In this tribute to today's vibrant quilting community, prize-winning quilter and teacher Thomas Knauer showcases a stunning collection of quilts from a wide range of contemporary makers, accompanied by their testimonials about what inspires and imbues their craft with meaning. From temperance quilts to the AIDS quilt, there's a rich history of individuals and communities using fabric and thread to connect with others and express themselves, both personally and politically. Why We Quilt blends bits of this history with the stories and work of today's leading quilters, highlighting themes of tradition, community, consumerism, change, and creativity. With a unique die-cut cover and a richly layered design, this book will enthrall designers, quilters, and all types of handcraft enthusiasts. In this tribute to today's vibrant quilting community, prize-winning quilter and teacher Thomas Knauer has curated a stunning collection of quilts from a wide range of modern makers, accompanied by their testimonials about what inspires their work and imbues their craft with meaning. Introduction We Quilt to Connect with a Rich Tradition A Piece of History: The Roots of American Quilting Making a Statement: Alexis Deise, Laura Hartrich, Stephanie Zacharer Ruyle, Debbie Grifka Voices of Quilting: Denyse Schmidt, Earamichia "Encyclopedia" Brown We Quilt to Explore and Express Our Creativity A Piece of History: The Maturation of Quilting Making a Statement: Heidi Parkes, Allison Dutton, Nydia Kehnle, Jacey Gray, Amy Friend, Cheryl Brickey Voices of Quilting: Joe Cunningham, Lynette Anderson We Quilt to Move beyond Consumer Culture A Piece of History: The Introduction of Standardization Making a Statement: Anne Sullivan, Malka Dubrawsky, Krista Hennebury Voices of Quilting: Mary Fons, Victoria Findlay Wolfe We Quilt to Create a Connection with Loved Ones A Piece of History: Other Voices in American Quilting Making a Statement: Jill Fisher, Casey York, Stacey Lee O'Malley, Nicole Neblett Voices of Quilting: Jacquie Gering, Heather Jones We Quilt to Change the World A Piece of History: The Role of Signature Quilts in Reform Movements Making a Statement: Hilary Goodwin, Kathy York, Heather Givans Voices of Quilting: Chawne Kimber, Linda Gass We Quilt Because We Can - and Because We Cannot Help but Do So A Piece of History: The American Bicentennial and Quilting's Great Revival Making a Statement: Amy Garro, Latifah Saafir, Jolene Klassen, Brigitte Heitland, Jennifer Sampou, Jen Carlton Bailly, Molli Sparkles Voices of Quilting: Marianne Fons, Sherri Lynn Wood, Alissa Haight Carlton Epilogue: We Quilt for All These Reasons and More Acknowledgments Contributors Index