Paper Template Piecing in the South Carolina Lowcountry

Mosaic patchwork is a distinctive needlework technique found in the British Isles and in countries influenced by British styles.  The mosaic patterns are composed of geometric shapes, usually hexagons or diamonds, carefully stitched together to form rosettes, stars, large diamonds, lattice grids, and more intricate patterns. 

This book is an introduction to the variety of paper template pieced textiles created by Charleston-area needleworkers from about the second decade of the nineteenth century through the early twentieth.. Most of the thirty quilts, coverlets, and fragments illustrated in this catalog are in the collection of The Charleston Museum.  Bits of fabric saved from cherished garments or other quilts were sewn together, sometimes in a dizzying array of colors and designs.  From the bold to the delicate, these intricately constructed textiles are a delight to the eye.