More than 300 colorful photos and behind-the-scenes details reveal the fascinating story of Japan's cotton and indigo, and their enormous contribution to fiber arts worldwide. Learn how Japan and its top fabric designers, quilters, scientists, and artists combine tradition and high tech to weave the thread, fabrics, and stunning designs that are so coveted in today's fiber art world. Take a tour of Japan's elite textile printing mills to understand why Japan is considered the world's finest producer of quilting cotton. Learn where all this cotton comes from, and its close connection to another prized plant, indigo. Dozens of beautiful fabric designs and quilts by Shizuko Kuroha, Keiko Goke, Yoshiko Jinzenji, Yoko Saito, and others are featured, as well as cotton and indigo folk textiles through the ages. This journey gives a deeper understanding of the connection between contemporary textile art and Japan's cotton, indigo, and traditions.

Discover how quilting came to be a favorite pastime for an estimated 3 million quilters in Japan today, as well as a multimillion-dollar business. For 40 years, Japan looked to America and imported quilts for ideas and inspiration. Now, contemporary Japanese quilters, with their own style, seek inspiration, museum shows, and audiences in the West, while modern-day Western quilters admire the distinct aesthetics of their Japanese counterparts. Meet more than a dozen award-winning quilters, including Yoko Saito, Keiko Goke, Noriko Endo, and Yoshiko Jinzenji. Each has a well-defined, individual style, yet they share the impeccable technical standards common to Japanese artists. Learn the inside stories of former painters, seamstresses, homemakers, graphic designers, and manga artists who have all made careers in quilting. More than 200 photographs show the Japanese artists' quilts and studios, and the antique American quilts that once inspired them.

Stitching Stolen Lives is an in-depth look at the mission and work of the Social Justice Sewing Academy Remembrance Project. This book shares stories and insight into the lives lost and the long overlooked, heartrending truths shared by teens and young adults. Personal stories of individuals and their families whose lives have been cut short by racially-motivated crime Includes thought-provoking portrait art quilt blocks in the likeness of those whose lives were stolen Valuable resource section provides information on how to talk about racial equity, use art as a tool to aid self-expression, and get started on your own social justice initiative

Once a year, tens of thousands undergo a pilgrimage to Houston, Texas, for the International Quilt Festival-an enormous confluence of exhibitions, shopping, competitions, educational opportunities, and, most importantly, a gathering of kindred spirits like no other. Standing behind this magical show are two of the most influential trailblazers and business leaders in the quilting industry. Karey Patterson Bresenhan and Nancy O'Bryant Puentes are cousins who were raised as sisters, and their shared history is a colorful story of five generations of quilters. Through numerous interviews, Teresa Duryea Wong shares a mosaic of memories and histories not only from Karey and Nancy, but from an array of quilters and Festival-goers. With nearly 200 photos spanning more than half a century, Magic & Memories celebrates the resilience and passion of all who love quilts-young and old, beginner and expert, traditional and contemporary-and the history they make.