knitting.

I like knitting, you like knitting, the world likes knitting.

Raising Awareness Stitch By Stitch.

| Betsy

Many moons ago, I volunteered for The Prince’s Trust in Watford, Hertfordshire. As for the town of Watford, let’s just say my English friends mocked me as much as I would get here in the US if I moved to New Jersey. Some places just get a bad rap. Although living in a YMCA on a hall of girls training to be cruise liner beauticians was not the best experience, I did learn how bright those spotlighty things on helicopters are when one arrived late one night near the YMCA. It was there to help break up a riot in town. Good times, indeed. Moving on…

So, memory lane and all, I was especially touched to learn today that a bunch of elderly Watford knitters (and a few from Elstree) got together and broke the Guinness Book of Records for largest knitted tea cosy. The squares for the cosy were knitted by local knitters along with submissions from knitters around the world. Way to go Watford (and Elstree) knitters! I was even more touched when I read that they were knitting the cosy “to help raise awareness of loneliness concerning elderly people!” This effort was part of BUPA’s delightfully named ‘communi-tea week.’ How delightfully English sounding, no?

I think every nation should band together, pick a week and make an effort to hang out and drink tea, especially as there are so many people out there who could use a little company! “More than a third of older people in the UK, including half of all women aged over 65, now live alone. It is a frightening statistic but Communi-tea Week aims to bring together those who may be struggling on their own by reaching out over a friendly cup of tea.”

What I like the most about this tea cosy is that it shows how with a little creativity, you can use your crafts for good in all sorts of ways. While the tea cosy wasn’t protesting for a ban on pesticides or to stop child labor, it was a project formed to raise an awareness about a different sort of problem. Sometimes problems such as elderly individuals and loneliness get ignored in light of giant disasters, so it’s nice to see a week arranged to raise awareness for them. Hmm…maybe it’s about time to invite some friends ’round for a cuppa and conversation. Just as long as someone brings the HobNobs, I’ve got enough tea to caffeinate, well… New Jersey, perhaps.

Do you know how long the fastest game of Operation is? Or the fastest time someone can pluck a turkey? People are awesome.

The Heart Of Craftivism.

| Betsy

“Knitting is a symbol of many things, knitting together things that have been broken, and our society has been broken… knitting is a symbol of hoping that we can bring some kind of unity.” (from the Northern Ireland video from Shannon Airport below)

This morning I was happy to receive a link to Yoko Ono’s “Revelations”, the version remixed by Cat Power for Ono’s 2007 album Yes, I’m a Witch. The link came in the daily newsletter email I get from Danielle LaPorte over at White Hot Truth. I love how some days just what you needs pops into your inbox like magic.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot what craftivism is, as I’m collecting photographs over at Documenting Craftivism, a project that right now is a loose collection to help define the term. I’ve also been watching some lovely videos that also speak to the heart of craftivism. I’ve been looking into the work of some larger organizations, (Aid to Artisans, Peace x Peace, Women for Women International to name but a few) but there are also some smaller groups speaking to craft + activism as well.

Some of these videos made me cry in their honesty and sincerity wishes for peace and hope, may you enjoy them as much as I did. I don’t always agree with all of the words and banners, but I always agree with the sentiments. Creativity. Peace. Hope. Love.


Granny Peace Brigade.
Knitting for Peace, Times Square, NYC, March 19, 2008.




The Mother Bear Project.
Showing how easy it is to post knitted donations, an adorable short first time attempt at stop motion!



Help Child Soldiers.
Lovely clip from a women’s knitting circle working on knitted donations.




Knitting for peace at Shannon airport in Northern Ireland January 6, 2009 on Nollaig na mban (Women’s Christmas). There is some really interesting Irish and knitting history in here!




And one from a different side of craftivism: helping the world heal itself. The work of Rwanda Knits. Part of the proceeds from Knitting for Good! went to this charity, as I really love the work they are doing with refugee women.

Yarn Bombing, Craftivism, Knittivism… It’s All Just About Making Life Prettier.

| Betsy

The other day there was a story about “yarn bombing” in The Vancouver Sun. It resulted in numerous comments, either praising or criticizing these public acts of crafting. It’s amazing how people have to get either really excited or really pissed off to comment on newspaper articles. Six in one, half-dozen the other, it’s “What geniuses! The toast of the town!” vs. “What kind of crazy art school dropouts made this crap?” It makes you wonder what all the people who were too non-plussed to hit the “Comment” button thought while reading it? Call me a dreamer, but I’m thinking they thought it was pretty cool, too.

But I digress.

I think the article missed a very important point surrounding all of this. These knitted cozies and covers are also tokens of love to the cities and towns that they grace. They are emblems of creativity finding its place among the concrete jungle, and artifacts of thankfulness to the streets we walk down or the lamp posts we pass each day. Our city is ours, not the domain of someone up in City Hall or in the Chamber of Commerce.

While maybe not noticeable at first, cities, like us, have pulses and beats and soundtracks. London sounds different than Cairo, Mumbai moves to a different beat than Milan. Some small mountain towns run on the sounds of snow plows, while others on the steady sound of tourists.

Make your city your own again, and see what it has to teach you. And once you listen and learn a bit, think again about public acts of crafting. These items are more than something to cast aside, they are our tiny thank yous to our towns, cities and hamlets. They are thank yous, they are makeovers, they are love letters.

Suggested Reading:
Walter Benjamin’s The Arcades Project
Anything by Jane Jacobs
City A-Z: Urban Fragments
Sharon Zukin’s The Culture of Cities

The photo, taken from the article, is from the upcoming book, Yarn Bombing.

Sew Giving, Sew Easy.

| Betsy

I heard about this lovely sewing bee project from Diane Gilleland, and think it is really worth sharing.

From now until February 29th, Barakah Life will be collecting blankets (either handmade of store-bought if you’re pressed for time) for Project Night Night, an organization that gives homeless children their own tote bag with their own blanket, storybook and stuffed animal. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this project, and to be honest, it brings tears to my eyes because all of us, especially the littlest ones, deserve good and safe nights of sleep.

From the Project Night Night website:

There are approximately 298,000 homeless families in the United States. Currently, there are more homeless children in the U.S. than at any other time since the Great Depression. Nonetheless, family homelessness often goes unseen as most homeless families do not live on the street. Instead, most homeless families are transient, living in shelters, in cars, in hotels in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, or staying with friends or family members. These environmental stresses negatively influence a child’s early experiences and often lead to an increase in mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, poor sleep habits, and behavioral issues.

To ease the anxiety associated with shelter living, Project Night Night distributes Night Night Packages to homeless children ages 0-10. Each Night Night Package includes an age-appropriate book, a baby blanket which can be cuddled, and a stuffed animal which can become a cherished friend. Finding comfort is vitally important for children in order to feel secure, loved, and valued – even in the midst of the upheaval and uncertainty attendant to homelessness.

On Donating Tiny New Things for Tiny New People.

| Betsy

The first time I heard about Afghanistan, the Soviets were in control. After learning in school that the Afghan people had no contact with the outside world, I remember being upset that they wouldn’t have cameras and photographs. When the Russians left in 1991, I was happy and hopeful that things would be better, and that yes, they would get their cameras.

When the United States invaded Afghanistan years later I was angry and frustrated with our foreign policy, like so many people. In 2003, a friend in my knitting circle mentioned she was going to donate some hats to Afghans for Afghans and wondered if we would also like to donate something. I made things then, and have made several more things in the years that have followed.

Currently, Afghans for Afghans is in need of donations for children aged 2-8, with a collection date a few months from now. If you have some spare time and some spare yarn, consider whipping up some items for little wee ones. They may not need cameras, but they surely could use some warm handmade garments. There are more details here.

Speaking of little ones, I was so happy to hear that Mama to Mama collected 5,523 hats to send to cover 5,523 tiny heads in Haiti! So amazing and so inspiring! Lastly, a lovely email arrived in my inbox this week with a link to an organization that was new to me, Little Dresses for Africa! They are an organization collecting dresses made out of pillowcases for children in need. Who doesn’t have an extra pillowcase in their closet?! Now get sewing! Thanks so much, Carrie!

The beautiful image above came from Flickr user Papyrist. Wouldn’t you like to make some wee little vests and sweaters now?