Text and Textiles: Katy Bevan's Publishing Revolution
In the bustling world of modern publishing, where plastic-coated covers and mass production dominate, Katy Bevan is quietly revolutionising how we think about craft books. Her publishing house, Quickthorn Books, founded in 2022, represents a manifesto for mindful making and sustainable storytelling.
Intelligent Hands by Charlotte Abrahams & Katy Bevan. Quickthorn Books.
With over two decades immersed in craft publishing, including her tenure as Participation and Learning Manager at the Crafts Council, Katy recognises that books and textiles share the same essential DNA - both built from the careful interlacing of individual elements into something greater. As both writer and educator, she has witnessed how craft connects communities like threads in an endless tapestry, building resilience through the same motions that transform raw wool into warmth, and raw words into wisdom. This lived experience, particularly as a mother of an adult daughter with special needs, has shaped her belief that making - whether books or blankets - is an essential life skill.
Quickthorn's philosophy centres on personal agency - the radical idea that we can take control over how we consume by creating with our own hands. "Crafting something with your own hands is a reflective process," Katy explains. "It encourages you to slow down when the pace of life feels too fast, to be patient and to learn that good things don't happen immediately."
Image from 'Beyond Darning' by Hikaru Noguchi. Available from Quickthorn Books.
This ethos extends to every aspect of Quickthorn's operations. Books are printed exclusively in the UK using recycled or FSC-certified paper, without plastic coating, and only in carefully considered print runs. While their uncoated covers may show signs of aging sooner, this is a conscious choice that embodies their environmental values. "Most books are coated in plastic," Katy notes. "We decided that ours will remain beautifully uncoated."
The innovative "quick book" format - compact, easy-to-hold volumes with bite-sized chapters and evocative imagery - ensures accessibility without compromising beauty. These books reflect Katy's philosophy, championing creativity for all and believing there's no single right way to make, just your way.
Beyond publishing, Katy remains deeply connected to the craft community. As a trustee of Heritage Crafts and co-host of the monthly Meet Make Mend repair circle in Stroud, she safeguards traditional skills while making them accessible to contemporary makers, understanding that techniques survive only when they live in working hands.
Winslow Homer, Girl Reading Book, Outside, 1879.
This autumn, Katy's passion for connecting text and textiles takes centre stage at London Textile Month. On Friday 26 September, she'll host "Text and Textiles" at the Museum of the Home - a unique celebration of the relationship between written word and cloth. The afternoon event will feature inspiring authors including Justine Lee on wool's living legacy, Anna Buruma on fashion archives, and Rachael Matthews exploring rag rug making for the Anthropocene age.
Through Quickthorn Books and events like these, Katy Bevan weaves together sustainability, community, and craft knowledge, creating resources that honour both traditional skills and contemporary needs while recognising that textiles and texts are sister arts, both capable of carrying forward essential human stories.
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Further Information:
"Text and Textiles" Book Festival with Katy Bevan of Quickthorn Books is on Friday 26 September, 2 - 5 pm at Museum of the Home, London.
Book your tickets HERE.
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Image Credits:
Lead Image. Portrait of Katy Bevan. Photo Credit: Alun Callender.
All other images as credited in photo captions.