"Over many generations hundreds of Mississippi women have stitched quilts. Whether for warmth, for utility, or for display of splendid domestic skill, their creations brighten the centuries-old tradition of quilting and make a rich and meaningful contribution to American folk art.". "This book collecting outstanding examples of their work celebrates both the history and the aesthetics of the quilt in Mississippi. In a six-year project to document this heritage, the Mississippi Quilt Association studied more than 1700 submissions from every corner of the state. Chosen for this book are 140 quilts that represent the very best in this region. These examples evince both the art and the craft during a golden age of handcrafting, from the early 1800s until 1946, a time before the widespread use of motorized sewing machines, synthetic fabrics, and prefabricated batting."--BOOK JACKET.