This Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft, Community, and Connection

by Jen Hewett

Weaving together interviews, first-person essays, and artist profiles, This Long Thread explores the work and contributions of women of color across the fiber arts and crafts community. These conversations explore materials, belonging, identity, cultural misappropriation, privilege, the value (or undervaluing) of craft, community support structures, recognition and exclusion, intergenerational dialogue, and much more.

Be inspired by the work and stories of innovative people of color who are making exceptional contributions to the world of craft. The textile artists featured include knitters, quilters, sewers, weavers, and more who are making inspiring and innovative work.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts, Art, Essays, Knitting, Memoir, Sewing

374 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 16, 2021

About the author

Jen Hewett is a printmaker, surface designer, author, textile artist and teacher. A lifelong Californian, Jen combines her love of loud prints and saturated colors with the textures and light of the California landscapes to create highly-tactile, visually-layered, printed textiles.

Jen has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.

Reviews

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm deeply grateful to Jen Hewett and the work she's done assembling This Long Thread. Needle arts is an area that's inadequately explored by those studying and writing about women's lives—and what little that's out there is dominated by white norms and expectations. Too often, the story we have of needle arts is the story of white women engaging in needle arts. This Long Thread takes a thorough approach to looking at needle arts as learned and created by women of color and mixed-heritage women.

Hewett uses an extensive survey of women of color doing needle arts, both professionally and for their own pleasure, as the spine of her book, focusing chapters on topics like how needle arts have been passed down in families, the gradual shift from doing needle arts out of necessity to doing them by choice, and the ways needle arts spaces can be welcoming or exclusionary for women of color. She pairs these chapters with interviews with women of color who are needle artists, allowing for rich, individual perspectives, as well as an overview of the community.

For anyone serious about needle arts—either engaging in them or studying and documenting the work of others—This Long Thread is an essential text. It's an opening to a conversation that allows a more inclusive, and more *true* picture of needle arts and the roles they play in the lives of many women.

I received a free electronic review copy of this text from the publisher; the opinions are my own.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I felt like I found my tribe! I am a Filipina-American who left the Philippines when I was a baby and grew up in the US. My grandmother ran a small clothing workshop and sold simple clothes and fabric at markets around the Visayan provinces. My mother was a home economics teacher and seamstress. She introduced me to a lot of crafts such as crocheting, knitting, embroidery, etc. But what really became my passion is quilting, which is what I do now. When I read about the women who had sewing and crafting in their blood and family history, it sounded so familiar to me! I enjoyed reading about all the makers' personal journeys, their backgrounds (some quite painful), and the microaggressions and racism they endured. Fortunately, I didn't experience that sort of negativity, except for the fact that I am the only non-white quilter in my local chapter. I now run a charity in my area outside of Washington DC, which makes and donates handmade afghans, quilts and other types of blankets to sick, traumatized and needy children. I am probably the only person of color doing this type of charity in my area. Yes, my biggest blanket-makers are old white ladies. So I appreciate them, although sometimes they can be "Karens". I learned to quilt from white ladies and I do have to thank them for giving me a foundation in this craft. So old white crafting ladies are not all bad. However, I appreciate being introduced to other crafters/sewists of color. I am following almost all of them on Instagram now. I hope Jen Hewett will write a Part II on this topic of BIPOC crafters. If so, she can interview me. :-)
Salamat Po.

[Hope Brasfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came into making as I came into modern social media and, as a result, art and social can feel so completely intertwined; it’s easy to forget there are richer and more nuanced stories behind the pretty pictures and clever videos I’m served on various platforms.

Jen Hewett’s book, and the stories therein of makers, artists, and hobbyists in fiber work, allowed me to sit with a few of those stories more fully. Her book takes the sometimes, maybe often, flat assertion that “women’s work is work” and unfolds it into something much more impactful and nuanced. I am so grateful she put together such a powerful book.

I would recommend this book to anybody who interacts with fiber, regardless of your participation in or enjoyment of fiber arts (or crafts). It was hard for me to put down; that said, the mix of interviews, survey responses, and essays, make it a great option for readers who prefer just to read a bit at a time.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for Christmas nearly 6 months ago and savored it very slowly over many weeks and months. Fiber artist Jen Hewett surveyed women and nonbinary people of color who work in the textile arts and crafts space. She includes many of those survey responses in the book, in addition to 19 in-depth interviews. A few interviewee names were familiar to me from my fiber world (Sonya Philip, Adrienne Rodriguez, Dana Williams-Johnson, and Hewett), but most were new. What a privilege and joy to read each story. I spent many happy hours looking at websites and being inspired - one interview reactivated my crochet curiosity and I made a rainbow shawl!

As far as I'm concerned, this book should be required reading for anyone who considers themselves part of the contemporary American (and Canadian) fiber world. It is an incredible gift to us all. Thank you, Jen Hewett.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. I found so many amazing artists to follow online. I only wish the artist's bios were with the stories instead of at the back. I wish there were photos of the artists work with the articles, because some pieces mentioned I couldn't find online and I'm curious about them. Lastly, I wish there was an audio version or a podcast. It would be amazing to hear the stories from the artists in their own voices. The book was wonderful and very inspiring.

[Anne Behler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important book. I spent a year and a half working my way through the stories because 1) I wanted to let each one sink in and 2) I did not want this booke to be over. We makers are truly connected…to one another and to the generations before us. Hearing the voices of those who often go unrepresented within the craft is so important. My experience of fiber art has been expanded.

[Brenda Chaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I’m a 74 year old Black woman who started sewing at 14 and has crocheted, knitted, and cross stitched over the last 60 years. Given to me by my granddaughter, the in depth and interesting interviews made me think about and appreciate my own journey with thread.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

This Long Thread is a well annotated look at the ethnography of crafting and its intersection with women of color and creative community, written and collated by Jen Hewett. Released 16th Nov 2021 by Roost Books, it's 376 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.

The book is formed around a survey questionnaire sent out to crafters, artists, and makers. The author writes coherently and very well about creativity and community and how being women of color affects the creative process and art. The content is presented organically - interviews, surveys, stories, and highlights throughout.

The author has also included a comprehensive list of links to contributors and collaborators in the back of the book. I've enjoyed the book twice, first by reading and savoring the actual book, and a second time by visiting the online studios of many of the artists featured in the book.

Especially considering our near-universal isolation during the pandemic, this was a much needed interlude and felt like a warm and sociable moment with friends.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovely and inspiring book, full of stories of women's approaches to creativity, and insights into how women of colour have been excluded from crafting communities, and have found their own ways to nurture their creativity. The interviews are wide-ranging, from hearing about South Asian women running high end textile companies, to Native American traditional weavers, through to African-American quilters, and Asian-American crocheters... so many stories. I was delighted at the histories of these women and how they came to their craft - some with long family traditions, and some who carved their own niche. I was also interested to learn about how crafting often has this image of being for "white women of means" which is kind of crazy, because women of every colour have crafted textiles with their hands since the beginning of time (see Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times !

Favourite quote: Hobbies have value in and of themselves as forms of care and as vehicles to express creativity and skill
and
What hobbies offer are an antidote to the culture of productivity, where every hour and activity must somehow be revenue-generating.
As someone who is highly productive in most of her life, it's helpful for me to embrace my hobbies (including textile-based ones) as a time of creativity that it not necessarily perfectly productive.

I did find this book it a bit exhausting because there is just so much to take in. I had to take a break for a while. I would have read it even more slowly had it not been due back at the library.

[Andrea Rangel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Long Thread was even more compelling and beautiful than I expected. In it, Hewett shares the stories and perspectives of women and nonbinary people of colour in the textile arts with interviews, essays, survey responses, and profiles. The formats flow from one to another seamlessly, making a page-turner experience that I don’t always get from non-fiction.

I enjoyed this book and I think you will too! That’s especially true if you’re white and want to have more insight into the experiences of people of colour in our community or if you’re a person of colour and are hungry for stories that may reflect your experience better than what’s often seen in the mainstream of the fibre industry. Fans of Clara Parkes and those who cherish deep dives into what it means to be a maker and how people think about crafts both professionally and personally will get a lot out of this book.

I wrote a longer review of this book on my blog at https://www.andrearangel.com/andreara....

[Emily Sacharow · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you even slightly dabble in a fiber medium, this is required reading. Not only are there so many unique perspectives, experiences, and ages represented from each artist, but this is so full of artist internet history! As someone who has been on Etsy since the early days, I loved seeing everyone talk about Etsy, Tumblr, blogging, craft swaps, and all the ways that artists and makers have tried to make online community.

I did not give it a full 5 stars mostly because of formatting. Reading interview after interview, they sort of started to blend together. I think maybe more editing to compiling some of the narrative and/or illustrations or photos or something to help me better connect to each interviewees personal story would’ve helped. After a while I would start to get different childhoods or backgrounds jumbled together.

[Mrs L Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend by the MDK girls, it has been a brilliant and engrossing read. Beautifully written, authentic and thought provoking. I am a white retired woman of education and some privilege, able to afford to purchase the materials and tools of my crafts with little thought. I can examine myself in my attitudes to BAME people without these privileges and know where to start. The insights of how people of colour have to move through the world in ways I can now see as if through a glass darkly, have been profound.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting complication of voices on being women of color in the fiber art/craft world, and their experiences with racism, being excluded, but also their family history in fiber, the moments when they feel supported, what their community looks like, and of course the types of things they make, whether for work, activism, or as a hobby. I would have loved to see pictures of their work, or their online presence listed with each interview or response rather at than the back of the book, but I made it work and did lots of googling!

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who does fiber crafts.

I am a hobby sewer who has worked with a number of other crafts, including knitting, crochet and embroidery, weaving and dying.
Also, my family worked in the garment industry in NYC.

Hewett, who is a professional fabric/sewing pattern designer and author did an organized study of non-white women involved on various levels in the textile arts.

She focuses on the stories of several who are active in the field, their struggles, successes and failures.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I’ve given it a 3 because it doesn’t readily fit into pre-existing categories and if it did, it may find greater readership. The introduction and conclusion are strong and inspiring BUT the transcribed interviews were dry and boring.

I loved the personal stories but wished there was a photo of the person and/or an image of their work. It would also be nice to have the links to their websites or social media accounts.

[Lindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a great book! Interviews with amazing makers that sent me to the Internet over and over to look at their work. Some were known to me; most were not. It also made me think a lot about my own complicity as a white woman in crafting communities — that I’ve had a hand in making people feel unwelcome. There is a lot to chew on for any serious reader.

[MaryEllen Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great set of interviews introducing a broad spectrum of women of color who make their living doing/teaching/writing about fiber arts and crafts. Interesting discussions on community, challenges, how one gets started in various media, and what each one is working on now! I would have loved for this book to be illustrated with photos of these vibrant women and their work!

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a crafter, I really enjoyed learning about new ways to craft and the history behind some of the crafting.

As a person who strives to learn more about anti-racism, I read this and learned about how crafters of color don't feel safe in some spaces because of the history of racism and how they were pushed out of things that they love to do. Which is absolutely infuriating!

[Carol Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so sorely needed by the crafting community. I have two comments--What have I been doing with my life when I see the accomplishments of these women; and all of the women had a work ethic that was so high. This book is a keeper.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

I absolutely loved this book! The stories are woven together so skillfully, their subjects moving across fiber mediums. I also loved the different formats of the chapters, from survey responses to interviews to essays. I highly recommend!

[Kate Meberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hewett is an excellent interviewer, those were my favorite passages to read. I feel a bit like ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (wishing the book had pictures of the art/artists), though I do understand that the stories were the focal point here.

[Bubu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved how well this book was written to define who we are as black women by threading together the fabric of the culture identifies as of women of color through shared stories. I wished my grandmother could have lived long enough to read this book!

[Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful and detailed look into the narratives of contemporary fiber artists. The personal narratives told throughout were so well done, and overall, I checked it out from my library but will be buying it as well!

[Leilani Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up because it reminded me of a dear friend. So glad to be able to share with her some quotes from this. I think this book addresses something a lot of people wouldn’t think about and I love the awareness that is being brought.

[Mills College Library]

305.48809 H598 2021

[Brenda]

Inspirational and sobering all at the same time. I appreciated the honesty of each person’s experience. I looked online at the work of many of these artists…..so much creativity and loveliness!

[Toni Rieder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Alyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A really thoughtfully put together and insightful read.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. I learned so much about craft, fiber, justice, equity and humanity.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, short interviews and essays. Good for dipping in and out of.