Folks in Betsy’s department at Goldsmiths College in London where she earned her M.A. in Sociology called her “the girl who knits.” Her dissertation was on knitting, DIY culture and community development. She was frustrated with the lack of outlets for activism and turned to her knitting to make a difference, coining the term craftivism in 2000.
She launched craftivism.com in 2003. The site includes an extensive definition of craftivism along with Betsy’s personal blog. On the site, she defines craftivism as activism + craft. She says “that each time you participate in crafting you are making a difference, whether it’s fighting against useless materialism or making items for charity or something betwixt and between.”
Knitting for Good came out in November and focuses on “highlighting the subversive, revolutionary, and political aspects of knitting.” Greer talks about knitting as a vehicle for social change. She says that:
