Summer reading list

Two books and a documentary worth sharing

Hello friends,

Summer is here! Yesterday I learned that Seattle has only about 2 hours of true darkness now on the threshold of the summer solstice, which would explain why my animal brain wants to stay up late and wake up early. As a result, this time of year is always a productive one in my sewing room, and I’m deeply convinced that I need to sew a big, billowy summer dress ASAP. I’ve got a few patterns queued and ready to go: the Made by Rae Sapphire dress, the Frux Studio Garden Dress, and the Daughter Judy Rebel Jumpsuit (Ok technically not a dress, but it’s close).

But before I can work through my sewing queue, I’ve got work to do. I’m teaching again this summer, this year on both coasts. I was thrilled to teach a small group of sewists at Wool Friends in Seattle earlier this month, and in a few weeks I’m returning to A Gathering of Stitches’ sewing retreat in Maine. So here’s a quick newsletter with a few things that I’ve been reading and watching lately as I charge my batteries for another busy summer.

Threads of Life by Clare Hunter

Earlier this year, I picked up Threads of Life: A History of the World through the Eye of a Needle by Clare Hunter. This book explores a few questions: What does sewing mean to us? And how does this meaning change across cultures and generations? How can sewing be a tool for things like identity, connection, and power?

To answer these questions, Hunter shares examples from her work as a community textile artist and activist, as well as stories from world history. The book visits all corners of the globe, from the 11th century Bayeux tapestry to modern day Palestinian embroidery, re-introducing us to dozens of historical moments through the eyes of the sewists who lived through them.

In a previous newsletter, I touched on the topic of how sewing creates meaning in our lives. That essay was a direct result of reading Hunter’s book, which made me think about my sewing practice in a profoundly different way. This book is full of many new-to-me examples of why and how sewing matters. I earmarked dozens of stories to research further, some of which may end up here in future newsletters. If you are looking for a wellspring of sewing inspiration, this book is for you.

Liberated Threads by Tanisha C. Ford

Liberated Threads: Black Women, Style, and the Global Politics of Soul is not about sewing per se, but it is about how garments can be potent symbols of identity and politics. I picked up this book in anticipation of Me Made May, because I wanted a broader understanding of how and why fashion can create meaning beyond aesthetics.

I usually think of fashion and politics as completely separate entities, but author Tanisha C. Ford argues that the two are deeply intertwined. In this thoroughly-researched book, Ford explores how Black women used fashion as a tool for resistance, protest, identity, and power. She traces fashion trends around the globe, from Africa to the U.S. and then the U.K., and she explores how these styles were interpreted and remixed by Black women on different continents.

I knew very little about this topic before reading this book, but I found that it completely reshaped my view of what I thought I knew about fashion and Black history in the US and abroad. It’s a scholarly read, but well worth picking up if you are interested in how fashion can be a tool for personal, cultural, and political expression.

The Quilters (Netflix)

Image source

This short Netflix documentary follows a group of men in a maximum-security prison who meticulously design and sew custom quilts to give to foster children. The film follows a few quilters closely, sharing their past lives and present realities inside the prison system.

I was immediately struck by how meticulous and totally devoted these men are to their quilts. They carefully chart a unique design, then select fabrics to customize each quilt based on the recipient’s requests. They praise each other on how well seams are sewn or how perfectly the points of a block are aligned. They also support one another, stepping in to help meet a deadline or to seam rip hours of work to fix an error.

I was moved by how quilting seemed to be a form of healing for them. Sewing is a way for these men to care for themselves, for each other, and for the foster children they will likely never meet. Each quilt sends a message of love and encouragement to a child who, like them, might need a reminder that someone cares about them. I admit I got a bit misty-eyed by the end of the film, and my only critique is that I wish it were longer, so we could spend even more time getting to know the quilters and their projects.

A still from The Quilters (Netflix, 2024). Image source.

Up next in my reading pile:

• Stitching Love and Loss: A Gees Bend Quilt by Lisa Gail Collins

• The Age of Homespun by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

• Making Matters: In Search of Creative Wonders (due Aug 2025) by Clare Hunter

What have you been reading and watching lately? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to add more titles to my list this summer!

Until next time,

Stacey

P.S. - In case you missed it, I posted a review of the Donny Shirt by Friday Pattern Company and the new Townsend Shirt by Elbe Textiles over on my sewing blog. I’m currently drafting a deep dive on the Fremantle pants, and I’ve got a few more summer pattern reviews in the works, too. ❤️