My grandmother hooked mats. They were not works of art, but they looked pretty good to me.
They consisted of garlands of unlikely flowers around a light surface which, I think, had a pattern stamped on it. The wools were precut.
They disappeared after my grandmother grew too infirm to hook and my father’s income improved. This was about 1940.
The quilts shown in the books reviewed today represent much higher levels of artistry and general attainment than my grandmother’s.
For one thing, each is hand-designed. Some of the materials are home-dyed. Materials include raw sheep’s wool, old T-shirts and everything in between.
Some are collaboratively made with even the occasional man or child taking a part. They come in all sizes and many shapes.
