Still a Revolution, Still Dancing!
One of the things I love the most about this site is when I get links from other people who have used the patterns on the DiY Page. But this one has excited me more than most!
Some of you may recognise this as the same pattern I used to stitch the Red Emma banner I submitted to the Extreme Craft Exhibition in Lithuania last year. Unfortunately that piece got lost in the post on the way home (thanks postal workers strike – hope one of you found it and it’s on the wall in a union office somewhere!). So it’s really cool to see another one made! And the best bit is that this one is actually finished. I ran out of time to finish my one and didn’t do the shoulders so great to see the whole thing!
Katie Blair is the ace creator of this. It was made for a friend? So hopefully the recipient is super excited to get such an awesome present.
On another Emma topic and a sad note. My wee pussy cat, Emma, had a bit of a run in with the road on Sunday night and is now sleeping peacefully in the bottom of our garden. I wanted to share this picture with you
sniff.
Craft Cartel Podcast Episode #7
This episode of the Craft Cartel podcast is a recording of a recent event we hosted in Melbourne called ‘The Revolution is Handmade’.
The first half of the ‘cast is a talk by Rayna and it’s titled ‘The Fabric of Resistance’. This podcast is kinda like Radio With Pictures ’cause you can follow along with the talk with the slideshow below
The musical interlude is a track called ‘Memories’ by Shorti RV (whom I can’t find anything about online, I’m guessing she’s Sydney-based, if anyone knows anything about her can you leave a comment? xox)
The second part of the show is the talk by Dr Joyce Stalker from the University of Waikato, Hamilton, Aotearoa New Zealand. Dr Stalker talks about fabric crafts and political change. Don’t have the slideshow online sorry, but hopefully will in the future so we’ll update this when happens.
And as always we’d love to hear from you, comment below or drop us a line. And don’t forget to check out the archive if you’re new round here.
The best way to listen to the podcast is to subscribe and download today!
We really don’t like advertising very much round these parts, so if you like what you hear, please make a donation to help support future episodes. It’s what an add-free world sounds like.
p.s. we’re having some serious issues with the plugin that manages our podcast so if you have any problems downloading this please let me know.
Ace.
Counting down til Suffrage Day
Anyone who’s been within air shot of me recently would have heard me going on about Suffragettes. I’ve been doing a ton of research into the Suffrage Movement in the context of creative resistance. And I’ve been reminding myself how militant the movement was. And it makes me wonder what fabulous ideas we’re missing out on hearing due to the fear based panic our world seems to be operating on. If the suffragettes were doing their campaign today, the majority of them would be locked up indefinitely as terrorists because they dared to question the state and how the state defines participation in democracy.
You wouldn’t think that exercising your opinion is a crime these days. But try telling that to the 400-odd people, including journalists, that got locked up during the Republican Convention. It is unbelievable that in the supposed land of the free, the government would spend US$50 Million on policing to prevent people from getting out and voicing their opinion. Most of the people arrested were on pre-emptive charges. So they hadn’t even committed a crime, the police just thought they might. And many people were arrested just for attending a concert. Brilliant. In the real world, we call that fascism.
So in the spirit of free speech and celebrating true heroes, let’s all take some time to remember all the freedom fighters in our history that dedicated their lives to ridding the world of injustice. And those who put their bodies on the line to demand equal rights and liberation for all on this lovely planet that we share.
Cat has taken a lead with the awesome pattern of American Suffragette Lucretia Mott at the top of this post. You can download the pattern here. Thanks Cat, legendary!
And if you’re in London, go see this.
International Day of Solidarity
Solidarity in the Kulin Nations
FED SQUARE, 2pm
Melbourne
Global Day of Action Saturday 30th August 2008
We demand the unconditional freedom of the people who are facing charges as a result of the state terror raids on 15 October 2007.
Attempts by the Police to lay charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act (TSA) failed but people are still facing politically motivated charges under the Arms Act. These charges are the result of a racist operation.
Police used the Terrorism Suppression Act and over $8 million to harass and punish political activists who they saw as supporting Tino Rangatiratanga.
The Police have arrested a few people but we’re all targeted. The arrests of 15 October are aimed at intimidating and frightening all of our communities and cannot be tolerated.
We therefore call on everyone to stand up against this attack on our communities. We support the global day of action on 30 August 2008 and are mobilising to demand the unconditional freedom of the people facing charges as a result of the state terror raids.
Brought to you by LASNET & In solidarity with Oaxaca Political prisoners
For more info on the Global Day of Action, check the Indymedia Feature.
You can also support the arrestees by buying a hand printed copy of the poster form the Garage Collective, pictured at the beginning of this post. Details here.
thoughtcrime ink coomperatition
Those awesome people at thoughtcrime ink are running a design competition/cooperation aka coomperatition to help raise funds. They’re looking for people to design some tshirts to help expand their range. And there’s prizes! Yip, if you’re one of the top four chosen by the community you get $100 (and more, check the website for details). And not only will you be FAMOUS but you’ll be supporting an awesome community doing awesome things to help make this world less screwed up.
Does it get any better?
And to inspire you to keep it real, check this ace Frank Chimero poster I recently found at Groundswell. Had me in stitches!
The Revolution is Handmade
The Melbourne Craft Cartel are hosting an event! Yip, ’cause it’s not all about making stuff and selling stuff and buying stuff but it’s also about thinking about stuff!
Along with the two presentations, we’ll also be screening the film of the Melbourne Revolutionary Craft Circle Footscray I wanna live here craft action night. Plus drinks and nibbles, and it’s free! Awesome
Please note this venue isn’t wheelchair accessible. This is a child friendly event but getting prams up the stairs is a two person job, so get in touch if you’re gonna need a hand up the stairs and we’ll suss out a plan.
RSVP and tell your friends on Facebook.
Craft Cartel Podcast Episode #6
This episode on the Craft Cartel podcast, Casey’s back!!! So we have a lovely chat about crafty South East Asia travels. And we go out on an EXCLUSIVE adventure with the Melbourne Revolutionary Craft Circle on their latest crafty night out.
We got some ace music from Boil Up and the super awesome and currently touring North America, Blue King Brown!
Our zine review this week is Havoc from the Huon Valley Environment Centre (download and donate!!!!) and the Weld Echo zine from the Black Sassy Arts Collective.
The websites to check out are:
We also talked about a couple of events. First was ‘the revolution will be handmade: political fabric crafts and the struggle for social justice’ a public meeting that we’re organising on the 4th of September. It’s at 6.30 pm level 1, 27 Hardware Lane, Melbourne.
And we’re organising a crafty bike competition in collaboration with the Melbourne Bicycle Film Festival. If you’re keen to get involved get in touch. And we’ll be running a market during the Festival so start making your bicycle themed crafts all you makers out there!
And as always we’d love to hear from you, comment below or drop us a line. And don’t forget to check out the archive if you’re new round here.
The best way to listen to the podcast is to subscribe and download today!
Putting this podcast together is a labour of love but it does take a bit of time and effort, so if you like what you hear, feel free to chuck some dosh in our virtual busking hat. We’ll love you for it!
Melbourne Revolutionary Craft Circle Action!
A few days ago members of the Melbourne Revolutionary Craft Circle went out armed with bags of finger knitted wool, seeds, painted banners, ribbons, thermoses, cups, cameras, chocolate and some sneaky hip flasks to engage in some creative resistance against the rampant speculation which is wreaking havoc in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray.
Concerned that there are increasing numbers of young people with nowhere to live while there is a ton of land lying around unused while the owners reap huge rewards as the property market delivers the rewards that are always guaranteed when a resource is scarce. And we were asking ourselves when the politicians are gonna realise that something needs to change when land values always go up at a higher rate than wage increases? There is a big connection between land speculation and the 27000 people who sleep it rough every night in Australia.
So we decided that all the boring chainlink fences in our suburb keeping people off the land needed a bit of cheering up.
Firstly we decided that some of the properties that were for sale needed a bit of help. They’d all been sitting there empty for a long, long time. One had half a construction on it but was so weather damaged that it will probably need to be pulled down and started again. So to complement the For Sale signs, we added our own:
This one was pinched within 12 hours. We took that as an endorsement on our brilliant artistic skills. I don’t think it was the owner ’cause the ribbons were left on the fence.
These were handpainted on old curtain fabric samples scored from Freecycle. We just projected the text on the fabric and painted it in. I have the file if anyone really wants it get in touch.
Our major piece was another fence cross stitch intervention. The site we chose is a corner sites in between two new townhouses, across the road from a primary school and with a bus stop outside. An extremely desirable piece of land just sitting there.
Fuelled by hot chocolate and yummy samosas (not at the same time) we spent about 3 hours sorting out the fence
Naturally, a bunch of women weaving a fence at 11.30 on a Sunday night did attract the curiosity of the constabulary. They were quite genuinely puzzled when they asked us what we were up to. We just smiled sweetly and told them it was an art installation and that it was ok, it’s only wool. They just told us to have a good night and moved on.
We had another visitor too. Some young lad (whom I suspect, by the use of the word ‘choice’, may have been from Aotearoa) pulled over on the other side of the road, leapt out of his car and leaving his door open ran over to find out what we were up to. When we told him, he got very excited. I would’ve invited him to join us but I kept seeing cars nearly taking his car door off. So dude, if you happen to read this, get in touch and we’ll invite you along on the next adventure.
We also scattered some seeds on this block. It wasn’t the best place to grow veges, but if you go past this site a bit, keep your eye out for some flowers popping up soon.
So a fun (and cold) night was had by all. You can hear all about it on the latest episode of the Craft Cartel podcast with an EXCLUSIVE ALL ACCESS audio report of the night. We’ve also got a wee film of the night coming soon. I’ll update this post when that’s online. And I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to our awesome wee posse. It was such a great fun night, and I can’t wait for the next one.
Finally, while I’m on this topic… If you’re a film maker and want to tell a story about housing issues and go in the running to win $3000, check out the I Want To Live Here film comp!
As we come marching, marching
I’m pleased to present the first Radical Cross Stitch official collaboration!
This pattern was designed by me and has been stitched by the lovely Cross Stitch Ninja. And you wouldn’t believe how quickly she did it, I am so in awe!
This pattern has been a labour of love and is a tribute to some of the roots of creative resistance. The Bread and Roses poem and song was penned in 1911 and is most commonly associated with the women of the Lawrence Massachusetts textile strike of 1912.
This strike was a defining moment in Union history as it saw a very large working population of mostly women and immigrant workers organising themselves for better pay and conditions.
The pattern contains more about the story of the Lawrence Strike.
So if you want to get your own copy of the pattern, skip over to the Radical Rags etsy store and pick one up today! By buying one of these patterns you are supporting grassroots creative resistance for social and environmental change!
All I Want For Christmas
I’ve been gently hassling Zoe, who you may remember from the last episode of the Craft Cartel Podcast to send me some pictures of her cross stitch so I can share with you all. Zoe does such ace work and it deserves a big showing!
I understand this piece was done as a commission for a friend. And I reckon it’s gorgeous! All I want for christmas is a pillow case that says ‘all I want for christmas is an anarcho-feminist revolution’!
So I’ve persuaded Zoe to come aboard the RCS team so she can share some more of her work with us all. So keep an eye out for her first post 