Many Hands Make A Quilt: Short Histories of Radical Quilting

by Jess Bailey

Taking radical action is nurtured by quilting. Quilts are tender, fierce, and reliable. They are provocative and reparative. Quilts hold people and stories. As they conform to the unique shape of a body beneath their cascading surface, they affirm the vitality of love and safety. Throughout history, communities have turned to the collective intimacies of quilting in moments of need. This zine tells those stories.

Written by Jess Bailey. Edited by Laura Moseley. Illustrations by Saffa Khan. With additional artwork by Kristyna Baczynski, Maisy Summer, & Alicia Rodriguez.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Crafts, History, Art History, Activism

51 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Sian Lile-Pastore · Rating 4 out of 5]

inspiring look at quilting and activism with references and a booklist. lovely design (inside margin needed to be a bit bigger tho as some text was lost in the binding)

[Annie Tate Cockrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolute banger from Common Threads Press! An introduction to the global histories of radical quilt making - the book is quite short but gives us a look at many quilting groups of the past and many that are active today. I appreciated the resources for further reading that are listed in the back of the book.

[lonesome dreaming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great small overview on histories of quilting against structures of white supremacy, mass incarnation, ableism and patriarchy.

[Isis Fawzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

last review before i move to a less bezos-y app (storygraph): common threads press rules and everyone should read their zines 🤟🏻

[Izy Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

From sweet Manasa. This book filled me with so much inspiration!!!!!! I love textiles!!!!

[Cecily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book 10 stars! I borrowed this from KCPL, but by the time I finished it, I knew I had to buy my own copy. It’s a book I’ll return to again and again for both inspiration and grounding.

What I loved most was how it spotlighted niche and often-overlooked histories within the world of quilting. Jess Bailey skillfully connects threads of activism, community, and art in ways that felt both deeply educational and profoundly moving. This isn’t just a book about quilts—it’s about the power of collective care, resistance, and storytelling stitched into every piece of fabric.

If you’re interested in craft history, radical politics, or just want to feel reconnected to a broader creative lineage, this book is a must-read. It’s the kind of work that leaves you itching to make something, to dig deeper, and to appreciate the quiet but powerful legacy of makers who came before us.

[Mik · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, well written short introduction with lots of resources and ideas for further research/viewing. This book excited me!

[Vera Elwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beyond wonderful. I found myself stopping at the end of each brief chapter to give a synopsis of the story to my husband and then google pictures of the quilt being referenced. Jess Bailey does an incredible job of giving historical and cultural context to each quilt while also giving a primer on fiber art appreciation and what stylistic choices make each piece particularly impactful. She ties each piece to our current political moment - all within just a couple pages per piece. The connection she shows between the AIDs Quilt and the COVID-19 Pandemic genuinely made me put the book down and cry for a while.
This book is going to become a regular re-read for me. I will be gifting a copy to all of my crafty friends, historian friends, and artist friends. I honestly wish my grandmother was still alive so I could have read it with her and discussed the political history of the art that she loved so dearly. She would have been overjoyed to know the long and powerful history of her favorite pastime.

[Ygraine]

after reading patchwork i decided that this year was going to be the year of the quilt for me. i also decided that even though the first project i want to embark on is going to be a v self-indulgent and inward-facing one, i don't want to lose sight of what else quilting has been and is and can be, for others and now for me, & i found this a valuable & often really moving place to start ! will be coming back to many of the included works and their histories i hope, especially jesse krimes' elegy quilts.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's make more radical quilts, k?

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, smart, and pedagodical!

[Kerstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little history of political quilting in a zine format

[Sam Olvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have long admired Dr. Bailey's beautiful work when it creeps up on my pinterest, but never knew the power of quilting!

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

<3 another exciting springboard

[Karina Geddes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and wish it was longer

[c8e❈❃ ✶ ✧ ೃ༄ · Rating 5 out of 5]

quilts fostering community, care, and healing, forever!!!