Author and illustrator Debra Frasier was invited to lecture on this topic to the Western North Carolina Textile Study Group, and the public, in mid-November 2017. This is the bibliography that accompanies Debra’s presentation, with book selections by Debra Frasier and Vicki Palmquist.
If you would like to invite Debra to give this presentation to your group, please contact her.
Books are listed in order of appearance in the presentation.
INTRODUCTION TO THE PICTURE BOOK FORM
Spike, Ugliest Dog in the Universe written and illustrated by Debra Frasier
Beach Lane Books, Simon & Schuster, 2014.
Collaged worn blue jeans with other textiles and papers.
THREE HISTORICAL INSPIRATIONS
The Lady and the Unicorn, as seen in the Musée de Cluny, Paris, France.
The Bayeux Tapestry, written by David M. Wilson, “The Complete Tapestry in Colour with Introductions, Description and commentary by David M. Wilson,” Thames & Hudson, 2004.
Stitching Stars, The Story Quilts of Harriet Powers, Lyons, Mary E, African-American Artists and Artisans series, 1993, Charles Scribner’s & Sons, historical overview of late 1860’s, slave life, and Ms. Powers’ works and history.
A QUIRKY SURVEY OF TEXTILE TECHNIQUES
USED IN ILLUSTRATIONS
FOR CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS
QUILTED INSPIRATIONS
The Alphabet Atlas
written by Arthur Yorinks
illustrated by Adrienne Yorinks
Winslow Press, 1999
Machine quilted, collaged continents
Hummingbirds written by Adrienne Yorinks and Jeannette Larson illustrated by Adrienne Yorinks Charlesbridge Publishing, 2011
Nonfiction combined with mythic, all quilted
Patchwork Folk Art, Using Appliqué & Quilting Techniques written and illustrated by Janet Bolton
Sterling/Museum Quilts Book
Sterling Publishing Co, 1995
Not a children’s picture book but an excellent introduction to narrative in patchwork collage.
Mrs. Noah’s Patchwork Quilt A Journal of the Voyage with a Pocketful of Patchwork Pieces written by Sheri Safran
illustrated by Janet Bolton
Tango Books (England), 1995
Presents a how-to along with the story of Mrs. Noah’s quilt, and a back pocket includes patterns of quilt pieces appearing in the illustrations.
Tar Beach written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold Crown Publisher, 1991
Based on one of Ringgold’s quilts held by the Guggenheim Museum. The story arc and quilt borders all carried over to the picture book so, in this case, the book is inspired by the quilt.
Quiltmaker’s Gift written by Jeff Brumbeau
illustrated by Gail de Marcken
Scholastic Press, 2001
In which the creation of a quilt changes the heart of a greedy king. Each page features a different quilt block that fits into the context of the story.
Keeping Quilt written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco
Simon & Schuster, 1988
A quilt made from a family’s clothing is passed down in various guises for more than a century, a symbol of their enduring love and faith.
CLOTH AND THINGS IN THE SEWING BASKET
Pat the Bunny written and illustrated by Dorothy Kunhardt
Golden Book, 1940
Spiral bound with a small trim-size, this classic book uses actual bits of fabric to “feel” and “lift.”
Wag A Tail written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Harcourt, Inc, 2007
Collaged papers and cloth, with buttons and “pinking shear” edging throughout.
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Harcourt Brace & Company, 1991
Burlap, kite tails, string and bits of cloth are used in the collages.
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat written and illustrated by Simms Taback
Viking/Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 1999
The main character — a diminishing coat — is actual cloth and is collaged with other bits of cloth curtains, rugs and clothing, and then all adhered to a painted surface.
Mama Miti written by Donna Jo Napoli
illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010
Nelson has combined cloth with painting for both landscapes and clothing.
Hands written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Harcourt Brace & Co, 1997
Ehlert has used actual objects: work gloves, apron swatch, sewing tools, scissors, pattern tissue — in this ode to making things as a child.
PAPER TREATED AS CLOTH
Paper Illusions, The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave by Barbara and Rene Stoeltie
Abrams, 2008 (English edition)
Lavish photographs of life-sized paper costumes made to match Renaissance period cloth using painting, folding, gluing, stitching to create the illusion of cloth.
Mole’s Hill: a Woodland Tale written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Harcourt, 1994
Inspired by Woodland Indians ribbon appliqué and sewn beadwork, the paper is often dotted and pieced as if stitched and beaded. An author note describes this handwork and how it inspired her approach.
Seeds of Change written by Jen Cullerton Johnson
illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler
Lee & Low Books, 2010
Distinctive Kenyan-styled flower print dress patterns are used as the inspiration for paintings of dresses and mirrored in landscapes.
STITCHING
Fabric Pictures A Workshop with Janet Bolton, Creating a Textile Story written and illustrated by Janet Bolton
Jacqui Small LLP, Aurum Press, 2015
Not a children’s picture book but an excellent workshop-in-a-book on creating narratives with appliqué.
Baby’s First Book written and illustrated by Clare Beaton
Barefoot Books, 2008
Hand sewn felt, vintage fabrics, buttons, and stitched lettering collaged for a baby’s compendium of subjects. ALL items and backgrounds made of cloth.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves adapted by Joan Aiken
illustrated by Belinda Downes
A Dorling Kindersley Book
Penguin Company, 2002
Downes uses fine fabrics appliquéd with rich embroidery, incorporating a consistent running stitch to outline and embellish.
CLOTH AS SUBJECT
Cloth Lullaby, The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois written by Amy Novesky
illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2016
The illustrator uses woven lines, [similar to some of Bourgeois’ later drawings] to create a textile sensibility in the illustrations amid the early years, and then the same vocabulary is used to visually describe the sculpture of her adult artist years.
A Pattern for Pepper written and illustrated by Julie Kraulis
Tundra Books, Random House/Canada, 2017
From Herringbone to Dotted Swiss, from Argyle to Toile — a visit to a tailor’s shop becomes a compendium of fabric patterns with each fabric sampled in the hunt for the perfect pattern for Pepper. Oil paint and graphite on board.
THREE‑D CLOTH AND FELT
Pocketful of Posies, A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes collected and illustrated by Salley Mavor
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010
64 traditional nursery rhymes are illustrated with hand-sewn fabric relief collages, including dozens of figures.
This is a how-to book for creating characters and scenes as pictured in Pocketful of Posies.
Cozy Classics
Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice by Jack and Holman Wang
Chronicle Books, 2016
Entirely illustrated by felted 3‑D characters that are set in an environment, superbly lit, and photographed to tell classic tales in one word page turns. Several classic titles are included in this series.
Roarr, Calder’s Circus
a story by Maira Kalman
photos by Donatella Brun
designed by M&Co for
the Whitney Museum of American Art, 1991
Using bits of Calder’s spoken text from the film of his hand manipulated circus, Kalman expands the language and characterizations. Calder’s circus characters of wire and cloth are photographed and then collaged across the double-page spread.
THE DYED BOOK
We Got Here Together written by Kim Stafford
illustrated by Debra Frasier
Harcourt Brace, 1994
Shibori, a resist dyeing method, is used to pattern Japanese gampi tissue paper (long fibered tissue) as ocean and rain, in both pipe resist and braided resist techniques, respectively. Shibori tissue paper is combined with Japanese dyed sheets in collages on illustration board.
SPECIAL GUEST
Catharine Ellis, self published, three titles:
Cape Cod: The Present, Blue, and Mapping Color (written by Nancy Penrose, illustrated by Catharine Ellis). Find Catharine’s resources and publications here.
(Each of these chapbooks is illustrated using photographs of natural dyed fabrics, sometimes additionally stitched on the surfaces, while abstractly defining the text.)
What a great listing! Working with fabrics is such an art! I also enjoy Anna Grossnickle Hines’s book “Pieces: A Year in Poems and Quilts” (2003). Another book that involves texture is Suzanne Del Rizzo’s “My Beautiful Birds” (2017). If I’m remembering correctly, polymer clay is used to achieve the texture , but many pages offer the feeling of cloth and embroidery.
What a great listing! Working with fabrics is such an art! I also enjoy Anna Grossnickle Hines’s book “Pieces: A Year in Poems and Quilts” (2003). Another book that involves texture is Suzanne Del Rizzo’s “My Beautiful Birds” (2017). If I’m remembering correctly, polymer clay is used to achieve the texture , but many pages offer the feeling of cloth and embroidery.