Short Abstract:

WCEH 2024 hosted the first ever open maker space where participants made quilt pieces for a larger craftivist [craft activist] project entitled “Using the Past to Envision the Future.” This workshop is designed to discuss the project and sew together the quilt.

Long Abstract:

For the first time ever, WCEH introduced and invited attendees to participate in a craftivist project. The processes, ideology and praxis, while rooted in history, remain a foreign concept for many environmental historians. Conference attendees may have planned to participate; idly wandered into the maker space in search of yet another caffeine fix only to find themselves knee deep in fabric; or may have been introduced to crafting by their colleagues.

This workshop is intended to be a debrief from the craftivist project and the ideology surrounding it. Together we will sew the quilt blocks made at the maker space into a quilt. Participants will be invited to share their quilt block, explain how they interacted with the project and ask the conveners any questions they may have about craftivism. Did they find the project useful? Did they learn anything? What connection did they have? Were they able to understand their own research from a new angle by engaging with the project? Would they ever be tempted to do craftivism again?

Sign up for this workshop can be done anytime during the conference at the maker space.

Requirements: a large room with tables and chairs, needles, scissors, thread, linen canvas. To be held on last day of sessions.