Target reached!
If we raise more than our target, we'll produce extra copies of the book for public ...
We're Sew Done - the book
Blackpool, United Kingdom
Aim
We want to publish a We're Sew Done book: Our textile art project that responds to the harassment and violence that women face every day.
We're Sew Done came about as a response to the events of March 2021 when the disappearance and murder of Sarah Everard prompted a number of conversations between volunteers and members of the different Aunty Social groups.
It became incredibly clear that street harassment was still very much an issue. Blackpool Social Club contributor Antonia Charlesworth wrote an opinion piece about street harassment and included a callout for local women to contribute their experiences of street harassment to a Google map.
Our textile group Knittaz With Attitude wanted to highlight the variety of horrific stories relating to incidents of street harassment that had been reported.
We decided to make textile works of art that could be strategically placed in public spaces to highlight the harassment and threats of violence that women face every day. These artworks would be placed in the location of an incident that had been reported through the Blackpool Social Club form.
This issue means a lot to the group. Over 20 participants took part in this socially engaged project, from people who have contributed to the map to 12 year olds creating pieces for their craftivism Girl Guides badge. These are our experiences and the experiences of our friends and families, and we want to do something that helps people to understand the impact of everyday street harassment.
In September 2020, we displayed the artworks in an exhibition at Blackpool Central Library. Due to the nature of this work, we understood that place is incredibly important. We used QR codes to retain that link between the artworks and those locations of the harassment incidents. Each of the 48 locations was assigned a QR code plaque linked to a website where the viewer can see the work that correlates to the location.
The Book
Knittaz with Attitude wants to create a book that documents the project, showcases the artworks and most importantly highlights the experiences of women on the Fylde Coast.
We need to pay for:
- Print costs
- An ISBN number (to help us sell copies through bookshops)
- Design/layout work
Once the book has been published, we plan to donate proceeds to local women's organisations and projects, specifically those who offer practical support to women experiencing violence and those working to improve women's health and wellbeing.
It’s been a privilege to share the stories and experiences of women on the Fylde Coast and we hope that you can support the next stage of this project.
This project successfully funded on 28th February 2022