I'm not a quilter, in any sense; but I'm wildly interested in textile production.

Who knew? "Prior to the invention of air conditioning & humidity control, only the New Bedford & Providence, Rhode Island, locations had the proper humidity conditions for cotton yarn spinning." I did have a sense of this, having this year read a whole book about air conditioning; but I didn't know matters were this precise.

Who knew? "Greige goods (pronounced 'gray goods') are unfinished fabrics in their raw state." Muslin is, often, essentially, greige good. I love the term; I love the thought of those simple raw fabrics - and I love the pictures, lots of pictures in the book of factories and machines and fabric being processed.

Processed, processed, processed! They do SO much to cotton fabric, it's a wonder how humanity comes up with these things. Singeing! Sizing! Desizing! Bleaching! Mercerizing! Not to mention the dyeing. Oh, the dyeing!

This is mainly a book geared towards choosing better materials for quilting, and was vaguely interesting on its own terms; but obviously I was in it for the big picture, as I usually am. ( )

An abundance of books on how to quilt are available, and Hargrave starts an interesting new thread, with this guide to textiles. Written for those already involved in home sewing and quilting, the guide provides extensive details on every aspect of the world of fabric. You'll learn about the history of textiles, how fabrics are manufactured, prepared, and dyed; and how they are printed and finished. Particularly useful for the careful and cost-conscious consumer is the information on the pros and cons of pre-washing and how to test fabric. Indeed, the book offers numerous tests to help you determine the quality and consistency of your purchase, thus avoiding such problems as fabric shrinkage and color changes. You'll also learn about different types of threads, how to avoid stitching problems, and how batting is made, and how to care for your finished quilts.

A fabulous primer on fabric production that every sewer will want to read ( )

this is a well - known author who's research is in depth. This book does not have sewing or quilting patterns. It deals only with the very important components of our craft and that is the fiber that makes up our fabric, thread, and batting. Learn about the manufacture of these products. ( )

I believe all serious quilters should read this book. Find out why you should buy quality fabric for your treasures. ( )