Childhood Treasures

Book excerpt: Doll quilts are little gems—microcosms of quilt history." So writes author and quilt historian Merikay Waldvogel in Childhood Treasures: Doll Quilts By and For Children. This lovely book showcases 80 doll quilts, made from 1830 through the 1950s. All are selected from Mary Campbell Ghormley's collection, possibly the largest private collection of doll quilts in the world, numbering more than 300 doll quilts. All doll quilts tell a story that begs to be retold, says Waldvogel. She sets out to reveal these gems' hidden truths, looking for clues in each quilt's fabrics, style, pattern, piecing, and stitching. This may be the first book to study doll quilts in this depth. This informative book is for anyone interested in antiques, miniatures, quilts and needlecrafts, dolls, and decorative arts. These doll quilts have an irresistible charm, captured graphically in the book's rich color photography. This book is a visual and historical treasure.