PBS has published stories about quilts as they relate to families, technique, heroes, inspiration, and healing. These stories may inspire your own quilt, quilt square, or quilt design.
Visit this site for information about the PBS video "The Art of Quilting" (2007), find more resources, and take a fun quiz on quilting terminology.
Notes: A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family. Based on the author's quilt painting of the same name.
Faith Ringgold is known for her painted story quilts, combining painting, quilted fabric and storytelling.
When Patricia's Great-Gramma Anna came to America as a child, the only things she brought along from Russia were her dress and the babushka she liked to throw up into the air when she was dancing. Soon enough, though, Anna outgrew the dress and her mother decided to incorporate it and the babushka into a quilt. "It will be like having a family in backhome Russia dance around us at night," she said. And so it was. Together with her Uncle Vladimir's shirt, Aunt Havalah's nightdress, and an apron of Aunt Natasha's, Anna's mother made a quilt that would be passed down through their family for almost a century. From one generation to the next, the quilt was used as a Sabbath tablecloth, a wedding canopy, and a blanket to welcome each new child into the world.The Keeping Quilt,Patricia Polacco's signature piece, was first published in 1988 and won the Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries. This edition has been expanded to include Patricia's two children, who have also been able to share in the family tradition by using the quilt for birthdays and for play. Now a new generation of readers will come to cherish this heartwarming story of one family's special symbol of enduring love and faith.wn family, and the quilt that remains a symbol of their enduring love and faith.
From the Publisher: Reaching into her own family history, Woodson presents the stirring story of generations of African-American women who inspired each other with their strength, family traditions, and determination to be free.
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau and illustrated by Gail de Marcken is a visually engaging book that will inspire quilters of all ages. Scholastic has created a website rich in resources for readers and teachers.
Tar Beach 2
1990
Silkscreen on silk
66 x 66"
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ringgold, Faith
American, born 1930
Sunflower Quilting Bee, The; at Arles (1995-1996)
Are you wondering what kinds of stories inspire quilts? Visit this site to hear stories from around the world or contribute your own.
