United States | Joined by a thread

A surprising Japanese presence in a traditional American craft

Quilting connects continents

UnitedStates
Paducah’s—and Japan’s—finestPhotograph: AQS
|PADUCAH, KENTUCKY

As American as baseball and apple pie. That is the perception many people have of the craft of quiltmaking—not without reason. In “The Little House on the Prairie”, an iconic book series depicting the life of settlers in the Midwest in the 1870s, Laura and Mary learn patchworking skills as children. American quilts from the 19th and 20th centuries often have a patriotic flair, some even adorned with portraits of presidents. Scores of handmade quilts are catalogued in the Library of Congress.

Explore more

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Joined by a thread”

From the May 4th 2024 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

Discover more

Donald Trump speaks to the media.

Donald Trump may find it harder to dominate America’s conversation

A more fragmented media is tougher to manage

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba addresses the media after pleading not guilty to federal charges at the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in Jackson.

An FBI sting operation catches Jackson’s mayor taking big bribes

What the sensational undoing of the black leader means for Mississippi’s failing capital


Downtown of Metropolis, Illinois, showing the Super Museum and a gift shop.

America’s rural-urban divide nurtures wannabe state-splitters

What’s behind a new wave of secessionism


Does Donald Trump have unlimited authority to impose tariffs?

Yes, but other factors could hold him back

As Jack Smith exits, Donald Trump’s allies hint at retribution

The president-elect hopes to hand the Justice Department to loyalists