Women in the west have been knitting up a storm as part of a yarn-bombing raid on Footscray.
The Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault (WestCASA) Knit into Action project brought together a range of women in a monthly knitting and crochet group, to share stories and create squares to be stitched together and used in yarn-bombing.
Chief executive Jane Vanderstoel said the program has been running throughout the year and concludes today in Nicholson Street mall as part of the current 16 days of Action against Violence.
“It included a group of textiles students at Gilmore College for Girls and community knitters, as well as clients and staff here at WestCASA,” she said.
“The idea is to provide a space for our clients and community members to come together, to bring people together with a purpose.”
Several trees in the mall have been yarn-bombed, and messages of support to survivors and strong statements of protest left there.
Ms Vanderstoel said yarn-bombing offers a gentle way to be subversive and use a traditional women’s craft to make a social statement.
“It’s about reclaiming space; it’s about encouraging people to engage with the community,” she said. “For us it’s not just about talking about those sexual assault experiences.
“It’s about providing an opportunity for women to take a social action and make a statement.”
