Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary

In a new home, relationships shift, and ties fray. Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary is a collection of essays about sewing and knowing who you are. Each chapter in this book charts the crafting of a different garment. From a lining embroidered with the Cantonese names of her female ancestors to a dressing gown holding the body of a beloved friend, Maddie Ballard navigates love, personal connections, and self-care, drafting her own patterns for ways of living. Lyrical, probing, soothing and wise, Patchwork is a strikingly original debut and a quiet celebration of the remarkable, everyday process of making and re-making: of cloth, of clothing, and of ourselves.

© 2025 The Emma Press (Audiobook): 9781915628602

Release date

Audiobook: November 18, 2025