Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000

Amazon review of Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000 by Roderick Kiracofe

A few years ago, Roderick Kiracofe and I met through Facebook. There was a page for sharing pictures of old quilts. We were both members. and I was posting a lot of pictures of the quilts of the 1970s. Roderick took an immediate interest in the quilts, and when he was passing through Portland in 2012 he visited my home. We shared a love for quirky, barely-vintage quilts, and I was delighted to learn he was writing a book - "Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000".

my quilt brought back fond memories for curator Amelia Peck

Before the book was released, Roderick sent me an e-mail to tell me there would be a big surprise for me in the book, but he wouldn't say what it was. I just received a copy, and not only is one of my quilts included as a full-page illustration, the quilt was mentioned in the essay "In Dialogue with an Anonymous Quilt" by Amelia Peck, curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. An excellent surprise, and I am honored-- but even without this personal connection to the book I would unconditionally recommend it for anyone who loves quilts and art.

The book will surely be one of the seminal quilt history books of the 21st century, a successful follow-up to "The American Quilt: A History of Cloth & Comfort 1750-1950". It is brilliant, full of vibrant, offbeat quilts, and excellent essays by noteworthy experts in the field of quilts and textiles. Worth reading cover to cover. This book ushers in a new era of collecting, a new breed of collector and a whole new genre of quilts. Perfectly timed, considering how much the new generation of quiltmakers in the Modern Quilting movement appreciate improvisational style. Thank you, Roderick, for generously sharing your quilts and your knowledge, for including quilts from other collections, and for giving us the gift of another amazing, memorable book of quilts.

To purchase the book, click here.