Customer Reviews

Quilts of Provence: The Art and Craft of French Quiltmaking

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Readers will find in Kathryn Berenson's book a solid reference work on the distinctive style of Regional French quilting, both as bed dressing, and in articles of clothing. The clear, detailed photography reveals the mastery of the "whole-cloth" style of quilting, in both full-view and close-up. I was struck by the greater variety of embroidered subjects than seen in American or English quilts. I particularly enjoyed seeing so many examples of the famous (infamous?) 'chinoiserie' printed Indian cottons that were banned by the Crowns of both sides of the English Channel! Although not footnoted, the book is complete with three authentic projects to make; a useful guide to the care & feeding of the antique quilt; a short list of museums and shops in Provence; and an excellent glossary & bibliography. "Quilts of Provence" will grace a travel or history collection, or inspire and stimulate any quilter.

I've never read a book which does such a good job of blending the history and flavor of a part of the world with an art form which flourishes there. The author combines a love for the countryside of France with deep knowledge of quilt design and detail. The photography and design of the book are also superb. This book can not only be enjoyed by devotees of fine quilting but by anyone who loves the marriage of art and craftsmanship.

After stumbling over examples of this incredible craft in Milan, I wanted more information and certainly found it here! The text is very informative, the pictures superb with great attention paid to lighting them correctly so as to show off the intricate detail; this is a book for the reference library of the serious quilter and quilt historian, as well as delight to read for those who appreciate fine handcrafts.

This book details the history and workmanship of the quilting craft that developed in Provence. The author shows the reader the origins of the provencal quilt and fabric prints. The text guides fhrough the centuries of Provencal needlecrafts and demonstrates the care and craft of quilted glories. A person who is experienced with quilt making can create their own provencal looking quilts for themselves or loved ones. For that is what it would take to create a quilted masterpiece or the quality found in this region. This volume could have had 10 stars if the skills were actually presented for the quilter.

If you are a quilter looking for some instruction or ideas, pass. Go to the library if you HAVE to see this book. It is a history book and really doesn't deal with quilts, per se. It talks about how this technique of cording and stuffing from the back of the work was made wildly popular in the 17th century in France, but not so much for bed coverings as for petticoats, vests and baby items.

The book is repetitive and was a waste of time. Save your money and buy some fabric. This book took me 15 minutes to go through and I am soooo glad I got it at the library. They will get it back the same day since I'm walking back over there this evening. Better off with a book on Marie Webster's patterns, or a book on white bride's quilts.

I first took this book out of the library because it looked interesting. Once I got it home, I had to own it. I was amazed at the degree of intricacy involved in these quilts. The pictures are beautiful and the projects are interesting. Though I probably won't tackle some of the more intricate pieces, I will take inspiration from them for future quilting projects. Pictures of the countryside and the historical prospectives make we want to travel there (now) - if only to buy fabric!