I joined a CRAFTIVISM group, which I was SO excited about while also feeling not sure how, exactly, I could contribute.

And you know - it can be uncomfortable to join a thing NOT KNOWING how you could contribute or participate. But the organizers were so warm and welcoming and had an attitude of “We’ll listen to everyone’s ideas and figure this out”. They were open to hearing ideas and growing the group together.

So, I went, and worked on an embroidery of a Palestinian flag. The group wanted to collect handmade items to raffle off to raise funds for relief efforts in Gaza.

The flag was beautiful but I was feeling kind of like - why bother? It’s so small in the face of the intensity of the bombs falling. And also feeling like - well it feels good to gather with people and do SOMETHING. And I had gone to some of the rallies, but sitting together and crafting is really more my speed.

But still, I had this sense that embroidering a flag, with really fine threads because that’s how I embroider, so it takes a loooooong time, is not quite how I want to do my craftivism. Like hours and hours of work for... how much money could this possibly raise? That there must be something more impactful I could do.

I say that to highlight - we often feel this way about wanting to do a thing.

We can see a way we could do it, (I embroider A LOT so I had all the stuff on hand to make this flag) but that’s not necessarily the BEST way we could do it.

It’s uncomfortable to take the POSSIBLE step instead of waiting for the opportunity to take our BEST step, but it’s in taking the possible step that we actually get to a place where a better step becomes possible.

Because now I am starting to see new ways of engaging with crafting as a form of activism - ways I could not have seen if I hadn’t starting by just doing a thing that felt possible.

BECAUSE I joined in and start doing stuff, I saw other stuff I could do!

And then when the Craftivist group decided to do a CRAFT BOMBING in one of my favourite parks downtown, I knew exactly what to do.

I got a bunch of cheap broadcloth and sewed these big flags...

I made two flags, which took way less time than the one (small!) embroidered flag I had started with.

This is VERY messy - I cut and pasted the fabrics (with a glue stick) like collage. Then did a quick zig zag to sew them down, this is not actual quilting, which would also take a loooong time to do.

So this takes less time and is more impactful.

BUT I don't know that I would have done this, if I hadn't started with that small possible step, you know?

I think using our creative gifts to support our values and support the work of creating the world we want to live in is some of the most powerful work we can do. It was so great to see everyone's creations as we put them up all over the park and I can't wait to see what we do next.

 

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.