PROTEST

The world is a rather scary place at the moment. So much is so desperately wrong: terrible wars; the rise of intolerance; hatred running rampant; poverty that would horrify Charles Dickens; the climate crisis being ignored; and so much more.

Sometimes, it seems that there is very little we can do to instigate change, to restore balance, to be heard. But there is! We can PROTEST. Like the women in the 70s marching for equal wages and equal rights. Like the women of Greenham Common in the 80s who camped outside the RAF military air base where nuclear weapons were to be stored. Like the women who wrote magazines, created art and made badges to wear. Protesting comes in many forms: national and local; loud and silent; spoken and written. 

Visiting the recently opened exhibition, Women in Revolt at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, I was inspired by how the women of Greenham Common used the fence surrounding the military base to protest and to tell their stories. They hung objects on the wire structure and held up mirrors so that the people on the other side could reflect on the women’s message.

I have created a new design based on this wire linked fence for you to tell your story. For you to add your badges of protest, of support, of things meaningful to you. The design will be available in a dark version called Night and lighter version called Day. The outer fabric has been knit in undyed Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift wool. The lining fabric is a patchwork of linen and cotton fabrics made from the saved remnants of previous Woolly bag linings. The PROTEST bags will be available in Small, Medium and Large sizes and will go on sale in August.

Please note that 10% of all bag sales will be donated to the Scottish Refugee Council which has a vision of a Scotland in which all people seeking refugee protection are welcome. Its mission is to build a society where people of all ages are protected, find safety and support, have their human rights and dignity respected and are able to achieve their full potential.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sarah x 

Photograph Credits: