Quilt Kits

QUILT KITS: 20TH CENTURY SHORT CUTS describes a quilting short cut that appeared near the beginning of the 20th century and became immensely popular as the century progressed. Included are descriptions of the types of quilt kits, stories of some of the designers and companies that produced kits, and reflections on the role of quilt kits in 20th century quilting. The photos of beautiful quilts made from kits, catalogs and ephemera are all items in the author's collections. Rose Marie Werner is a recognized authority on this topic, having spent twelve years studying and documenting quilt kits.

Early 20th century quilt makers planning to make a quilt faced a daunting amount of tedious work before they could begin sewing. This included selecting fabrics, making templates, tracing around the templates, and cutting out all the pieces. Entrepreneurs, some of them women working from their homes, solved the dilemma by producing and selling kits that included fabric already stamped for cutting or for quilting, or even pieces already cut out. In QUILT KITS: 20TH CENTURY SHORT CUTS, Rose Marie Werner details the stories of these entrepreneurs and the growth of the phenomenon of quilt kits. Lynda Pavek, through the lens of her camera, provides views of the beauty in the quilt kit designs, with over 250 photos of quilts and ephemera in the author's collections. This book will appeal to anyone interested in the history behind their family quilts, whether they are quilt historians, appraisers, or collectors, or whether they just enjoy reading about quilt history. Anyone who loves quilts will enjoy the beautiful designs displayed in the photographs.

Rose Marie Werner has spent twelve years on an independent study of quilts made from kits during the 20th century. She has identified nearly four thousand designs sold as kits , seeing the concept grow from a novelty to a significant area of quilting throughout the century. In QUILT KITS: 20TH CENTURY SHORT CUTS she discusses the wide variety of quilt kit types, the companies that produced them, and the role they played in 20th century quilting. The author has previously published STATE BIRD AND STATE FLOWER QUILTS: AN IDENTIFICATION GUIDE and her quilt kit identification results are found on her website at www.quiltkitid.com. Rose Marie Werner resides in Minnesota and has previously been a teacher, a director of religious education, and a bookkeeper for the family business. She also makes quilts and collects quilts made from kits. Her extensive collection is featured in the book illustrations.