Old Nova Scotian Quilts

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

The warmth, love, and caring that were historically stitched into quilts
shine through in this vibrant book.

The heart of the work is a gallery of 50 quilts from the Nova Scotia
Museum collection. These date from 1810 to 1950. For each, there is a
large full-color photo, as well as data such as date, size, maker’s
name and town, construction notes, and pattern details. The catalogue
contains wool beds (often called comfortables), pieced, whole cloth,
appliqued, crazy, and log-cabin quilts. It illustrates the tremendous
range of pattern and fabric used in historic Nova Scotia. The collection
is alive with the intense efforts and creativity of the quiltmakers, for
quilting was not only a practical craft but one of the few means women
had to express their imaginations and indulge a craving for beauty.

The extensive text that constitutes the remainder of the book is packed
with history, construction details, materials, patterns, lore, and the
social side of quilting. Quilting as humanitarian aid also receives
generous coverage, and numerous archival photos add to the atmosphere.
Story quilts, friendship quilts, and quilted clothing also receive
mention, and there is information on how to care for, clean, and display
quilts.

Social historians, collectors, quilters, and those with a longing to be
connected to Canada’s past will find that this book fills a need.