A Patchwork Shawl

A Patchwork Shawl sheds light on the lives of a segment of the U.S. immigrant population that has long been relegated to the margins. It focuses on women's lives that span different worlds: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the United States. This collection of essays by and about South Asian women in America challenges stereotypes by allowing women to speak in their own words. Together they provide discerning insights into the reconstruction of immigrant patriarchy in a new world, and the development of women's resistance to that reconstruction. Shamita Das DasGupta's introduction also acquaints readers with the psychological topography of the South Asian community. A Patchwork Shawl considers topics from re-negotiation of identity to sexuality, violence to intimacy, occupations to organizing within the community. The essays bear witness to women's negotiations for independent identities, their claim to their own bodies, and the right to choose relationships based on their own histories and truths. They bring new understanding to the intersection of gender, ethnicity, race, sexuality, and class.

There are times when a special quilt is required to fill a need, provide comfort or give someone a blessing. On such occasions, we want to let those friends, or even strangers, know that we have been praying for them. For that reason, we present this collection of shawls, throws and lap quilts from designers who have a variety of faith backgrounds. 48 pages. Quilts for beginner and intermediate level quilters are included. A section of prayers and blessings complete the book.

When South Asians immigrated to the United States in great numbers in the 1970s, they were passionately driven to achieve economic stability and socialize the next generation to retain the traditions of their home culture. During these years, the immigrant community went to great lengths to project an impeccable public image by denying the existence of social problems such as domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, mental illness, racism, and intergenerational conflict. It was not until recently that activist groups have worked to bring these issues out into the open. In Body Evidence, more than twenty scholars and public health professionals uncover the unique challenges faced by victims of violence in intimate spaces . . . within families, communities and trusted relationships in South Asian American communities. Topics include cultural obsession with women's chastity and virginity; the continued silence surrounding intimate violence among women who identify themselves as lesbian, bisexual, or transgender; the consequences of refusing marriage proposals or failing to meet dowry demands; and, ultimately, the ways in which the United States courts often confuse and exacerbate the plights of these women.

Please the pickiest tech-savvy teens and tweens with these 21 trendy projects you can sew. Most of us would agree that sewing something that teens will like is, without a doubt, a challenge. In Project Teen, Melissa Mortenson, sewist and mother of three teenagers, shares not only her 21 teen-approved designs, but also invaluable tips and tricks for sewing for this unique (a.k.a. picky) age group. Whether you make a stylish tech cover, a cushy study pillow, or a personalized quilt, your teen will love these handmade gifts as much as you love them. • 21 projects, specifically for teens and tweens (ages 11+), including quilts, T-shirts, tech covers, totes, accessories, and so much more • Lots of inspiring ideas and designs for the perfect gifts • Get the 411 on what’s cool when it comes to fabric and style—so that your teen is sure to love what you make! Praise for Project Teen “Mortenson has a good eye for what teenagers actually need and want. . . . Something here will appeal to that trickiest of demographics, making the book a worthwhile buy.” —Publishers Weekly “Project Teen is a fresh, mod, fun way to sew for the tweens/teens in our life - kids, grands, nieces & nephews. The projects meet the ever changing needs of kids, from travel blankets and tablet covers to simple bags to store everything in.” —Generation Q Magazine

Knitters of all skill levels will appreciate this rich variety of interesting and unique patterns, which feature herringbone and cable stitches, ruffles, stripes, and other motifs in gorgeous, hand-dyed yarns.

Get fresh inspiration with 19 quick and colorful projects! In Patchwork, Please!, Stitch magazine contributor Ayumi Takahashi has created playful and practical patchwork projects for the home and the people who live in it. Sewing should be fun, and Ayumi Takahashi's patchwork projects embody that happy, playful approach. Known for both her distinctive combination of patterned fabrics and her quirky interpretations of vintage style, Ayumi brings this signature approach to 19 sewing projects. The book begins with basic techniques in patchwork, paper piecing, raw-edged applique, and machine and hand embroidery. Then it's straight into an appealing assortment of projects for the kitchen, home, family, and friends.

After emerging from the tumult of social movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the field of Asian American studies has enjoyed rapid and extraordinary growth. Nonetheless, many aspects of Asian American history still remain open to debate. The Oxford Handbook of Asian American History offers the first comprehensive commentary on the state of the field, simultaneously assessing where Asian American studies came from and what the future holds. In this volume, thirty leading scholars offer original essays on a wide range of topics. The chapters trace Asian American history from the beginning of the migration flows toward the Pacific Islands and the American continent to Japanese American incarceration and Asian American participation in World War II, from the experience of exclusion, violence, and racism to the social and political activism of the late twentieth century. The authors explore many of the key aspects of the Asian American experience, including politics, economy, intellectual life, the arts, education, religion, labor, gender, family, urban development, and legal history. The Oxford Handbook of Asian American History demonstrates how the roots of Asian American history are linked to visions of a nation marked by justice and equity and to a deep effort to participate in a global project aimed at liberation. The contributors to this volume attest to the ongoing importance of these ideals, showing how the mass politics, creative expressions, and the imagination that emerged during the 1960s are still relevant today. It is an unprecedentedly detailed portrait of Asian Americans and how they have helped change the face of the United States.

Explore new options in improvisational piecing and empower your creativity! Cut and combine solid-color fabrics to create your own “prints”—stripes, polka dots, chevrons, plaids, and more. Forget the rules (and even your ruler) as you piece colorful solids into compelling quilt designs. Use color, pattern, and repetition to develop your personal design aesthetic as you stitch freely to create unique quilts that pack a punch!