Knitivism: Crafting Resistance One Stitch at a Time

In an era defined by rapid change, divisive political discourse, and the endless churn of social media, there's a certain understated power in an activity rooted in tradition, patience, and meticulously crafted handiwork. For the members of Penn State's Knitivism Club, the humble act of knitting has become an unlikely vessel for resistance, community-building and creative expression.

The club is part of a growing "knitivism" movement sweeping college campuses and urban spaces alike. A portmanteau of the words "knit" and "activism," knitivism involves small groups gathering in public venues like parks, community centers, or bustling thoroughfares to knit together in plain view. But this craftwork carries deeper symbolism as a participatory form of advocacy and mindful meditation.

At its core, knitivism allows practitioners to collectively claim and reinscribe public spaces through their mere presence and the act of making. The simple image of people knitting in locations historically coded for other purposes interrupts norms and behavioral expectations. An activity long framed as a quaint, elderly feminine domestic pursuit suddenly becomes an exercise in ethical placemaking and creative community care.

For the Penn State group, that reclamation of space through handicraft is a key tenet of their mission. Small circles of students can be found clicking away with needles and yarn, crafting pieces in the student union's atrium or setting up impromptu knitting stations on well-trodden campus pathways.

This spatial component is intentional and carries meaningful ritualistic power. The act of knitting in public, particularly on male-dominated grounds like the university's central lawn, challenges historical gendered associations with the craft. It inscribes these traditionally masculine arenas with new narratives and representations of community.

The knitted pieces themselves are often imbued with coded symbolism representing various social causes. Certain colors, textures or design elements express solidarity with movements like LGBTQ rights, climate activism, or reproductive freedoms.

When complete, some works are donated to local shelters and hospitals to provide comfort. Others become guerrilla art installations around campus - a rainbow pride scarf adorning a statue, yarn trees sprouting from branches, or knitted panels applied to walls. These quiet interventions spark dialogue and invite reflection on the piece's meaning and motivation.

Beyond placemaking and material symbolism, members find the knitting circles transformative experiences that foster mindfulness and community. There's an inherently meditative, ritualistic nature to the gatherings - the rhythmic sounds, soft conversation, and focused attention required.

In a world of frantic overstimulation and "hustle culture," knitivism provides a respite. It forces participants to slow down, be present, and resist constant busyness. For many, that temporary mindfulness becomes a salve for stress, anxiety or feeling unmoored.

The knitting circles enable students to form deep interpersonal bonds and a greater sense of belonging than through classes or other activities alone. The act of creating together builds connections in an intimate way.

The participatory nature, with its focus on physical making and handicraft skills, also resonates with values around sustainability and ethical consumption. Fast fashion's environmental toll and labor practices make the empowering act of collectively making eco-conscious garments resonate strongly.

While personally and communally significant, members recognize their work as part of using domestic arts for creative activism historically. From the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the Pussyhat Project's protest knitting, fiber arts have long provided powerful societal commentary and grassroots advocacy.

Penn State's Knitivism Club reframes this tradition for a new generation. The tactile experience of making by hand holds intrinsic value in our hyper-digital age. But these public knitting gatherings also become nurturing counter-spaces resisting gender norms, reclaiming feminine-coded handicrafts, inserting care into masculine spheres, and finding radical self-expression through collaborative craftwork.

Knitivism embraces complexities of power, identity and the right to public space by occupying areas in ways that challenge default meanings. Through this act, these knitters reimagine resistant and relational possibilities for curriculum, pedagogy and community formation.