Jess Bailey is an art historian, a collector of stories, and a quilter. You may know Jess from Instagram @publiclibraryquilts or their book, Many Hands Make a Quilt: Short Histories of Radical Quilting.The conversation we had was tender and joyful as we discussed:① why representation and visibility are so important in the quilting community,② the power of a gifted quilts, and ③ how to start a quilting practice even if you come from a long a line of quilters.HELPFUL LINKS ♡⤷ historic New Deal quilting bee photos⤷ Anna's mother Ruth Higham's book, The Edge of the Land⤷ The quilt made by the last indigenous queen of Hawaii⤷ Get a copy of Jess’s book Many Hands Make A Quilt: Short Histories of Radical Quilting in the US and in the UK ⤷ Listen to the oral history interview from the Quilt Alliance that Jess mentions⤷ work by Kailani Polzak, researcher of visual constructions of race in 18th and 19th century Europe⤷ Join me and Heidi Parkes for Sewing in Place at Madeline Island School of the Arts this June⤷ Learn more about the inner work of textiles in a supportive creative community, THE QUILTY NOOK⤷ Theme music: Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops