Crochet for International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day. I want to talk a little bit about what that is and celebrate it through crochet.

What is International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day “is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.” It has been celebrated for more than 100 years. Explore the timeline of its history. It is a day for celebrating women, for encouraging respect and equality between people of all genders and for doing so with forward-thinking cultural sensitivity. “International Women’s Day is all about celebration, reflection, advocacy, and action – whatever that looks like globally at a local level.”

International Women’s Day 2016

The theme for International Women’s Day 2016 is Pledge for Parity, which is a recommitment by each of us to uphold the goals and standards of a society in which women and men have equal respect, opportunities and options.

The Women (and Men) Who Crochet

“Working Woman” crochet performance art project by Olek

How does this relate to crochet? Crochet is a craft that has been traditionally considered a woman’s craft. It has gone through its own history; there was a time when generations of women shunned it a bit because they didn’t want to be too girly or do “domestic work” and then as time has gone on we’ve reclaimed the beauty of our domestic arts. I’m especially thinking of (and inspired by) the crochet artists of the 1970s who not only created truly amazing works of art with crochet but also worked very hard to get this type of work legitimized among all of the other arts.

1970s Crochet Artist Susan Morrow

I’m thinking, too, of the men who challenge gender norms by choosing to knit and crochet – especially those who do so in public, who share what benefits it offers to them. I’m also thinking about the people who engage in craftivism, who use crochet and other crafts to spread messages of equality and human rights and to illuminate the causes that they care about. And I’m thinking about the amazing fair trade crochet organizations out there that are helping women around the world to make a livable wage using crochet and other artisan techniques.

Crochet Celebrating International Women’s Day

Here is a roundup of some image I’m adoring right now that combine a love for crochet with celebration of women for International Women’s Day. Some are specific to the day and others are just celebrating awesome women.

Check out all of the photos and stories that are collected on Instagram under the hashtag #craftastherapy_mygranny, which celebrates the grannies that taught us crafting.

Simply Crochet shared this beautiful sentiment for International Women’s Day

And Boye, which happens to be the brand of crochet hook that I tend to prefer, shared this loveliness

Darn Good Yarn, which I subscribe to and get a beautiful monthly yarn package from, shared, “reminiscing about our visit to our co-op in India on this important day”

The women of Chennai worked together to complete their record-breaking crochet blanket world record

A workshop of women crocheting

@queen_babs didn’t intend this knit and crochet post for International Women’s Day but I think it’s relevant, and I think she’s an awesome strong woman I want to celebrate!