Synopses & Reviews
Inspiration drawn from letters, journals, historical sources, andessential vehicles of women's storytelling through the yearsquilts fills this narrative re-creation of the history of the West from the time of the early pioneers to the present day. The purpose of quilts and the art of quilting provide a window into the lives of these women, their friendships, and their sorrows. Quilts provided warmth and occasionally served as death shrouds during the gold rush years. They were nailed to the walls and floors of rough-hewn cabins of shanty mining settlements. Quilting bees provided a rare opportunity for female fellowship at the turn of the century. The voice of a masterful storyteller brings to life the heroic and heartbreaking stories of generations of women in this sensitive and artistic portrait.
Review
"True to her form as a master storyteller, Sandra Dallas creates lasting images of women and their quilts in this wonderful book of quilt history." Quilter's World
Review
"Sandra Dallas, who writes with a light and breezy style, pegs quilting to the pioneer women who sometimes used stitchery to preserve their sanity in the lonely, wide-open spaces of the West . . . a fascinating history." The Denver Post
Review
"Written by one of Colorado's finest writers, our quilted history is well told in The Quilt That Walked to Golden.” Rocky Mountain News
Review
"This book not only walks, it talks. And no quilt could have a better author to make it 'talk' than Sandra Dallas. A great book." Pat Schroeder, president, Association of American Publishers, and former member of Congress
Synopsis
Drawing its inspiration from letters, journals, andmost importantlyquilts, this engaging account chronicles the history of the women who settled the town of Golden, Colorado, over the course of two centuries. Laced with true stories drawn from American quilting history, the narrative follows the transformation of the shanty mining village into a thriving community, moving through the Depression and up to the present day. Throughout the decades, the art of quilting provides a window into the lives of these women, their successes, and their sorrows. With more than 70 photographs and four vintage quilt patterns, this unique saga is a treasure for historians and quilters alike.
About the Author
Sandra Dallas is the author of Alice's Tulips, a finalist for the Women Writing the West Willa Award and the Colorado Book Award; Buster Midnights Café; The Chili Queen; The Diary of Mattie Spenser, a finalist for the 1998 Western Writers of America Best Western Novel; Tallgrass; and The Persian Pickle Club. She is the author of nine nonfiction books about the West, including Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps and Sacred Paint, winner of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Wrangler Award. Nanette Simonds is the president of the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum. They both live in Denver, Colorado. Povy Kendal Atchison is a photographer. She lives in Golden, Colorado.