ANNA MARIA'S BLUEPRINT QUILTINGis the fourth book by Anna Maria Parry, an artist, seamstress and fabric
designer. The quilts are absolutely stunning and she offers 16 projects ranging
from beginner through confident beginner to intermediate and advanced. The text
is organized so as to “Explore Color, Pattern, and Technique” and separate sections
deal with these, covering topics like composition, material choice, and
necessary tools. Anna Maria offers four “blueprints:” Grand Central (square), Triptych;
Kiss on the Lips (an “X” style) and Color Study (using gradations). Each project (there are 4 for each blueprint)
includes notes on color choice, fabric, and cutting as well as sewing and
assembly. Both photographs and colorful diagrams of the quilts are included. This
is a very comprehensive book, although the projects seem large (mostly full-size
quilts) and complex for the most part. A true feast for the eyes (see images
below). In its starred review, Publishers Weekly praised: “Parry’s
sophisticated artistic sensibilities [which] set this apart from standard
quilting manuals.”
Just by chance I saw a show on PBS about The Violet Protest which involved a grassroots movement using handmade textile squares as a form of social action and to promote unity across political positions. The roughly 30 minute documentary is available online at this link and embedded below:
PBS NewsHour’s Jeffrey Brown just interviewed Glory Edim and
Maureen Corrigan about their suggestions for diverse books to read this summer.
That short video is provided below and here are a few comments on some of the
books they mentioned:
THE OTHER BLACK
GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris is a New York Times bestseller and LibraryReads selection for June which features a young Black woman, Nella Rogers,
who is working in the publishing industry as an editorial assistant. When
another Black assistant, Hazel, is hired, Nella is excited, but soon struggles
more and more with the office atmosphere, including a threatening note: Leave Wagner.
Now. There is an increasing atmosphere of menace and suspense, but the story
could have moved much faster. Harris deftly conveys the difficulties of being
Black in a White space (e.g., “…they rarely asked her about ‘Black issues’ – either
because they didn’t want to offend her by doing so, or because they simply didn’t
care enough to ask. But other times she found it almost demeaning, as though
accepting Wagner’s job offer had also meant giving up her Black identity”) and I
liked the perceptive and often satirical writing. However, I was confused by jumps
in the timeline and appearance of new characters who were not fully introduced.
Consider giving this sometimes dark debut novel a try – both Edim and Corrigan
praised THE OTHER BLACK GIRL which received starred reviews from Booklist,
Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.
If historical fiction appeals, then be sure to check out
both of these recommendations from the PBS NewsHour commentators:
THE FINAL
REVIVAL OF OPAL & NEV by Dawnie Walton is an amazing debut novel
which traces the musical careers of the title characters. It presents a behind
the scenes look at rock musicians and rock history in the 1970s. Originally
from Detroit, Opal Jewel is a fighter and a survivor, unafraid to express
herself although her talent is often underappreciated. Nev Charles, a quieter
soul from England, crafts incredible tunes with Opal as a muse. They are linked
by their music and subsequently by the racial violence at one of their
concerts. As Opal notes, “That’s what
the South was like for me. Sweet on the first taste, but something gone sour
underneath.” Told through multiple perspectives that read like the script for a
documentary, THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL & NEV received starred
reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.
LIBERTIE
by Kaitlyn Greenidge begins in in the 1860s in Brooklyn, moves through Ohio and
later Haiti, as Libertie, a free-born Black girl comes of age. Throughout the
text, she struggles with expectations from her mother (who wants her to be a
doctor), from her husband, and from herself. Themes of classism, racism/colorism,
and misogyny are explored, as well as the various interpretations of “freedom.”
With a teen protagonist and slightly shorter length, this title will likely
have the most appeal for our student readers. LIBERTIE received
starred reviews from Booklist (“qualms of self doubt and struggles with
her mother will resonate with YAs”), Publishers Weekly, and School
Library Journal.
Video with these and other book recommendations from PBS
NewsHour:
