Quilts: The Fabric of Society

Dr Annette Gero, one of Australia's leading quilt historians, has been documenting and collecting quilts since 1982. This book not only reflects the quilts found in this country but also the social history of countless ordinary people, histories which otherwise would never have been written, reflecting the life in this country over two centuries. The thread that holds this patchwork of Australian history together is that each story told includes the making of a quilt.

This book draws on women’s memories, diaries, their letters to relatives, official records, newspaper and magazine articles reflecting the current domestic influences and, of course, the old magazines which provided the quilt patterns. Stunning photos, many of quilts which have never been seen before, show the rich quality of design and workmanship.

Australia has a rich and diverse heritage in patchwork quilts. It covers convicts, Governors' wives, Gold Rush immigrants, wealthy shop owners, WWI diggers, people who were forced off the land during the Depression, WWII Australian prisoners of war, rabbit trappers, artist's wives and finally last, but not least, Mum, who made all her children's clothes and never threw anything away.

Included are patterns of many of the quilts, created by internationally recognised quilt designer Kim McLean.