Making quilts has always been about practicality and generosity. The most beautiful story I have come across about the joy of quiltmaking is The Quiltmakers Gift. The story by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken has been extended into a prequel, and a series of how to guidebooks.
The Quiltmakers Gift
The story is about the Quiltmaker and a greedy King. The Quiltmaker goes about her business, making and giving quilts to those in need. The King learns of her beautiful quilts, and greedily wants one for himself. When she refuses to make him a quilt, she is captured. Later she escapes and is pursued by the King.
Throughout the story the theme resonates about generosity and greed. The Quiltmaker has nothing, fashioning quilts out of what is on hand. She never judges her clients, even making a pillow for an angry bear along her way. The King of course learns what it means to be humble, and by the end has nothing except a quilt from the Quiltmaker.
The Quilting in the Book
In the story, the paintings are stunning. Each element of the story is told through a traditional quilt block. Popular patterns in the book include the bear paw, the Kings highway, storm at sea and the log cabin. Each page features a stunning quilt design and a story woven into the block.
Making the Quilts from The Quiltmakers Gift
Following the success of the story, both as a New York Times best seller and Book of the Year, 2 volumes of Quilts from the Quiltmakers Gift were released. Each book features the quilts from the book and simple instructions to make them. Each quilt has a difficulty rating and a run down on the specific requirements to make the quilt.
Fabrics were even produced to match the paintings in the story. These can be purchased in a set entitled The Quiltmakers Giftbox.
One of the lovely aspects of the series is the way quilting groups have been featured. In many cases both the young and the old are brought together over the art of quilting. Photographs of finished quilts are included showing the talent and possibilities for each block.
The Quiltmakers Journey
Following the success of The Quiltmakers Gift, the prequel storybook, The Quiltmakers Journey shows how the Quiltmaker came to be. Looking at her life before becoming the legendary Quiltmaker it is a story of the pursuit of happiness. While the Quiltmaker was once a rich young woman, she gave it all up to become rich in happiness.
Again the story is told with stunning paintings and exceptional quilting designs.
The Quiltmakers Gift is a wonderful story to delight young and old, as well as warm the heart of any quilter. The book would make a wonderful gift for any quiltmaker or along with a gift quilt itself.
Join the Conversation