The Auntie Sewing Squad Guide to Mask Making, Radical Care, and Racial Justice

September 6, 2021
In this feisty collection of sewing tips, recipes, and essays, the Auntie Sewing Squad—a cadre of mostly Asian-American women founded on Facebook by performance artist Kristina Wong at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic—share their devotion to underserved communities during a public health crisis. Their first order of business, they explain, was to sew scores of masks and give them to those in need, distributing them to asylum seekers, Indigenous communities, people on parole, farmworkers, and Black Lives Matter demonstrators. They offer plenty of thoughts on the art of sewing—in “Sewing as Refuge,” Hong writes about the power of the skill being passed through generations—and the writing is full of verve, as when Wong retorts to a friend, “BITCH I DO NOT DO CUSTOM WORK. I STOP GENOCIDES.” Alongside patterns for masks, the aunties muse powerfully on mutual-aid, and note that small steps taken together (including mask-making in one’s community) can create a difference. Whimsical illustrations come along the way, as do recipes for such treats as Tsukemono pasta salad, vegan kimchi, and chocolate shortbread hearts. Perfect for activists and those interested in crafting for a cause, this spirited collection inspires.