The Art of Make-Do Quilting

The Ultimate Guide for Working with Vintage Textiles

Mary W. Kerr provides plenty of inspiration and tips for working with worn quilts and orphaned blocks in The Art of Make-Do Quilting.

Old quilts and unfinished blocks can often be found in antique and thrift stores, prompting quilters to take them in and make something new. But the creative challenge of starting with someone else’s work can be daunting. Knowing this, Kerr’s book includes scores of designs made with cast-offs, leftovers, and pieces with holes, stains, or uneven sewing—used to whatever extent they could be. The projects’ materials also include old feed sacks, clothes, fabric, and linens, repurposed in mini quilts, little pillows, pincushions, and “cracklin’ mats” (pads that can be used as coasters or mug rugs).

The book is more inspirational than project-based: it explores Kerr’s thought process when designing quilts with old materials. For example, she writes about using a single chicken block left from another project, along with basket blocks that were missing their handles and lots of tiny scraps, to make a whimsical, colorful quilt. Her projects are sure to inspire fellow quilters to use found materials in their own creative works.

In addition to numerous photographs of Kerr’s projects, the book includes tips for removing stains, reinforcing worn fabric, and using scraps, misaligned, and unfinished blocks to create unique masterpieces. It encourages preserving historic fabrics and adding to the modern quilter’s individual style. Its notes on keeping records of where the original materials came from, and about who finished a given project, are particularly useful for crafters who want to preserve the history of their projects.

The Art of Make-Do Quilting encourages quilters to preserve old textiles in their own unique creations.

Reviewed by Sarah White

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Load Next Review