely examining the way that the quilts had been built, being inspired by some and admiring others whilst wondering if I would find them comfortable to live with. Some, of course, are intended for museums, where comfort is not necessarily what viewers are looking for.

It's a book for established quilters as well as those just starting on the craft. Even if you don't know one end of a needle from the other you will find a great deal to admire and enjoy in this book and I'd like to thank the publishers for letting the Bookbag see an advance reading copy.

I can't wait to order this book for our public library collection and share it with our local quilters. Knauer has collected amazing quilts and their creators, both traditional and abstract, and statements from the artists on why quilting is important to them. It will make you both want to learn to quilt, and snuggle up under a warm quilt with someone you love.

This book is great for inspiration to take up quilting, or to get back into the art after time away. Many quilters share passionate, creative reasons why they quilt, and, best of all, the book is full of examples of works from the past several hundred years. From symmetrical to chaotic, traditional to abstract, the sky is the limit in quilting design. You will want to broaden your own creative horizons after looking at this book.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC.

Anyone who sews and, in particular quilts, will know that it involves much more than stitching pieces of fabric together. We make things with love and for those that we love and in doing so, form bonds with others who do the same. This book examines these actions and motives in much more detail. by means of individual stories and case histories from prolific quilt artists. This is a beautifully life afirming text that I would recommend wholeheartedly to anyone, who, like me has caught the quilting bug!

I really enjoyed this book, perfect for quilting and sewing enthusiasts. This book was generously provided to me through NetGalley. Highly Recommended!

The well-organized Why We Quilt is a joy for quilters, artists and readers. Beginning chapters start with a concise informative quilting history. Quilting terms are described in just right amount of detail. Bright colored quilt photographs dazzle and inspire, while vivid descriptions pointing out deeper meaning. Sometimes I just marked quilts that brought me joy to look at. Chapter titles are:
1.We quilt to connect with a rich tradition.
2. We quilt to explore and express our creativity
3. We quilt to move beyond consumer culture
4. We quilt to create a connection with loved ones
5. We quilt to change the world
6 We quilt because we can- and because we cannot help but do so.

Each of us has our own stories to tell through our quilts. These quilts all send the same message: “You are warm; you are safe; you are loved.”

Stories and quotes held emotional resonance for me. “For me the act of quilting is imbued with hope. I quilt because I love to work with my hands and my eyes. I love playing with color and pattern. I love making a thing from start to finish. I love that when I’m done with that thing, it can be an object of comfort and utility, or it can be art.”

Quilting “forces us to slow down for a time, to engage in something other than the mundane routines of daily life. The vast majority of us make quilts not because we have to, but because we want to.” Some quilts are designed to send a powerful message. Even though the materials are ‘soft’, their impact is not.

Why We Quilt brought fond memories, inspiring quilts with their stories, and joy. I love that the acknowledgements list artists who contributed and their websites. I can look up more quilts!

“We quilt because there are quilts yet to be made, gifts still to be given, messages that remain unspoken…We quilt because we need to do something with out hands and our minds. We quilt because we need to be distracted from our worries and we quilt because it brings us joy We quilt because we don’t know what else to do, and we quilt because inspiration strikes.”

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this inspiring book in exchange for an honest review.

A charming book, full of reflections by the author and comments from many quilters answering the question of the title. While many of the answers are short, several quilters are given more space in sections called "voices of quilters."

There is some historical and reference information, but not much. Less a book showing how to quilt, this book is designed to be inspirational.

Just one point though, I would be so delighted if just once in a book like this I found an artist who made statements that were not politically correct. I know they are out there, let's hear them!.

An interesting read, combining quilt makers reason for quilting and a little about their style and what led them to take up the fibre art form.
The chapters are divided into connecting to tradition, exploring/expressing creativity, moving beyond consumer culture, creating connections with loved ones, changing the world, and finally a chapter called "and because we cannot help but do so". There are 28 well know quilt artist, with their stories spread over these chapters, all make interesting reading and their quilts make beautiful examples of their work and style.
A good book to dip into at various times or read whole.

A look at the art of quilting gorgeous quilts and the story of these artists these amazing quilters.A lovely book a feast for the eyes and a fascinating read.#netgalley#storeypublishing,

If you are a quilter, you will likely enjoy this book. If not, you likely won't.

Filled with lovely full color illustrations and accompanied by first person accounts of why each person quilts, this is a very enjoyable, informative, and even inspirational book. I love the interspersed history lessons & descriptions of traditional quilt blocks. I also loved that both traditional and modern quilts are featured. There are some well known names here and some not-so-well known, but all are inspiring and obviously love the craft/art of quilting.

I really enjoyed this book, but honestly at the projected price of $30 upon print publication, it seems a bit pricey since it's only slightly over 200 pages including the photos and references at the back. Still, it would make a nice gift for the quilter in your family.

A fascinating book with many different aspects and views of why we quilt. I am not a modern quilter but could appreciate the beauty of those quilts that were shown. It was interesting to hear of how some of the well known names in the quilting world all began and then why they continue to quilt.. I would only make one point and that is reading on my Kindle meant that I could not see the pictures in full colour and so if this is sold as a Kindle book I think the reader needs to be aware of this fact. I simply went to my ipad Kindle and then saw all the pictures in their magnificence.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Having been a quilter for 40+ years, I was interested in finding out what factors prompted others to take up this artistic endeavor. This was a fairly simplistic book. Besides the brief interviews with quilters, there were some references to quilting vocabulary like certain common quilt patterns. This book did not really inspire me as an experienced quilter. I would think that beginning quilters would struggle with this book as well since it has no patterns or instructions.
The personal experiences of the author don’t transfer well to a broader quilting audience.

This book was fascinating and beautiful. I've always been interested in quilting, but this book really explores the stories that make quilters quilt.

What this book isn't is a how-to on quilting. What it is is first a history of quilting as an art-form, as an expression of ideas and values. Then, second, it is an exploration of what draws people to quilt.. what are the ideas that they are trying to express, why do they choose to do this in quilt form, and what gets produced.

I've never read a book quite like this and if you are interested in this art form (as both a creative, but also often a political act) I highly recommend this book.