"The authors had been told by "authorities" that finding really fine quilts in what had been a rough frontier area was quite unlikely. But page after page of visually stunning quilts prove with a vengeance that experts can be wrong.... Highly recommended." --Library Journal "More than anything else, the book provides a fascinating record of women"s efforts to create beauty even when every hour and cent had to be spent merely to survive. It is also a tribute to families who have recognized and treasured those efforts through the generations." --Angleton Times The patchwork or pieced quilt is one of the few truly indigenous American art forms, and in the Lone Star State it has long been cherished. But most early Texas quilters were not aware that they were shaping an artistic heritage for the future. They quilted for simpler, personal reasons: to keep their families warm during bitter winters in poorly heated dugouts, to add a bit of color and cheer to drab cabins on the plains, to pass lonely hours far away from distant family and friends, to welcome a firstborn child, or to plan for the arrival of long-awaited guests. Some women quilted for their own gratification: the pleasure of piecing cloth that met neatly and evenly, the satisfaction of quilting tiny, precise stitches that held the cloth and enhanced the design, the contentment of binding and finishing a quilt that represented a piece of the quilter"s life and heart. In quilting, Texas women (and the occasional man) took part in an artistic heritage that reflected the needs of life in a new land. In Lone Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1836-1936, over sixty of the finest quilts made in Texas or brought to Texas during that periodare beautifully documented in full color and glowing text. Selected from more than 3,500 quilts analyzed during an intensive two-year search in twenty-seven cities and towns across Texas, these treasures reflect the highest order of design and technique. Because they are prized family heirlooms or from private collections, virtually none of these quilts has ever before come to public attention. Unknown until now, they are masterpieces of quilt art and significant historical records. The photographs show the full quilts, details, and, in some cases, their makers. The text describes the characteristics of each quilt--physical description, sizes, fabrics, colors, pattern name, quality of workmanship, artistic merit, and overall design concept. Placing the quilt in perspective, Lone Stars also relates the family history and provenance of the piece~stories told about the quilt and its maker or owners--and looks at quilting in Texas and its relation to the tradition of quilting as practiced in other regions. A useful as well as lovely volume, Lone Stars adds immeasurably to our knowledge of Texas" rich cultural and artistic heritage.