Quilting in Zero-G? A Q&A with Astronaut Karen Nyberg and Author Ann McCallum Staats
Go behind the scenes of A Quilt of Stars! Astronaut Karen Nyberg and author Ann McCallum Staats share the inspiring true story of how quilting in zero-G united a global community.
What happens when a NASA astronaut and an award-winning author team up to write a children’s book about quilting in zero gravity? You get a masterclass in how STEM, art, and community intersect.
In anticipation of their upcoming picture book, A Quilt of Stars (launching September 29, 2026), NASA astronaut Dr. Karen Nyberg and award-winning author Ann McCallum Staats sat down for an exclusive, behind-the-book interview. Together, they pull back the curtain on ten questions readers want answered most: How did their unique partnership begin? How do science and art seamlessly weave together? What does it feel like to look down at our planet from orbit?
Here is their intimate conversation on how curiosity, persistence, and teamwork can turn an impossible dream into reality.
1. How did the two of you first connect, and at what moment did you realize this story needed to be a picture book?
Karen
We first connected when Ann interviewed me for her book High Flyers. I remember appreciating how interested she was not only in my career as an astronaut, but also in the creative side of my life.
After the Astronomical Quilts were displayed at the Houston International Quilt Festival, I began to realize just how meaningful the project had become. But it was when I visited the Briscoe Center in 2021 and saw the quilts up close that I knew there was a bigger story to tell. I was able to read many of the notes that accompanied the quilt blocks submitted from around the world. They weren’t simply quilt blocks anymore; they represented thousands of people sharing their creativity, hopes, and dreams. I wanted children to see that a single idea can grow into something much larger when people come together around it.
Ann
I first connected with Karen when I was writing High Flyers: 15 Inspiring Women Aviators and Astronauts, a book that targets readers ages 12 and up. I was looking for women who would motivate young people to make goals and then follow through with them. I interviewed Karen and was immediately hooked. While my focus for High Flyers was mostly about Karen’s grit and determination to become an astronaut despite her humble roots, I was also fascinated by the side-story of the Astronomical Quilt Challenge.
This other piece of Karen’s experience niggled at me, so when we reconnected a while later, we were both excited to explore it in more detail. We felt that a picture book and younger audience would be the best way to share the story because of the potential for gorgeous illustrations. (Thank you, Alida; you nailed those!) The art and STEM integration was really important, and a picture book was the perfect medium to share that.
2. The book answers what to do with an impossible dream. What did that phrase mean to each of you while working on this project?
Karen
For me, an impossible dream is often something so big and distant that you can’t see the entire path to get there. Becoming an astronaut felt that way growing up in a small town in Minnesota. I learned that you don’t need to know every step ahead of time; you simply need to keep taking the next one. This book reminded me that dreams can evolve in wonderful ways. I never imagined that sewing in space, designing fabrics inspired by Earth, or helping create a children’s book would become meaningful chapters of my journey.
Ann
I kept coming back to my own modest roots in rural British Columbia, Canada. To go to university was huge as I had to travel over 8 hours away to do it. I thought of Karen growing up in a tiny town and what it must have taken to become an astronaut. Though I didn’t become an astronaut, I’ve still experienced amazing things that, if I’d even conceived of them as a kid, would have seemed impossible (writing this book with Karen, for one!). I love the idea of sparking kids to come up with their own “impossible” dreams.
3. What was the most surprising or challenging part of writing a book as a duo?
Karen
This was my first experience creating a book, so I was fortunate to have Ann leading the process and generously sharing her expertise. I was surprised by just how long publishing takes. There are many rounds of revisions and thoughtful decisions along the way, but it was rewarding to watch the story gradually take shape.
Ann
Honestly, Karen was a pleasure to work with! I guess at first I wasn’t sure if she would agree to the things I suggested or if it would be difficult to co-author something, especially from a distance (I’ve never co-authored before). Any concern I might have had was 100% dispelled. It was surprising—and gratifying—to see how the project came together and how it’s an actual book now!
4. How does this book bridge the gap for kids who feel they have to choose between being “the scientist” or “the artist”? What advice would you give to kids who want to be both?
Karen
I would encourage kids to absolutely follow all of their interests, even if they don’t seem to fit together. For much of my life, I thought of space and sewing as two separate passions. Over time, I’ve realized they actually rely on many of the same skills: curiosity, creativity, problem-solving, and persistence.
Ann
I love this aspect of the story and how STEM and art are so well interwoven. While the pursuit of science changes the world, I believe that creativity is a critical part of humanity, too. Of course, there are countless ways to tap into art, and I encourage kids to experiment with more than one. I like to instill in kids that engaging in both science and art encourages an open mind—and a world of possibility.
5. This project involved over 30 countries. What does that global community mean to you, and what has it taught you about cooperation?
Karen
One of the most meaningful aspects of the Astronomical Quilts project was seeing people from all over the world contribute their creativity to something larger than themselves. It reminded me very much of my experience aboard the International Space Station. In both cases, people with different languages, cultures, and perspectives worked toward a shared goal. Those experiences reinforced my belief that cooperation doesn’t require us to be the same. It begins with recognizing our shared humanity and deciding that something larger than ourselves is worth building together.
Ann
One thing that resonates with me is the metaphor of Earth and its inhabitants being a masterful patchwork quilt. No matter the location, the culture, or the individual, we are all connected in a quilt of humanity. This teaches me that cooperation is key because, like every bit of fabric and every stitch in a quilt, every piece of the world is necessary and contributes to the whole.
6. What is your favorite image in the book, and why? Or is there a specific illustration that perfectly captures the feeling of the story?
Karen
I love all of Alida’s illustrations, but two are especially meaningful to me. One shows me as a child gazing out over the Minnesota lake where I grew up. I spent countless hours looking out over that lake, so seeing that memory brought to life feels very special. The other shows me floating aboard the ISS surrounded by photos of my family. It captures the feeling of living a lifelong dream while still missing the people I loved most back on Earth.
Ann
Karen and I actually talked about this as we went through the illustrations when we first saw them. I’m so grateful for the amazing job Alida did! I think for me personally, it comes down to two favorites, though the entire book is gorgeous. The first spread is one of my favorites because it represents possibility. A little girl is looking at the stars and dreaming about the “what if” of visiting space someday. My second favorite is the illustration of Karen looking from the cupola on the International Space Station and seeing the patchwork planet below.
7. Beyond talent, what is the one character trait or habit you both feel is most essential for stitching together a dream?
Karen
Perseverance. Very few meaningful dreams happen quickly. There will almost certainly be setbacks, disappointments, and moments when progress feels slow. Perseverance doesn’t mean never struggling; it means continuing to take the next step, learning from challenges, and staying open to unexpected opportunities along the way.
Ann
Dreams can be massive and even overwhelming without perseverance and the ability to break them down into smaller steps. Just as making a huge, complicated quilt might seem at first like too much, it’s a collection of smaller, do-able sections, each stitched together to make the final whole. To stitch together a lofty life goal, one needs to piece together each smaller step and not give up until it’s done.
8. What is one mind-blowing fact about living in space—or quilting in space—that you hope sticks with readers?
Karen
What still stays with me most about living in space wasn’t floating or even sewing in microgravity. It was looking back at Earth and realizing that everyone I know and love—and every person who has ever lived—shares this one small, vibrant planet. That perspective changed me, and I hope the book conveys at least a small piece of that feeling.
Ann
So much! I’ll likely never travel to space, so I have to live vicariously through people like Karen. I think one mind-blowing fact is that it’s even possible for humans to step away from Earth. It’s taken thousands upon thousands of people, zillions of hours, and tons of failure to make it happen. And quilting in space? That took determination and loads of problem-solving, too. Ambitious goals ARE possible, though sometimes failure is a necessary prerequisite!
9. What is the primary message or solution you hope families find within these pages?
Karen
I hope families come away believing that dreams are worth pursuing, even when they seem unlikely, and that creativity can bring people together in meaningful ways. I also hope they are reminded that Earth is our shared home and that caring for it—and for one another—matters.
Ann
I hope that families will reaffirm their commitment to caring for our precious planet. When you look at the globe from space through Karen and others’ eyes, it’s a breathtaking gift that’s sometimes easy to take for granted. I hope the idea that Earth is a masterful patchwork collection of people and places will be one of the primary messages readers come away with and that people will advocate for its preservation.
10. As we head toward the September release, what are you most excited for the world to see in A Quilt of Stars?
Karen
I’m excited to finally share a story that has been on my mind for years. The Astronomical Quilts were much more than a quilting project—they represented thousands of people connecting through creativity and a shared sense of wonder. For me, the story also captures something I never could have imagined as a child: that my dream of becoming an astronaut and my love of sewing would one day come together in such a meaningful way. I’m grateful that this book gave us the opportunity to tell that story and share it with a new generation.
Ann
I’m personally beyond excited to finally share this book with the audience we wrote it for. We have launch events planned, and I’m hoping that when we introduce this story to kids, they’ll be genuinely thrilled, awed, and inspired to pursue their own impossible dreams.
Read the Story that Started It All
A Quilt of Stars
Dr. Karen Nyberg is an astronaut, engineer, artist, and mother who, through nearly 30 years of experience in human spaceflight, has developed a deep appreciation for the value of cooperation across diverse ideologies and values to care for our home planet and its inhabitants. Ann McCallum Staats is a former teacher and the award-winning author of over a dozen books. Her latest books include Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants (Candlewick/MIT Kids Press) along with two books in the Women of Power series: High Flyers and Thrill Seekers (Chicago Review Press).