The art of quiltmaking is an ancient one. Blossoming from a need for warmth and protection and to repair textiles, it has emerged as an artform requiring an exquisite sense of design and color combined with the practical crafts of needlework. New Zealand has its own quilting heritage and this book looks at historic quilts and coverlets in New Zealand; from those brought out as family heirlooms with the earliest settlers, through to quilts created in the 1940s. Beginning with a brief overview of the history of quilting, the author examines the techniques and textiles used by New Zealand quilters from colonial times. Many of the quilts featured are well over 150 years old and were often stitched in the settlers’ homeland before coming to New Zealand. There are quilts from France, America, England, Wales, Ireland and Switzerland as well as those created in New Zealand. Over 80 color photographs complement the text