Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary

by Maddie Ballard

Lyrical, probing, soothing, and wise, Patchwork is a strikingly original debut and a celebration of the remarkable, everyday process of making and 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, A Sewist’s Diary is a warmhearted celebration of the value of craft in the modern age.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Essays, Biography, Contemporary, Art, Crafts

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2024

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of micro-essays considers sewing and much more. Each piece is headed by a pattern name and list of materials that Ballard made into an article of clothing for herself or for someone else. Among the minutiae of the craft, she slips in so many threads: about her mixed Chinese heritage and her relationship with her grandmother, about the environmental and financial benefits of making one’s own clothing, and especially about the upheaval of her twenties: the pandemic, a break-up, leaving a job to go back to school, finding roommates. I can barely mend a sock and I’m clueless when it comes to fashion, yet I can appreciate how sewing blends comfort and creativity. Ballard presents it as a meditative act of self-care:

I lower the needle and the world recedes. The process of sewing a garment – printing the pattern, tracing and cutting, sewing the first and the second and the fiftieth seam – is a lesson in taking your time.

Like gardening, sewing is an investment in the future – in what sort of person your future self will be, and how she will feel about her body, and what she will want to wear.

Similar to two other very short works of nonfiction I’ve read from The Emma Press, How Kyoto Breaks Your Heart by Florentyna Leow and Tiny Moons by Nina Mingya Powles (Ballard, too, is from New Zealand), this is a graceful, enriching book about a young woman making her way in the world and figuring out what is essential to her sense of home and identity. I commend it whether or not you have any particular interest in handicraft.

Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.

[julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

me gusta este tipo de libros porque aparentemente te van a hablar de una cosa (la costura), pero, en realidad, la utilizan para hablarte de mil quinientas cosas más, porque todo está interconectado... como diría clarice lispector "mi enredo proviene de que una historia está hecha de muchas historias" (PELOS, qué ganas de leerla). aún así... el libro se me hizo un pelín bola pa lo corto que es, posiblemente por la cantidad de tecnicismos téxtiles y que sobrepasó mi rudimentario nivel de inglés en varias ocasiones. Quise acabar todos los capítulos cuanto antes mejor hasta que llegué al que dedica al patchwork, la niña de mis ojos desde, no sé, ¿los 13 años? Supongo que a mi lo que m interesa realmente es lo textil como medio para el arte y la reivindicación, pero la mención del encarcelamiento histórico femenino a través de las labores tradicionales (aunque sólo le dedica media carilla), como mencioné en "el delantal y la maza", me tiene siempre cogida por el cuello

[Rosa Opie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love scavenging for craft supplies!
I love making things with my hands!
I love this little book!

As I write this my fingertips are callused from bearing the brunt of the embroidery needle and I have fabric confetti scattered around my room - each little piece acting as a reminder of the almost two-and-a-half year love-hate relationship I’ve trapped myself in with my hand-sewn hexie quilt.

In a series of short essays based around garments she has sewn, Maddie Ballard epitomizes the experiences of those who have an affinity with making. She writes of her family history, and identity as a woman of mixed Chinese heritage, and folds in themes of sustainability, self-discovery and acceptance, and experiences any maker will be familiar with: craft sessions with friends that oscillate between serious and silly, the perils of patterns, and the slightly satisfying humble-brag of being able to say “aw thanks I made it! :)” when you’re out and about and someone says they like one of your projects. These vignettes are deeply personal and tightly woven in their specificity to the life that Ballard is sewing for herself yet exude a gentleness that is much-needed for anyone trying to make their way in our messy world.

In 152 beautiful pages stippled with doodle-y illustrations, Maddie Ballard succeeded in reminding me that — despite the annoyance of broken sewing machine needles, wonky seams, and the sleepless nights that come with saying “I’ll just do the next step…” — there are many layers of meaning, connection, and reflection that can be unraveled from creative pursuits. We should all do more making, in whatever form means something to us.

[Liv B · Rating 4 out of 5]

sweet musings on creativity & craft - this was so lovely 🥹

[Jelka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost made me cry because it was so beautiful... also I'm feeling a dark and terrible urge to quilt inside me...

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up

Thank you Tin House for this ARC! I found the collection of essays to be a wonderful way of moving through time, growth, and reflection. It did feel like the last two essays were improperly placed as “Care Instructions” felt like such a solid closing essay, but I did still enjoy each essay included in this collection, and especially found the narrative style soothing yet informative. The relationship between grandmother Por Por and the narrator was so gentle and loving; the essays that focused on their interactions were also my top favorites!

[Virginia del Río]

I enjoyed this a lot… even if I can never imagine myself sewing even a napkin. There were a lot of technicisms and it got me exposed to a world that shall otherwise remain a mystery. But it was sweet, honest, balanced, unpretentious and well written, and many of the aspects either resonated with me or made me connect with the author as a friend. Beautiful!

[Katrina Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Random notes for my own memory, very much not in order-

Seeing as an investment in the person you want to be, requires belief in your future self
Countless moving homes in a short space of time and lockdowns
Common clothes moth
Making clothes to fit a changed body shape
Stitching the characters of her family's names inside
Environmental impact of clothing industry
Intentional sewing of items to last is, not carbon neutral, but still so good
The frustrations of going round in circles or tight deadlines of making items
Creating: cooking, sewing, writing
First wobbly attempts at sewing a dress like a nightgown
The absorption of time and attention required
Speaking in second person, addressing her partner "you"
Making a night out outfit, worn with friends, with confidence
Sewing friends! Different items made together / same item made when apart
Instagram community and inspiration
Making a dressing gown gift for a friend and the statement it makes
Covid-fog brain, too tired to sew
Guilt and wishing to speak Cantonese more fluently
A quit job and relationship ended, going back to university
Rainy days before she finishes sewing her raincoat
The statements made by clothing choices
Tradional Chinese cheongsam dress history and how it was westernised
Modern creations inspired by traditional garments
Putting on a dress like putting on a 'self'
Quilts and community
Moon phase quilt

[Alia]

I love making things with my hands and I love reading books and holding little phrases in my mind and this book delightfully united both of these loves. And most of all I love by wonderful friend Rosa for sharing my love in all these things! And bringing good books and good coffee to my doorstep to help fend off the covid scaries! Feeling so endlessly lucky to be living a life that a book like this fits into so easily.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous, insightful ruminations on sewing in small essays that, like the best short stories, contain immense potency. My own sewist’s heart thrilled to see familiar terminology (“flat-felled seams,” for example) used alongside philosophical explorations of social and cultural impacts of garment-making.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It was gifted to me by my grandson and he picked the perfect book for me. It’s all about sewing and sustainable materials but also the gift of sewing, it’s peacefulness, frustration, overcoming obstacles, love.

[Gideon Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me want to multiclass knitting and sewing!

[Katie Kilgannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars a gorgeous set of essays that makes me wish I was better at sewing!!!

[sarah panic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this in one sitting and could not be bothered to put it down.

[Kary H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is perfect and lovely.

[Tana Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much.I sew everyday and am inspired to make my own clothes.

[Anjelica Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just lovely

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly perfect book

[Kayla - the.bookish.mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great read for those who like essays that are short but engaging. Bookstagrammer @mixedreader said that she felt it would be perfect for those who like Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Ross Gay and I could not agree more. Perfect for those who craft or appreciate the art of crafting.

[Manda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, short, and sweet. A great reminder that sewing (and handmade crafts generally) is an undertaking of love — love of the one for whom the craft is intended, which also extends to the self. This inspired me to get my sewing machine out, and to be a little more patient as I work with it.

[Raechel Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delicious debut book from Maddie, I giggled this up in just 1 hour and enjoyed it immensely. The description of sewing and fabrics and how it interweaved with everyday life and ‘young persons’ thoughts and feelings was masterful. I look forward to Maddie’s next book with great anticipation!

[Brecon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously special. The way Maddie weaves together life and sewing is waxing lyricism—quiet and reverent and deeply moving in its delivery. I was so sad this little book had to end.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so so good! A must read for any sewist or Girl Who is Going to Be Okay. I loved the writing style and the details about garment making.

[Sara Lapinova · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a comforting little gem. This book really made me want to make things!!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one evening, it was so enjoyable and concentrated. It appealed to me first because it was about sewing - I've never been a big sewer although I know how to sew and I do other fiber crafts, but my mother and grandmother were.

Ballard takes us through a couple of years in her life by writing short essays on different garments she made during that time, starting from the first thing she made when her grandmother gave her an old sewing machine. She chronicles her growing skill at tweaking patterns to properly fit her, as well as where she was and what she was doing when she made each item. Her descriptions of the wool and linen that she used in her creations made my fingers itch, they were such beautiful materials. Her comments about the eco-friendliness of what she uses (if she only unpicked her polyester thread everything else in a garment would decompose) pointed up the environmental horribleness of synthetic fabrics without having to expend many words on the subject. And when her last garment is a traditional Chinese dress she had shied away from making in the past, it is the culmination of a thread (sorry) that runs through the whole book, her ambivalence about her Chinese identity.

She quoted an author of another book about sewing, I can't recall the name offhand, saying that sewing a garment is a sign of belief in a future self who will love it and wear it. I won't forget that comment anytime soon, and will think of it whenever I knit or weave an item.

To top it all off, the first blurb by another author was Clara Parkes, author of Vanishing Fleece and other books about wool and knitting - anything Clara likes is good enough for me! This book made me want to go find that length of unbleached muslin I bought years ago and never did anything with. Could I make a light tunic.... hmm...

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy of this book.

[Margaret Adelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley's "Crafts and Hobbies" section is my new fixation.

"Patchwork" by Maddie Ballard is a sewing-focused essay collection, telling stories of the author's life through the lens of the garments she made during those times. From the first dress she made while job hunting, to the pants she obsessed over to distract herself from COVID quarantine, to the raincoat she sewed as a way of making herself feel at home in her new place. It also discusses greater themes in sewing, from the waste of fast fashion to the political power of quilting to the more personal side of making a garment for yourself. It acts as both a love letter to sewing as a hobby and making things for yourself as a mindset.

As an eco-friendly hippie, I particularly enjoyed the discussion on how makers can push back against fast fashion and how the act of sewing your own clothes makes you realize just how much fast fashion is harming it's garment-makers. I also loved the discussion of the AIDs quilt and the act of supposed "feminine labor" having a greater power than anyone realized.

Much less familiar to me, but no less powerful, was the author's discussion of her heritage within the framework of sewing. Embroidering the names of her female ancestors into her jacket and willing herself to feel comfortable wearing a cheongsam (or qipao) offered a great insight to her thoughts around her Chinese heritage. It showed how the making of a culturally significant garment could connect the maker to their roots.

It was an incredibly quick read, but still a standout with adorably stylized illustrations. Any sewist who gets emotionally attached their proje

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this slim book on the new book section of my very small local library. Intrigued by the use of 'sewist' in the title, which is the new more respectful description that home sewers have adopted, I checked it out. It's not about quilts! Instead it's an utterly charming collection of essays through a young woman's journey through life's ups and downs following the thread of what she is creating with her sewing machine and creativity. Each short chapter is prefaced with a fabric description and pattern name; the title is a clue to her thoughts and feelings. There are illustrations too. The locale is New Zealand, which was very interesting. Painful events are beautifully revealed but there is no angst. In thinking about why I enjoyed this book so much, I remembered a favorite newspaper columnist whose weekly recipe was also set next to her writing about what was going on in her life that resulted in her making the dish. This is how we live intentionally and mindfully.

[Hannah Brohm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books and crafting are my two biggest passions so imagine my joy when I heard about BOUND: A MEMOIR OF MAKING AND REMAKING by Maddie Ballard, a collection of essays about making and everything that is entangled with it.

Organized by piece that she sews , with lovely illustrations and details on the patterns, Maddie Ballard takes us through the tapestry of feelings and reflections she experiences at the time she sews each garment. Although I’m not a sewist myself, this interweaving of personal experience with the things we’re making felt deeply relatable, and I savoured each of the essays with its tender, sensory language and on-point descriptions.

There’s so much great material for further thought here — whether it’s loving your body and creating space for yourself, or a point of connection to those around us — and I found myself reflecting on the content of the essays as I was putting in a few rounds of knitting into my works in progress.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here I am binge watching The Great British Sewing Bee, and admittedly having a fixation on sewing/garment making, and what stories are told through clothing, historically and currently, when along comes Maddie Ballard and her "Patchwork a Sewist's Diary". Perfect timing for me.

     I'm not skilled in sewing, yet (I'm hanging on to hope), and found it so lovely to read Maddie documenting her growth, and how quickly she learned! Clothing and especially sewing, can say so much about a person, the ability to create something yourself and have it be exactly what you are looking for is exactly what Maddie writes about.

    Accompanied by wonderful illustrations by Emma Dai'an Wright, Patchwork isn't just a "look what I made" piece, it is a time capsule of a period in a life, the ups and downs of relationships, the time of covid, heritage and identity, a sweet glimpse into someone's personal world, and encouragement for people such as myself.

[Linnea Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound and beautifully crafted.
I didn't read all the blurbs before reading, so I was expecting more of a crafters' book on making clothing.
But this is so much more. It is a memoir, it is poetic, and it even looks at the big picture that is increasingly gathering attention, concern about the waste, environmental impact, and human cost of the fashion industry.
Each garment the author fashions is tied to events in her often difficult life. She lives in 16 different places in one year. She faces racial discrimination and displacement as an immigrant. But the best thing about this book is its juxtaposition of technology and the busyness of our modern world, with the grounding value of making something by hand, something that takes an enormous amount of time. Each item she makes is an act of meditation and contemplation. Not just a book for those interested in sewing. It is a book for anyone looking for grounding and meaning in our wild, chaotic world.