12 Must-Read Books on Textiles and Fiber Art
Titles on contemporary Diné weavers, Black American quilting in California, the Bayeux Tapestry, artists including Cecilia Vicuña and Olga de Amaral, and more.
Textiles and fiber art have long inspired writers, who use these mediums to tell stories and explore craft histories. To celebrate this, we've compiled a list of must-read books that delve into various aspects of textiles and fiber art, from Black Southern quilting and Korean bojagi to Palestinian tatreez and contemporary Diné weaving.
One book that deserves attention is "Reparative Craft: Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick as a Textile Artist" by Jason Edwards, published by Duke University Press in 2026. This book explores Sedgwick's textile art, which merges literary and craft theory, focusing on her work from the mid-1990s to 2000s. Sedgwick's preoccupation with Buddhism is evident in her textile collages and sculptures, which meditate on themes of illness, repair, and death.
Another intriguing read is "Stories in the Seams: A People's History of Black Quilts and Their Makers" by Sharbreon Plummer, published by Chronicle Books in 2026. Plummer argues that Black American quilts are deeply connected to the inner lives of their creators. The book is divided into three parts: "memory," "method," and "medicine," reflecting the book's focus on the personal connections and healing aspects of quilting.
Plummer traces the influence of Black quilts on artists and writers such as Romare Bearden and bell hooks, emphasizing the quilts' power to inspire healing, connection, and creativity.
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