Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary -- Maddie Ballard, Hardcover

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.

Author: Maddie Ballard
Publisher: Tin House
Published: 10/21/2025
Pages: 144
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.46lbs
Size: 7.53h x 5.32w x 0.64d
ISBN: 9781963108484

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2025
Publishers Weekly 08/25/2025
Shelf Awareness 11/21/2025

About the Author
Maddie Ballard is a writer and editor of mixed Chinese heritage. Born in Syracuse, New York, she grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand and currently lives in Melbourne, Australia.