Review: Quilty as Charged: Undercover in a Material World

Writer Spike Gillespie humorously chronicles her introduction to the world of quilting in Quilty as Charged: Undercover in a Material World. If you hate puns, avoid this book.

Part One of the book takes you on Gillespie’s introduction to quilting. The first quilt show she attended was the International Quilt Festival (IQF) in Houston. Nothing like starting at the top. Her hilarious misadventures in learning to quilt will have you in stitches. Ever work with a problem fabric or not have enough fabric? Gillespie had both challenges on her first quilt.

For Part Two of the book, Gillespie interviewed 16 quilters and presents their stories. Included are Arlene Blackburn whose quilt Midnight in the Garden of Good and Elvis was deliberately destroyed by bleach at the 2002 IQF in Houston, caveman quilter Ricky Tims, mother and daughter quilters Marti and Stacy Michell, Hollis Chatelain, Inge Mardal and Steen Hougs, and Karey Bresenhan, head of Quilts, Inc. the company that holds the International Quilt Festivals.

Interspersed throughout the book are brief quotes from quilters like you and me. These stories vary from humorous to touching, revealing the reasons why we quilt.

Sit down, put your feet up and prepare to be entertained by Quilty as Charged: Undercover in a Material World.