Kneelers: The unsung Folk Art of England and Wales
Elizabeth Bingham
Published by Chatto & Windus
Mind burned by all the usual titles, mass produced by the usual publishers, maybe you are looking for something new or that little bit different. Maybe you are searching for a talking point, a book to leave out for coffee dates and dinner parties - something to chortle (yes chortle!) over. This hardback title with its traditional style of replaceable paper cover, sitting at an unusual for craft books rectangle shape….I was tickled by the niche genre - have any of you ever even thought much about folk art never mind church kneelers?
This book not only celebrates these historical items in illustrative form, it also lets us in on the backstories, all the anecdotes that we would never normally get to witness.
Discover the oddest examples, as well as the traditional…and if this folk art takes your fancy..what about some understanding of how to make your own design? I personally enjoyed how personal they can become, within the pattern made. Community and social issues are even a part of the visual item produced. With even Alan Titchmarsh having reviewed this book, what is not to love?