Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary

Lyrical, probing, soothing, and wise, Patchwork is a strikingly original debut and a celebration of the remarkable, everyday process of making and remaking: of story, of clothing, and of ourselves.

“A gorgeous and tender exploration.”—Nina Mingya Powles

In Patchwork, a charming and evocative sewist's diary, Maddie Ballard explores the making (and sometimes remaking) of seventeen specific garments over a period of great change in her life—from a jacket lined with the embroidered Cantonese names of her female ancestors, to a dressing gown made as a gift for a dear friend, to an eco-friendly, zero-waste dress. As the wardrobe grows, so too does Maddie. From her first off-kilter dresses and coats to perfectly fitting pants, readers follow along as she learns to navigate the world around her and how she sees herself in it—both as she is and as she hopes to be. Stitch by stitch, word by word, Maddie drafts her own patterns for ways of living. Throughout the diary, delightful illustrations bring Maddie’s creations to life on the page. With a focus on the practical comfort and pleasure provided by sewing in a time of personal renewal, Patchwork: A Sewist’s Diary is a warmhearted celebration of the value of craft in the modern age.