An exhaustive treatment of all aspects of Shaker textile production and artifacts. The author writes clearly of the tasks themselves, from the inventively efficient methods of wool and flax milling to the unique, laborious production of ‘popular cloth’. Gordon’s judicious use of original source materials--diaries, ledgers, instruction manuals--enriches these discussions and adds to our understanding of this small corner of the history of American crafts production."The book’s greatest strength is the discussion of the works themselves. The author writes knowingly of an enormous variety of household objects and articles of clothing. The typical ‘Believer’s’ wardrobe was remarkably large, and Gordon handles each piece with a sensitivity to design and construction that clearly comes from years of intense, intimate study..."The scholarly apparatus of the book is excellent...Nevertheless, the text is not overly technical, and will prove accessible and enjoyable to both layman and specialist. Handsomely designed and profusely illustrated (including several glorious color plates), Shaker Textile Arts is a worthy contribution to the history of American material culture.
Beverly Gordon
Writer, artist, teacher… I have been passionate about textiles for more than 40 years—and teaching about their meanings and how to make them for 30 of them (mostly at University of Wisconsin). Previous books include Shaker Textile Arts; Feltmaking: Traditions, Techniques and Contemporary Explorations; Bazaars and Fair Ladies: The History of the American Fundraising Fair; and The Saturated World: Aesthetic Meaning, Intimate Objects, Women’s Lives. I make figural …
