Craftivism, community and granny squares

Based on the ideas of craftivism and the history of women protesting with thread, Threads of Protest: Human Rights in Childbirth is a six-month touring crochet exhibition that will incorporate granny squares donated by the public, which will be used to yarn bomb gallery spaces. Professional crochet and textile artists Helen Davies, Madeleine Famurewa, Sophie Neville and Barbara Touati-Evans will collaborate with charities and maternity experts to create bespoke pieces for the exhibition.

The exhibition has been produced by Dr Gemma McKenzie, a researcher at King’s College London. It is funded by King’s College London, the Economic, Social and Research Council and the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and craft shop A Modern Yarn in Formby has generously hosted crochet workshops and donated yarn and hooks to the enterprise.

This free exhibition will take place at The Atkinson in Southport from July 2025 to September 2025 and then move to The Curiosity Cabinet in Central London from September 2025 to January 2026.

The project is inviting crocheters to contribute a granny square – and so far 500 squares have been donated, ranging from traditional granny-square designs to more complex patterns or embellished squares. You can donate a 15cm x 15cm granny square of any colour, design and material for display at the exhibitions by sending it to: Threads of Protest, PO Box 239, Liverpool L37 8YU.

Find out more at gemmamckenzie.co.uk/threadsofprotest or follow @dr_gemma_mckenzie on Instagram