A review by nerfherder86
Sewing Stories: Harriet Powers' Journey from Slave to Artist by Barbara Herkert

4.0

Picture book story of slave girl Harriet, freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, who raised a family and lived a hardscrabble cottonfarming life, but because she had grown up sewing applique since childhood, she was able to earn some money from making and selling "story quilts." An art teacher saw one of her quilts on display at the Cotton Fair, later bought it, and wrote down the stories told by the pictures on the cloth. It (and a second one) are now displayed in museums. Endpapers have actual photos of the quilts, and the Bible and real life stories they depict ("night of fire"=shooting stars, "cold Thursday"=the night people froze to death). Illustrated in a style that uses the sewing theme, stitches framing the images, collaged with cotton balls and scraps of fabric, etc. Main text is the story and sidebar patchwork-boxes give facts to elaborate on details and dates of her life. Has fictionalized dialogue, so not a true biography, but has a bibliography and the only known photo of Harriet.