File:And Sew to Bed, Liverpool 2010 (5311957991).jpg

The West Everton Community Council (WECC) and One World Week alongside The Craftivist Collective is taking part in the Liverpool Bluecoat Bed-In to celebrate John Lennon’s 70th birthday. The Bluecoat event takes part from October 6 – December 9, 2010: our Bed-In is on December 1, 2010.

During our Bed-In we want to raise awareness of global issues in our own community and amongst the people of Merseyside. We may represent a speci...fic community but we come with our global concerns to a bed in the bluecoat. We want to raise awareness of national and international inequality and demand change – we want to see an end to the social chasm between those who have and those who need. Ours is a peaceful protest that wishes to engage all people in crafty action: Craftivism! We will make lovely stuff and change the world by stealth and beauty.

We think that ‘all you need is love’ but unless you make an effort to share it out equally some people get more love than others. We want to demonstrate something of our love for the community we live in, the city we have been brought up with and the world that embraces us. We believe that that only way we can do this is to demand equality, justice and peace.

On the day of our session (1st Dec) we will be engaging in craftivism activities in bed by sewing the last of our 140 patches into a kingsize duvet and 2 pillows. Each patch will be on the theme of peace and equality.

We are trying to get people making patches all over the world so the patchwork duvet set is literally made all over the world as a glocal effort (global and local) and to show how inequality in all forms causes conflict (people fighting for water because of climate change, gang warfare because of lack of power, land rights issues, discrimination of homosexuals etc) as well as hopeful quotes/slogans/facts on peace and equality.

FROM YOU WE NEED: you to make a patch patch 7" (inches) x 7" (cotton is best, we cannot have knitted patches because we cant sew them into the patchwork). The contents of your patch can be a slogan, statement, fact or quote. it can be shocking, upsetting, empowering or hopeful (we want a mix). You can create your message by hand embroidery, cross stitch or just fabric paint. We cannot have embelishments (e.g sequins) in case we need to wash them or they snag other patches. You design needs to fit into a 6"x6" square so there is an inch border for us to sew them together without cutting off your text or design. There is no colour scheme so go crazy!:)

SECONDLY: we need our patchmakers to film themselves in bed making the patch and talking about it (you can be fully clothed!), take a photo of you making it (like the poster we made) and/or write a blog about your patch.

The patches will be completed and put together to form a massive protest duvet during the bed-in. This duvet will then be filled with white feathers to symbolise our hope for peace.

Please let me know if you can help and if you need anything from me to support you in being part of this project

As always: all my love, friendship and respect Sarah xxx ________________________________________________________

WECC is a group of people who work toward justice and equality in an urban community - we are neighbours, activists, artists and friends. In recent times we have organised a fantastic series of events to celebrate our community called Out of The Blue – this is a festival of creativity that takes place in and around Everton Park

One World Week - One World Week is a Development Education Charity. Each year, "The Week" is an opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds to come together to learn about global justice, to spread that learning and to use it to take action for justice locally and globally.