Indigo Quilts: 30 Quilts from the Poos Collection

by Kay Triplett, Lori Lee Triplett

Overview

A detailed look at the history of Indigo quilts, as well as five beautiful projects inspired by antique designs.

The beauty of Indigo quilts is undeniable. Explore the origins of the fiber and fabric presented by two members of the American Quilt Study Group. Step inside the Poos Collection of quilts, one of the largest privately held collections in the world. Featuring stunning quilts circa 1750 to 1890. Get inspired and make one of the gorgeous quilt projects using present day Indigo or reproduction fabrics.

Includes:

• 25 stunning antique quilts from one of the world’s largest privately held quilt and textile collections
• Appliqué and patchwork! 5 beautiful projects inspired by antique quilts
• Photographic history of indigo’s origins in textiles, from Africa to America

Praise for Indigo Quilts

“This excellent mix of history and quilt projects is the Triplett sisters’ third book based off the Poos Collections, a large, privately held gathering of quilts and textiles managed by the authors. . . . The Tripletts’ style is scholarly and readable; the pictures are stunning and seductive, and the book finishes off with five indigo design projects for the mid-level-to-expert quilter.” —Publishers Weekly

“In their third book about the collection, their focus is on historic indigo quilts, as well as the African tradition of indigo cultivation and dyeing that was brought to the United States both by African traders and explorers and by slaves captured from their West African homelands. . . . Historical quilt enthusiasts will appreciate the depth of the Tripletts’ research on the history of indigo dyeing; contemporary quilters who appreciate reproduction quilts will enjoy the gallery and the patterns.” —Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781617452444
Publisher:	C & T Publishing
Publication date:	07/30/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	255
File size:	26 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Kay Triplett is Curator for Quilt and Textile Collections, which manages the Poos Collection, one of the largest privately held quilt and textile collections in the world. Kay is a frequent writer for the quilt magazine Quiltmania and has authored several books.Lori Lee Triplett, Business Manager for Quilt and Textile Collections, has successfully combined a variety of passions which include research, writing, and performing into the quilt world. As an award winning writer Lori has written more than 10 books and numerous magazine articles.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Indigo: Africa's Gift to the World
Origins in Africa
Textiles in Africa
Resist in Africa
Technology Transfer

Origins of Indigo in America
Northern Colonies
Southern Colonies

Indigo Infatuation Continues
African Influence on others
Foreign Influence in African Indigo

Indigo Quilts - APPLIQUE
Flowers, Stars, Birds, and Heart Tassels
Medallion
Heart Wreath with Garland Border
Oak Leaf and Reel
Prince's Feather
Snowflakes Papercut
True Lover's Knot

Indigo Quilts - MIXED APPLIQUE AND PIECED
Single Irish Chain with Garland Border
Sunflower and Nine Patch

Indigo Quilts - PIECED
Album Block
Blazing Stars and Lemoyne Stars
Cherry Baskets
Chintz Nine Patch with Indigo Resist Border
Delectable Mountains
Double Four Patch
Double Stars
Economy Patch Album Block
Feathered Star
Feathered Star with Crossroads
Lemoyne Star
Nine Patch with Red
Ocean Waves
Ohio Star with Illuminated Indigo Border
Reversible Lemoyne Star
Sawtooth Star
Single Irish Chain with Flock of Geese Border
Sunburst and Arkansas Snowflake
Temperance T
Variable Star with Vine Border

Indigo Quilts - Wholecloth
Wholecloth Quilt - French Indigo Resist

5 Quilt Patterns
Endnotes

Editorial Reviews

10/05/2015
This excellent mix of history and quilt projects is the Triplett sisters’ third book based off the Poos Collections, a large, privately held gathering of quilts and textiles managed by the authors. The sisters chose to focus on indigo because, they claim, blue is the most popular color, and indigo is “the king of that color.” Though most research focuses on India’s role in Indigo cultivation, the Tripletts instead pay honorable—though admittedly circumstantial—attention to Africa’s links to the dye. The first section addresses transfer of indigo dye to the Americas beginning in the late 15th century, carried by people whom the Portuguese enslaved for their knowledge of growing indigo and weaving indigo textiles. The second section highlights antique quilts from the Poos Collection, an album including a gorgeous pieced quilt with intricate feather stitching and a LeMoyne Star block quilt with quilted flowers skillfully stitched with “ghost” blocks. The Tripletts’ style is scholarly and readable; the pictures are stunning and seductive, and the book finishes off with five indigo design projects for the mid-level-to-expert quilter. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Indigo has long been used in dyeing and has never really gone out of fashion as a colour. This book gives a solid history of the plant and the dye, and how it was used in various societies, and the research it footnoted for further study. There then follows a section of detailed images and background information on 25 exquisitely pieced and quilted quilts as well as instructions to make five classic designs. This is a visually sumptuous book, where the photographs are so good you feel you are touching the quilts themselves. It is a wonderful resource for those interested in indigo and historical quilts.

Issue 25 Down Under Quilts

This scholarly introduction to indigo fabrics traces their history from Africa the U.S.A. The thirty indigo and white quilts are held in the Poos collection in America. The oldest indigo resist quilt comes from Rouen and is dated to the late 18th century. Most of the quilts, all hand quilted, are 19th century American. Each quilt has a full page photo, plus a close up detail, and its history. The five projects are copies of historic quilts from the Collection. They are pieced and appliquéd blocks. The instructions assume prior knowledge of the required techniques.

August 2016 British Patchwork and Quilting

See a private collection of 25 stunning antique quilts. Learn about the history of indigo quilts. Explore 5 great projects inspired by them. Like many who love textiles of all descriptions, I am fascinated by indigo. It is my favourite colour. This book explores indigo in Africa and America plus a quilt album and quilt projects. Each of the antique quilts has an information panel and focusses on the pattern such as oak leaf, cherry baskets etc. The quilts are from the 1800s and 1900s and are separated as to technique such as applique, pieced etc. The designs are fabulous and the photography is excellent. The projects come with full instructions and full-size templates. Anyone with an interest in indigo, quilts and their history and those looking to replicate historical quilts would be interested in this fabulous book.

3/11/16 yarnsandfabrics.co.uk

Two members of the American Quilt Study Group present 25 beautiful blue and white quilts from one of the world's largest privately held collections of antique quilts, the Poos Collection (named for Martha Poos, a quilter from Lancaster, Kansas). They also recount the history of indigo, the dye produced by the Indigofera tinctoria plant that has its origins in Africa, African textiles and how indigo was brought to the Americas by the slaves ships in the 15th century. This book is mainly about the history of blue and white quilts and textiles, but it includes patterns for five quilts: three appliquéd and two pieced. A beautiful book for lovers of antique quilts!

Issue 174 Down Under Quilts

I usually steer clear of commenting on books about African-American quilting and apparent affinities with aspects of African textiles as it is a controversial topic that, to be honest, doesn’t directly impact on my own interest in understanding more about the history of West African textiles themselves. However this welcome book by quilt and textile collectors Kay and Lori Lee Triplett breaks new ground by looking instead to the indigo fabric used in making the quilts and a detailed, archive research based, exploration of the role of African-American slaves and ex-slaves in the early production of indigo resist dyed cloth in the Americas. This is preceded by a stimulating overview of the history of indigo dyeing within West Africa, and illustrated with both West African textiles and a selection of remarkable antique indigo and white quilts from their collection.

adireafricantextiles.blogspot.co.uk, 1/14/16 - Duncan Clarke

Indigo Quilts by Kay and Lori Lee Triplett, a wonderful reference for learning about indigo fabrics, is divided into three sections: the history of indigo, quilts from the Poos Collection, and projects using indigo fabrics. Indigo can refer to a dye, a process, and a type of fabric.
First, there is an informative and beautifully illustrated section on the history of indigo dyes and techniques for making indigo resists. Indigo, known in Africa since the Stone Age, was used in past centuries in India and Europe, spread to the Americas in the colonial period, and is still popular today.
Second, the book includes a Quilt Album of 30 indigo quilts from the Poos Collection, one of the largest privately owned quilt collections in the world - curated and managed by the authors. It is known for its pre-1860 quilts and worldwide textile collection. The predominately blue and white quilts, all from the 1800s, show an impressive variety of traditional quilt blocks and degree of skill. The authors’ historical notes on each quilt’s fabrics, construction, and quilting are enlightening.

connectingthreads.com - Ann

11/01/2015
Sisters Kay and Lori Lee are curator and business manager, respectively, for the Poos Collection, one of the world's largest collections of historic quilts. In their third book about the collection, their focus is on historic indigo quilts, as well as the African tradition of indigo cultivation and dyeing that was brought to the United States both by African traders and explorers and by slaves captured from their West African homelands. An extensive historical overview provides information about African textiles and the spread of indigo dyeing in early America, followed by a gallery of 19th-century quilts from the Poos Collection. The quilts feature indigo-dyed fabrics as a focal point, and include appliqué, pieced, and mixed designs. Quilters interested in re-creating similar quilts will find a selection of five designs for both pieced and appliqué quilts, with traceable templates for the appliqué motifs included on a pullout. VERDICT Historical quilt enthusiasts will appreciate the depth of the Tripletts' research on the history of indigo dyeing; contemporary quilters who appreciate reproduction quilts will enjoy the gallery and the patterns.

Library Journal