Story Scarves
Story Scarves was a craftivism project for vulnerable teen girls in a marginalised community in Soweto, South Africa, from 2009 to 2017. It was framed by transformative arts practices, applied drama, storytelling, activism and fibre handcrafts of crochet, knit and embroidery.
This is a retrospective overview from Stacey’s perspective as founder, creative inspirer, craftivist, story-threader and participant observer. It’s included in my collection Our yarns are tellers of us at this stitch in time.
Yarn Bond
Handmade scarves, embodying personal and collective narratives, were handmade in Soweto as gifts for teen girls in Africa. They reached Zimbabwe, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Zambia. It also inspired a scarf exchange between Soweto and Harlem, and Toronto. By threading inclusion, participants acknowledged their bonds through yarns despite geographical distance, differing language and cultural variances.
Yarn Bomb
The project shifted focus when joining the global One Billion Rising campaign to stop gender-based violence. Scarves evolved into protest banners for yarn bombs. For the first time on African soil, teen girl craftivists gently protested as a response to the endemic crisis of GBV in their country.
Yarn Balm
The project was a healing balm held in a compassionate circle of care, offering belonging and agency for teens from child-headed households and abusive relationships in the ethos of a Yarn Balm Revolution.
Yarn Threads
The lifespan of Story Scarves lives on today in the memories of young women. Many are still handcrafting, some have completed craft courses to further their knowledge, others gain income from making and selling. They are passing on their handcrafting skills and story sharing practices in their own communities.
“There are hundreds and thousands of women and girls in all parts of the world who are standing up. Some of them we don’t even know – their names will never be known – but they’re changing their communities.” – Malala Yousafzai
