Weekend Review: Reclaimed Quilts

Reclaimed Quilts / Kathleen McVeigh & Dale Donaldson
Cpncord, CA: Stash Books, c2024.
128 p.

This was a fun one also found on Hoopla! It's written by a couple who own the sustainable clothing brand Kitty Badhands. They are based in Vermont and definitely have a bit of a hipster vibe. 

This book was a lot of fun to look through, even if I might not be able to carry off some of these extreme quilted looks myself. Their focus is to upcycle damaged textiles, mainly quilts and quilt tops, to make into garments. I have to say, my favourite piece in the book is the dress front and centre on the cover, but that's my taste -- you might find something else here that speaks to you. 

This one is really about reusing existing quilts (and little projects to use up the scraps) not so much quilting your own yardage. So you have to want to go all in on the quilt look! The book includes instructions on how to find, clean and care for vintage textiles (and talks about when you should probably NOT cut up a quilt), as well as including basic and specialty construction tips for quilted fabrics, such as seam finishes, binding, pockets and so on.  

There are 8 garment patterns and then a few smaller things like totes and pouches, ways to use the leftovers once you've cut out your garment pieces. I think it's a nice way to lay it out, with inspiration and practical guidance side-by-side. Also the sustainability piece is there at all times. 

There are many photos, mainly of the authors and some of their fellow young hipster friends, all modelling the various pieces. As I noted, not all of these items are to my own personal taste, but I might make a couple of them, like the dress or tote, if I had the right textile. In any case, those who do have an interest in this aesthetic will find this a cheerful, helpful book. I enjoyed it even if I don't end up making anything from it. So colourful and cheerful to look through.