Hand-crafted activism beats anti-Abbott drum 

Just days before the federal election, “craftivist” group Knit Your Revolt visited the city with needles in hand as part of its national tour, 

displaying knitted anti Tony Abbott banners claiming him to be a “misogynistic knit wit”, who isn’t “PM material”.

The banners were created by more than 100 knitters, who each sent parts of the overall banner into the group. 

Melbourne artist Casey Jenkins started creating the activist knits to campaign against the reactionary social attitudes she believes have been led by Tony Abbott. 

“I’m not even convinced Liberal voters believe he’s the right man for the job – he just constantly makes gaffe after gaffe,” Ms Jenkins said.

Ms Jenkins referred to Mr Abbott’s comment about “women not approaching equal representation ... due to aptitudes, abilities and interests” and “the problem with the Australian practise of abortion is that an objectively grave matter has been reduced to a question of convenience.” 

“We’ve been really disappointed ... to think a possible prime minister of this country would say something like that, espouse those old-world views.”

The tour has visited Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong, with the group planning to end its campaign in the Opposition Leader’s Warringah electorate this weekend. 

While the group denied being Labor-affiliated, they did say they were appalled 

by the treatment of Julia Gillard. 

“It was crazy to see how over-the-top media commentators were just because she was photographed knitting,” Ms Jenkins said. 

“The only reason they view knitting as weak is because it’s associated with women and that’s how they view women.”