Craftivism: The Art of Craft and Activism

by Betsy Greer (Editor)

Craftivism is a worldwide movement that operates at the intersection where craft and activism meet; Craftivism the book is full of inspiration for crafters who want to create works that add to the greater good. With interviews and profiles of craftivists who are changing the world with their art, and through examples that range from community embroidery projects, stitching in prisons, revolutionary ceramics, AIDS activism, yarn bombing, and crafts that facilitate personal growth, Craftivism provides imaginative examples of how crafters can be creative and altruistic at the same time.

Artists profiled in the book are from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Asia, and their crafts include knitting, crocheting, sewing, textiles, pottery, and ceramics. There's the Brooklyn writer who creates large-scale site-specific knitted installations; the British woman who runs sewing and quilting workshops for community building and therapy; the Indonesian book maker and organizer of a DIY craft center; and the Oxford, England, cultural theorist and dress designer. A wonderful sense of optimism and possibility pervades the the inspiring notion that being crafty can really make the world a better place.

Betsy Greer is a writer, crafter, researcher, and the author of Knitting for Good!: A Guide to Creating Personal, Social and Political Change Stitch by Stitch . She also runs the blog craftivism.com and believes that creativity and positive activism can save not only the soul, but also the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Crafts, Feminism, Activism, Social Justice, How To

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2014

About the author

I'm a craft nerd who wrote Knitting for Good in 2008 and will be coming out with a craftivism anthology, Craftivism The Art of Craft and Activism in the spring of 2014. I've also written essays for books like Extra Ordinary Craft and Contemporary Art and Handmade Nation. I like Lionel Richie's smooth jams, teatime, and the seaside.

Reviews

[reading is my hustle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using crafts to address social issues?
I'm in.

Personal and social transformation go hand in hand.
Be the change.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book opened me up to an entirely different view of what it means to be an activist. It also provided some very inspiring interviews and artist bios that drive the meaning of craftivism deeper. I do wish it had provided concrete ideas for how to incorporate craftivism into one's daily life rather than expecting one to use the inspiration of what has already been done from the essays in the book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought-provoking, but not gonna lie, some of the thoughts were more of a punch-this-person-in-the-face variety. I'm now convinced that quilting is a superpower, however. Good stuff, very personally inspirational but also frustrating. Maybe I'm just too old for some types of shenanigans?

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of thoughtful essays and interviews from a variety of creators. I really enjoyed that this book delves more in the philosophy and politics, citing thinkers like Thoreau and Ghandi, behind craft activism rather than the physical act of creating. I know some reviews wanted more "how to"s, but there are other books that fill that gap well. To me, I find that information redundant and unnecessary as craft is so diverse and every person's experience with it is unique. The approach taken by this book is meant more to inspire you and look deep within to ask yourself how you can incorporate activism in your own craft practice. Depending on your own craft discipline and life circumstances, your activism will look completely different from others, so it's nice to have a jumping off point that makes you analyze your own life for inspiration. Some of the essays were deeply moving, and I left the book feeling really excited to create new things!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the intention and how inspirational some of the stories were. These are truly inspirational grassroots movements that anyone could relate too. It would have been more purposeful to include a list of ways other people could start doing it too- with pros/cons list of each- to help someone easily determine which craft suits them/their needs/ & their community more easily. DIY is huge and if this purposeful addition was added- I could see more groups and people using it to start initiatives in their communities. Thank you for such a wonderful read.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm trying not to judge this book for not being what I expected - ideas for how to engage in craftivism - but even judging it for what it actually is doesn't bring it higher than 2 stars for me. It's a series of essays from various craftivists about why they pair crafting with activism, or at least that's what it's supposed to be. Most of the chapters have lots of waxing poetic and few details. I want to know what they do, not just (mostly wishy-washy) explanations of why.

[Nichola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was unexpected- I thought it would be cute little project ideas but was actually interviews with artists who have thought a lot about the relationship of activism and the process and purpose (and even the business) of craft. Honestly, I was caught off guard by how much it made me ponder my difficult relationship with crafting, and how it sometimes taxes my values and sometimes supports my ideas about how to make a difference in the world.

[Rayna Fahey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased, I'm in this book..

In the world of craftivism, Betsy Greer is Queen. Not just because she coined the term but because her ability to craft a compelling story has brought us all together in many wonderful ways. This book showcases the creative talents worldwide who use their hands and their humour to make the world a better place.

[Stephanie Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really helped me to understand more about my arts and crafts and why I haven't exactly "fit" in either world. I'm feeling inspired and driven to explore these topics further and continue making with the purpose of positive change.

[Rachel Vryhof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put this down today! A thoroughly enjoyable collection of essays and photos from people around the world trying to make change to their neighborhoods by engaging others with craft. It really made me feel like I could express my views in the same way, and I don't consider myself crafty!

[Sayraphim Lothian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I'm biased, because I'm in this book, but it was amazing to read so many projects and about so many practitioners who are out there making change in the world through their craft

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scanned. Always interested in the quilting world and what it is doing out there.

[Jodi Geever · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this book. It’s encouraging and empowering and the origin stories behind the various crafts are awe inspiring and remind readers that you can always create for good.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a how to book...but inspirational stories of how crafters use their skills to bring awareness to issues in their lives and communities.

[Archi · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many inspiring stories and projects!

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not come across the term craftivism before reading this book, but I had come across the actions of craftivism, having seen many people be active in Wrap with love, and other charity knitting done in many libraries, as well as other public projects (and been involved in some myself).

This book brings together a wonderful range of craftivism people and actions, some you will have heard of and others which are new. There are some lovely options, which help communities, such as the crafted baskbetball nets to replace stolen and vandalised ones, and the work of the Adithi collective who were stitching the story of Chile, but were not regarded as dangerous as they were embroidering. Their embroidery was able to tell people what was happening (because it was regarded as harmless), this subversiveness was critical for sharing information outside the country during a very tough time.

Some of the stories are about individuals and their singular paths of craftivism, while others are stories of communities or groups working together.

There are a many countries and styles of craftivism discussed, as well as some interesting historical examples. This book would be useful for libraries to add to their collections for local craftivists, but also for thinking about programs and services provided by the library, and for helping people connect to information to help with their craftivism. This is a key role which libraries and their staff can play.

It struck me that there should be a deliberate discussion in more places (including libraries), so that people think more strategically about the craftivism, and acknowledge that it is as powerful as it is.

I am now doing a lot of catch up reading about craftivism.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I LOVE this book and anticipate purchasing it in the near future. It is so inspiring and radical and new to me ideas! Really, I am quite excited about this!

There seems to always be a gap between "art" and "craft" and yet I feel like I belong in both categories. I have been torn though from craft due to a lack of function and being more decorative. I love this book for honoring what I have always known but forgot that sometimes it isn't about the end product and craft can be more than decorative. It can really, really say something.

There are sections that are too far out there for me (flying cunts) but I can appreciate where the artist is coming from and their message. This is such a exciting thought process! I wonder if there are any radical crafters around me?

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lightly framed by Greer's theory of craft as quiet activism, this book is a series of essays by, and interviews with, craftivists around the world. I appreciate the global focus and hearing the voices of the organizers and artists.

If you are looking for an extensively articulated academic theory regarding the intersection of craft and activism, you won't find it here. For instance, there is very little material devoted to challenges or limitations of craftivist work.

Neither is it a how-to guide. But it is wonderfully inspirational reading. The careful reader will recognize repeated themes and throughlines that allow ongoing contemplation of craftivism, perhaps while creating something of one's own!

[Laura]

This book is small, but it is mighty. It offers essays of different craft mediums and the charitable impact they have from random acts of kindness street art to prison cross-stitch programs, both actions developing habits in viewers and participants of reflection. Many of the crafters in this book use craft as a way to address issues in society (political corruption, gender norms, mental health/illness) that are challenging to express. A clear message is sent that craft is more than aesthetics and beautiful art. Craft is rooted in purpose and function.

[Kimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little collection of essays and interviews about and by people who have ingrained themselves in the craftivism world. I found it quite inspiring and enjoyed reading about what pushed the artists to take that leap from simple crafting to involving a political message in their work. My only real criticism would be that some of the themes and comments from the artists were a little repetitive, particularly towards the beginning of the book. Still a good introduction to the subject though.

[T Crockett · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any anthology, there are some essays that resonated with me more than others, but I really enjoyed turning each page to see what would come next. Some are in interview format and others are essays (which I preferred).

I liked that the artists (and their stories) spanned the globe. In addition the types of activism ranged from getting news to the outer world about a brutal regime, to removing the shame associated with human reproductive organs.

[Grace Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually felt very inspired after reading this book. Wish they would have had more specific ideas for things to do in my own community, but still loves it and feel inspired to start something.
My favorite essays were:
Guerrilla Kindness
Daily Narratives and Enduring Images
Ugly on Purpose
The Power of Upcycling
Crafting Resistance
Real Time Fashion
How a Knitted Mouse Made Me a Craftivist
Interview with The Crafty Cartel
Making Mirrors
Sewing Voices
Interview with Rachel Mathews

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book for the crafty activism movement- interesting essays from people of all different kinds. I thought it would be more of a how-to sort of book, but it was more of a why-to book. Not bad- very powerful- but not what I was expecting.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous anthology of cool shit that people do and make to change the world. Reading it makes me want to go do all the crafts.

[Nanaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice pictures, a bit boring. Certain essays are better than others. The essay on Chile was one of the best in the book.