I love collaborative fiber art projects where each individual part is beautiful but the sum of the parts is even more impactful. Often these are forms of craftivism to raise awareness about critical issues but sometimes they are simply for the joy and beauty of bringing different hands together in stitchery.
Mandalas for Marinke
I created the Mandalas for Marinke collaborative crochet art project to raise awareness about depression, suicide and crafting to heal after the death of crochet designer Marinke Slump. I received more than 1000 crochet mandalas from more than 300 crafters around the world. I published blog posts for each of them with facts, quotes, inspiration and the stories the contributors chose to share, and then I published excerpts of that in a coffee table-style book. We had in-person gallery displays in collaboration with Threadwinners at Gallery de Fox and Grab Bag Studio in Southern California. After several years of display, the mandalas were donated to a member of Yarnbombing Los Angeles to be incorporated into other projects.
Contributions to Collaborative Crochet Art Projects
I have also contributed to many different collaborative crochet art projects over the years. Here are a few:
Liberty Crochet Mural
“After the shock of Roe v. Wade being overturned by the United States Supreme Court, outraged fiber artist Jen LaMastra designed and organized the Liberty Crochet Mural (LCM). Craftivist allies from across the country joined together by picking up their crochet hooks as a subversive act of revolution and dissent. 40 squares, amassing 17ft by 11ft — stitched together — amplifying millions of unheard voices.”
There are Liberty Crochet Murals in 25 states. I contributed square #40 to the Northern California Liberty Crochet Mural. And I also helped stitch it all together. In 2024, I ramped up my participation in this project by taking on the responsibility of locating display opportunities for the mural, beginning with a month-long display for The Women Rising exhibit at The Drawing Room SF where I participated in a panel discussion on the issue of abortion rights.
Read an interview with Jen LaMastra, Marie Lee and myself here.
I also sent contributions in to …
2022, Knitting Us Together, Mill Valley Arts Commission, CA
“The Mill Valley Arts Commission (MVAC)’s public art project on the Mill Valley Downtown Plaza in an effort to create public art that brings our entire community together. Everyone can participate, everyone can enjoy the installation by walking through or driving by the Plaza. This will be a temporary installation and is commonly called “Urban Knitting.” It will involve temporarily, and safely, covering some of the trees in the plaza with knit or crocheted patches of yarn and flowers.”
2015, #100WomenProject
“The goal for this project was for at least 100 women to crochet one or more wisteria vines. During the open submission period, over 500 women from 25+ countries crocheted and submitted approximately 2500 vines. The aim of this project is to showcase the strength and individuality of the women who participate. That is why the color of yarn and length of the vine are left to the discretion of the participants. Each woman submitted one index card with their name and hometown on it and the cards are displayed alongside the installation.” Learn more.
Designing artist Amy Reader shares why women here (because we’re underrepresented in the art world, because domestic crafts aren’t treated seriously as an art form, because …)
2015, Knit the Oval, Minneapolis
“The Roseville Visitors Association commissioned a yarn-bombing of the city’s outdoor ice arena by a Minneapolis fiber artist who goes by the moniker Knitteapolis.” Learn more.
2014, Yarnopolis at Grand Central Market, Los Angeles
“Yarn-o-polis is a site-specific, public art installation created by Yarn Bombing Los Angeles in collaboration with over 80 knitters and crocheters for the historic Grand Central Market food hall in Downtown Los Angeles at 317 S. Broadway St. Yarn Bombing Los Angeles presents a crowdsourced art installation based on the Greek idea of the polis, a coming together of citizens to negotiate the identity of the city. Eight pillars upholding the market are transformed into colorful knitted and crocheted Grecian columns, each depicting images culled from the various districts of Downtown Los Angeles.” – Learn more
2013, CAFAM: Granny Squared, YBLA, Los Angeles
“CAFAM Granny Squared is a ground breaking, temporary public art installation on the Museum Row in Los Angeles, CA. This is a community-based project that anyone can contribute to, and anyone walking on the street can enjoy. The project is designed to bring together a community of artists and crafters who otherwise might not have had access to exhibit their work in a museum. On a conceptual level the project aims to question the boundaries between art and craft, use scale and color to play with artistic, architectural and institutional identities. YBLA suggests a parallel between how the Craft and Folk Art Museum is dwarfed by the grandiose structures and other museums across the street on Museum Row, and how craft is dwarfed by traditional notions of “high art”. After de-installation, the crocheted squares were sewn into blankets and distributed to the residents of Skid Row.” – Learn more
2012, PaperGirl SF
“Papergirl is a community art project that distributes submitted art pieces by bicycle, freely and at random, to people in the streets of San Francisco, American paperboy style! We think art is best when shared, why else do it? As artists, we want to express ourselves creatively, show our creations to others, and start a conversation. That’s what Papergirl SF is to us, a conversation with our community. There are so many artistic voices in the Bay Area and beyond, we hope to lift them up, bring them together, and give those voices a platform and means of creative delivery. Every day could use more art and kindness. ” Learn more.