Guest blogger Sarah Corbett on how she began to find traditional activism tiring and boring, until she discovered “Craftivism” which offered her a refreshing perspective on how she can stand up against the powers that be.

I have been an activist since a child and grew up going on marches with my parents, being part of activism groups and setting up fundraisers, stalls and demonstrations.

For the last few years I found that side of campaigning for a better world tiring, stressful, a bit unwelcoming to me. (I subscribe to Vogue, I’m too scared to ride a bike and love my bacon butties so I don’t fit in some activist groups easily), plus I just found activism wasn’t fun anymore and didn’t cater for my creative side as much as I’d wanted.

It was not really until the summer of 2008 when I got really passionate about craft, teaching myself embroidery and cross-stitch that I also felt a real push to do craftivism (craft + activism = craftivism).

My mum has always encouraged me to try and make a positive difference in the world through my passions, hobbies and skills so I searched the internet for inspiration on craft and activism and found the word ‘craftivism’ being used. There are lots of different definitions floating around of what ‘craftivism’ means and they are still heated debates on what can be called craftivism.

Craftivism is my method of campaigning but it is the political and social change that is the most important and enjoyable part for me otherwise I might as well just make a teddy for my friend.

I use the fun, cute and kitsch medium of craft to get people to stop, think and (hopefully) act on global poverty and injustice. I usually display my craftivism projects (like the mini-protest banners, alternative valentines’ cards or climate clocks) in public spaces to provoke passers-by into thinking about an injustice in their own time and in a fun way by finding my pieces.

I try and craft in public places (normally coffee shops and trains) to encourage people to ask me what I’m doing it allows me a voice and a means to start up a conversation about our forgotten global neighbours living in poverty.

I hope I don’t sound cheesy when I say that I really feel that craftivism is one of the things I was supposed to do. Craftivism ideas seem to come naturally to me. I love expressing myself through it. It fulfils my creative urges and it is the form of expression that feels most natural to me.

I always think about new projects whilst sitting on the bus or tube and craftivism seriously calms me down when I am stressed.

It is so cool to think that doing a form of activism is chilled out and fits in with how my brain works, there is no excuse for me not to do it for the rest of my entire life!