Review
"...one of the most unusual, beautiful, and quirky quilt books you will find anywhere." [Shirley MacGregor] "... undertook to document the beauty of these manhole covers, and beyond that to demonstrate how naturally and beautifully they are translated into the quilter's art." "Some of the quilts are relatively close copies of the manhole covers, while others take imaginative liberties with the designs. ...All are unusual and some are breathtaking." --
Rob Holland, The Virtual Quilt, Aug, 1999"Shirley MacGregor writes about the genesis of the book with a lot of humor and includes very interesting bits of Japanese culture and history. The layout and the beautiful photographs make this book truly enjoyable and original." "I really liked the fact that this is not another "how-to book" but an incredible source of oriental designs, which could be used in very many different ways and settings, leaving each reader free to choose her/his favorite technique to duplicate a design in fabric. It is so refreshing to find a book that encourages creativity." --
Martine House, Quilt Magazine; Sep. 1999
From the Publisher
Quilting With Manhole Covers, a first effort by quilt artist and teacher, Shirley MacGregor, is truly a one-of-a-kind book featuring a fascinating collection of designs never before available to quilters. These designs are taken from Japanese manhole covers, and each portrays a significant aspect of the community it represents.
A great many cities and towns in Japan decorate their manhole covers with intricate designs which depict a community's symbols, a historic events, a geographical features, or perhaps a local products or industries.
Shirley MacGregor has taken 32 of these unique designs and presented them in this beautifully illustrated volume. In the book, Shirley describes how she discovered these large, iron art objects, and how she satisfied a strong desire to get them off the streets and into the quilt studio.
