Piece by Piece: A New Book by Lauren MacDonald
We’re always thrilled when a new book lands in our hands. Piece by Piece, the joyful, generous new title by Lauren MacDonald, is a love letter to patchwork, reuse, and the quiet satisfaction of making something beautiful from what you already have.
MacDonald is no stranger to textiles. Based in London, she’s the force behind Working Cloth, a design practice devoted to helping people reconnect with the fabric of their lives - literally. Over the past 15 years, she’s made quilts, clothes, books, and friends (her words), always with an eye on the hidden labour behind textile traditions and a curiosity about how old techniques meet modern life. Her first book, In Pursuit of Color (Atelier Éditions, 2023), charted the murky, marvellous histories of natural dyes - from fungi to fossil fuels, deep-fried mollusks to industrial espionage.
Janet Quilt, Page 152 of Piece by Piece, Lauren McDonald. Photo Credit: CharlieMcKay.
With Piece by Piece, MacDonald shifts from the global to the deeply personal. Subtitled 20 Modern Patchwork and Quilting Projects to Make from Pre-Loved Materials, this is not your grandmother’s quilting book - although she’d probably find something to love in it too. It’s a playful, open-handed guide to stitching with meaning, full of practical tutorials and colourful encouragement. Projects range from party hats and teddy bears to jackets, bolsters, and quilts, all organised in a gentle skill-building sequence. The only rule? Start where you are, and use what you have...
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Image Credits:
Lead Image: Piece by Piece book cover (detail), courtesy of @talismanonpender
All other images as credited in photo captions.