Heart Felt and Sew Kind

Craftivism is a form of activism using traditional craft media such as sewing, weaving, macrame, embroidery, and cross-stitching. It acknowledges that we can all make a difference and that craft is one way to do something positive. Heart Felt and Sew Kind, created by students in grades 2-8, is a multimedia exploration of utilizing craft as activism.

The inherent nature of craft involves slow and repetitive gestures. When we allow our minds to fully focus on the making process, it becomes one form of mindfulness. Like a yoga class, making something by hand temporarily relieves our minds and bodies of outside stresses.

There are infinite ways to use craft as activism; the projects on display are just a few examples. A handmade gift as a gesture of kindness and outreach creates a powerful interaction between the maker and receiver. Craft as a form of communication seeks to build understanding and, therefore, more love and peace. Students visited local retirement homes to deliver their handmade crafts to spread kindness and make cross-generational connections.

What other ways can you imagine making our world a better place through craftivism?