Book + Art

Join Kathleen Wilson, co-curator of Warp, Weft, and the Grid, for an introduction to her debut novel, The Fabric of Wishful Thinking. This richly researched portrait of 1910 rural Appalachia is written by an author with deep expertise in Appalachian history, craft, and culture. Along with its compelling story, Wilson’s book offers a rare look inside early Southern textile mill culture. The Fabric of Wishful Thinking is a powerful story about families and the fractures that result from divided loyalties. Ella Hutchinson’s story offers a portrait of female resilience during a time without legal protections for mothers and wives. It is a gripping novel about friendship, motherhood, first love, and irrevocable loss.