I hand-embroider all my tapestries myself, using a punch needle on primitive linen cloth stretched over canvas bars. I finish the edges with a whip stitch; and I use wool, cotton, and silk yarn.

Sometimes people don’t recognize my work as punch needle because the stitches look flat. I show the back of the work, and the tufted “front side” is hidden.

My largest tapestries (the Gospel of the Working Class series) took more than 200 hours.

• Oxford Punch Needle - I have used the #10 Regular in the past, but now I use the #14 Mini. We used the #13 "mini with heels" for the class. You can get other punch needles for cheaper from most craft retailers.

• Oxford Punch Needle handbook - this free resource from Oxford may be helpful.

• WEBS - I don't have a local yarn store, so I will sometimes order yarn from this online retailer. DK or worsted weight yarn works best for the mini punch needle. I linked to a page of cotton yarn, which is a reasonably-priced natural fiber that's very beginner-friendly.

• TheWoolFarm linen backing - this is the primitive linen cloth I use. 

• Monk's Cloth - a cheaper alternative to linen.

• The Weaving Loom - a tapestry weaving resource that helped me back in the day.

I fluctuate between on-and-off wage work in coffee shops, design and illustration commissions, grants and honorariums, teaching workshops, selling tapestries, and selling prints.

I currently organize with the Democratic Socialists of America and my local Action for Cuba committee.

An incomplete list:

• Chilean arpilleras

• Afghan war rugs

• Communist mosaics at Buzludzha, Bulgaria

• Palestinian Tatreez

• Palestinian liberation poster movement 

• 1970s Palestinian artist Abdel Rahman Al Muzain

• Contemporary Palestinian artist Kholoud Hammad (buy her work!!!)

• Quilts of Gee's Bend

• Norweigan antifascist weaver Hannah Ryggen

An incomplete list:

• Michael DeForge

• LaToya Ruby Frazier

• Molly Crabapple

• Eli Valley

• Sam Wallman

• Dianna Settles

• Boots Riley

• Erik Ruin

• Roger Peet

• Margaret Palmquist

• Anohni