A Pressing Matter: Class, Craft, and the Irony of Expertise

This week on Stitch Please, Lisa gets real about the politics of pressing yes, we’re talking seams, class, and why your iron might be more revolutionary than you think. From cosplay critiques to sewing history, she unpacks why pressing isn’t elitist it’s care, clarity, and craft all rolled into one. Press play and prepare to rethink your ironing board. ==== ======= Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation. Instagram: Lisa Woolfork Twitter: Lisa Woolfork ====== Stay Connected: YouTube: Black Women Stitch Instagram: Black Women Stitch Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast -- Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter Check out our merch here Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode. Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon Check out our Amazon Store ==== “Be impeccable with your word.”: The Four Agreements," by Don Miguel Ruiz, outlines four principles for personal freedom and happiness. These agreements, rooted in Toltec wisdom, are: Be Impeccable with Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, and Always Do Your Best LEAVE US A MESSAGE--https://www.speakpipe.com/BlackWomenStitch ==== 2019 Pressing Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stitch-please/id1477578107?i=1000450213114 2019 Bonus Episode on Pressing: https://blackwomenstitch.org/captivate-podcast/pressing-matters-a-few-good-irons-and-one-amazing-collectible Sarah Boone, Ironing Board Inventor: https://www.biography.com/inventors/sarah-boone QUOTED Erica Bunker: https://www.threads.com/@ericabunker/post/DMd48PQyw70?xmt=AQF0nLB5RBhnJbOvuK73aVHgXoipt3xN0DaU-huV-1MWuw aaronicabcolestudio: https://www.threads.com/@aaronicabcolestudio/post/DMc8Gd1OKL2?xmt=AQF0wOmaHgrAxwdyrIOLlEb9NEShqSDv8XChtIgwAxuauQ Additional comments of interest terrancewilliams_: https://www.threads.com/@terrancewilliams_/post/DMblEBQsR4E?xmt=AQF0H04zsL35zrpnzBx_JOmBt3z5H_0ksq0GszETLN-s7Q shimere: https://www.threads.com/@shim.sew.creative/post/DMc0ycyMTzP?xmt=AQF0xsJgAmIaWUBExBFhCoE6d_d5hrRSxz1Npb9Q_oSvEw raisincosplay: https://www.threads.com/@raisincosplay/post/DMfhx5BR-dz?xm