On February 5, we held our first Feminist MakerSpace event of the Spring 2016 semester. The title was Soft Activism and the focus was on practices of crochet, knitting, and needlepoint in an activist context.

Inspired by practices of guerilla knitting and yarn bombing, we explored software tools for making customized patterns and worked on our own projects. Some crocheted while others worked on needlepoint projects.

The resources list from the event:

Today’s Materials:

• KnitPro Software http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro.htm
• You Are So Very Beautiful Project #yasvb http://craftivism.com/yasvb/
• StitchFiddle https://www.stitchfiddle.com/en

Other Tools

• Ravelry – a social network, pattern library, and cataloging tool that includes crochet & knitting (incl machine and loom). http://www.ravelry.com/
• CrochetCharts – Cross-platform software (Windows, Mac, Linux) that creates more complex crochet patterns. Became FOSS in Sept 2015. http://stitchworkssoftware.com/
• SymbolCro – Windows Software (runs on Windows 7 and XP) that creates more complex crochet patterns, in the round. Free demo version http://nhswinc.com/Download.html
• PCStitch – Windows software that converts images to cross-stitch patterns. Free demo version. http://www.pcstitch.com/
• KnitML – a standardized pattern markup language. FOSS http://www.knitml.com/blog/static.php?page=about-knitml
  TricksyKnitter – pattern maker, tutorials, and pattern library http://www.tricksyknitter.com/

Further Resources

• “Crochet Away: A Trans* Activist Considers Gender, Needle Crafts, and Family Relationships” http://sotospeakjournal.org/crochet-away-a-trans-activist-considers-gender-needle-crafts-and-family-relationships/
• Magda Sayeg, the “mother” of yarn-bombing’s, website http://www.magdasayeg.com/work
• “The History of Guerrilla Knitting” http://we-make-money-not-art.com/24c3_the_histor/
• “Knitting as Programming” http://infotrope.net/2012/05/16/knitting-as-programming/
• Betsy Greer’s Craftivism blog and website http://craftivism.com/
• “Ferguson’s radical knitters: “If someone asks me what I’m doing, I say, ‘I’m knitting for black liberation’” http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/06/ferguson-radical-knitters-talk-justice-race-issues?CMP=share_btn_fb
• “Congressman to get knit and crocheted vaginas” http://www.examiner.com/article/congressmen-to-get-knit-and-crocheted-vaginas

Download the Soft Activism Handout

Credits:
Organizing & handout: Kim Knight
Slideshow of uterine diversity: Sabrina Starnaman