Crafts have been used as a form of activism and political expression for generations; however, conversations around the subject have only received academic attention for the past few decades as scholars started turning their attention to art forms that have been historically marginalized or dismissed, including knitting, sewing, and quilting, among many others. To learn more about the history of craft-as-activism, here are a few resources to get started:
- CourseStorm: Rainbow Flags and Story Quilts: Textile Art as Activism in US History, Abigail Green, 2023
- Marymount University: "How Textile Arts Have Empowered Women to Express Themselves Throughout American History” by Julia Carey, 2022
- Medium: Craft’s Long History In Radical Protest Movements, Jessica Bateman, 2017
- No Kill Magazine: The Art of Stitchable Activism: How a Seemingly Humble Hobby Started a Movement, n.d.
- PBS News: Stitch by stitch, a brief history of knitting and activism, Corrine Segal, 2017
- Saint Mary's University: Craftivism : the role of feminism in craft activism, Rachel Fry, 2014
- SAQA Art: TEXTILE TALK: Smithsonian American Art Museum: Subversive, Skilled, Sublime—Fiber Art by Women, 2023
- Scripps College: The Evolution of Craft in Contemporary Feminist Art, Carolyn E. Packer, 2010
- Stephanie Banszky Creative: Fiber Art and Activism, n.d.
- World Quilts, International Quilt Museum: Awareness & Activism, n.d.
The term "craftivism" was coined by Betsy Greer in her 2008 book Knitting for Good. Greer has continued publishing about the subject in many forums, including the following:
To begin your own craftivism, here are a few final resources to get started:
