The Kansas City Star Quilts Sampler

Starred review from November 5, 2018
More than just a pattern book, this dive into the archives of the Kansas City Star newspaper also serves as a fascinating look at the history of American quilting. For quilters of any experience level, it’s a must-have. As quilting historian Brackman explains, between 1928 and 1961 the Star published a popular weekly quilting column, represented here by a selection of the best pattern blocks from each decade. Notable picks include variations on the classic star and chain patterns, designs with distinctively Midwestern names such as “Corn and Beans” and “Evelyne’s Whirling Dust Storm,” and some that just sound like fun to make, such as “Rob Peter and Pay Paul” and “Wagon Wheels Carry Me Home.” The concluding pages show a selection of the blocks sewn into a sampler quilt, accompanied by kind advice urging readers not to feel guilty about using modern pattern cutting and sewing techniques not available to quilters of previous generations. Brackman provides details about the women who created these patterns, the newspaper writers and editors who published them, and the types of fabrics used during each decade. Her commentary adds intriguing historical texture to a well-stocked resource for quilters, which avid and casual practitioners can equally appreciate.