Excellent book on how to use your energy towards improvement and activism within your community, especially in crafting circles.
We don't need a book on why... (looks around, flailing arms wildly)

Arc Review
Overall Rating: 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book combines activism and crafts to make ‘craftivism’.
I thought this book was very interesting and unique, I’ve never read another book like this one.
Thank you NetGalley for this read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Storey Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a brilliant guide on how to be an activist. It looks at craft and questioning your own privilege.

I came across Shannon Downey a few years ago on Instagram. She has a great website called Badass Cross Stitch with some great free patterns amongst other things. She recently wrote a book, how to create change in the world with her inspiring guide to social activism.

Filled with self-reflective activities, exercises, prompts, and stories, Let’s Move the Needle educates and empowers creatives to center their art around collective action in service of political, social or community issues they are most passionate about; affirming that everyone can be a changemaker and that change-making can be generative, enjoyable, and a bit sassy!

I really enjoyed the book, lovely to dip into with gorgeous pictures and patterns in her signature style.

The title implies this could be linked to crafts needlework etc. After a couple of chapters this is clearly an activist bible also appealing for anyone looking fir a new mindset to change their world. An enjoyable read full if practical tips. However very disappointing the craft element was forgotten too quickly. I think the title could be stretched to reflect the fact it's not just creative people on community projects who would enjoy this. Short chapters make this a perfect resource to dip into.
Thank you netgallery and publisher and This had me gripped from tge blurb. The short chapters kept my attention. The multiple reveal of secrets from multiple characters means this requires great concentration. The premise of hiw far would a parent go to protect their child when lines become blurd is the hook. A lot of complex issues are dealt with a careful realistic way. . The pov style reinforced the quality of the writing. The final epilogue gave me chills and the hope for a sequel. It was engrossing and captivating full of misdirection. This is highly recommended but be warned the perfect writing and realism may start to make sone of those news stories seem nore real. Thank you netgallery and publisher and author

“Let's Move the Needle: An Activism Handbook for Artists, Crafters, Creatives, and Makers” by Shannon Downey is an invitation to combine your creativity with social impact. Downey, known for her Instagram persona Badass Cross Stitch, has a deep-rooted passion for craftivism—a blend of art and activism designed to spark dialogue and drive change. This handbook isn’t so much about crafting patterns or tutorials as it is an inspiring toolkit for makers to channel their art into activism. Downey’s engaging tone and authentic stories make the guide feel like a personal coaching session, equipping readers to create change through self-reflection, community building, and joyful, purposeful action.

The book offers thought-provoking prompts that help creatives reflect on what causes truly resonate with them. Downey encourages artists to understand the power of their hands in bringing visibility to social issues, whether that means stitching for environmental justice, painting for gender equality, or organizing for a neighborhood cause. Her candid approach in discussing the challenges of activism—from balancing self-care to navigating community dynamics—shows readers that craftivism can be a powerful medium for connection and action.

“Let's Move the Needle” isn’t just a manual for individual growth; it’s a call to come together. Downey envisions a world where makers amplify each other's voices, showing that activism can be a collaborative, joyous process. With checklists for organizing events, tips on effective meeting management, and advice on building inclusive communities, this book is ideal for both solo creatives and groups looking to make a tangible impact. For anyone interested in art as a vehicle for social change, Downey’s handbook offers not only guidance but a sense of belonging to a broader, meaningful movement.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

What a life changer- If you want it to be! Places to go craft and activist, ideas on how to get your voice heard, real life examples and worksheets to get your s.m.a.r.t. goals going. This book is one I'm going to have to buy and use to be a better more active in social justice person.

This book was such a surprise of worlds. Activism and craft. As an avid crafter I didn't know or had yet to be introduced to the world of craftivism. The act of using craft(s) to become involved. Though I had been introduced to knitting as activism I didn't know or never considered it could apply to other crafts and I'm pleasantly surprised to know that it does.

This book offers many ideas and projects that can be used to "take a stand" and offer a position on how to become involved using your favorite crafty hobby or even acquiring a hobby as a method of protest.

This book isn't really a tutorial of sort more so a call to action and inspiration on how to utilize craftivism in your life. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and did learn more about craftivism from it.

I was expecting this book to focus on craftivism. It gave us a glimpse of that by summarizing the artist's own work and some other craftivist movements throughout history, but I felt like the greater focus was on activism in general. It had a lot of advice and activities for focusing on social issues and solutions rooted in justice, and a lot of the book is applicable to any kind of activist, not just those interested in craftivism. Not what I expected, but a worthwhile read, and a good book to pair with titles that focus more on the history of craftivism than on providing practical advice.

Craftivism as a form of social protest has become quite a mainstream idea in today's society, but understanding what that actually means is likely a bit confusing for some. Author Shannon Downey has years of experience as a creator/maker for social change, and with this book she really puts her money where her mouth is. As a handbook I thought this was wonderfully curated and organised, even going so far as to include project-building worksheets, thoughtful prompts, and activities for self-reflection.

Downey goes through a really useful framework for teaching the reader how to grow and develop their own personal activism ethos, how to get comfortable at participating in making change, and understanding intersectionality in the creative sphere. I found it so helpful as a guide in figuring out, step-by-baby-step, how to come to terms with my strengths and weaknesses in building creative momentum and determining where my focus should lie when it comes to issues I'm passionate about advocating for.

I've never thought of myself as a craftivist before, but after reading this handbook and getting a handle on what that term really encompasses I can honestly say that my art and community-building efforts will be more effectively channeled into my passion projects and dialed in to the issues that mean the most to me.

Thanks to NetGalley, author Shannon Downey, and Storey Publishing for providing me with an advance digital readers copy of this book for free to read and review. All opinions are my own and provided voluntarily.

This book is an inspiring and helpful read for those interested in activism and making a difference through craft. However, it leans more towards social change than providing crafty project ideas, which may not be what every reader expects.

“Let’s Move the Needle” by Shannon Downey is for everyone overwhelmed with the number of issues to address: climate change, police misconduct, protecting trans lives, abortion access, public education, and on and on. If you are new to organizing, this is a great starter. For us vets, this is a great grounding for that feeling of, “Where do I go from here?” Get your copy now so it’s in your hands once we know our starting position on November 5th. And it’ll give you time to find your crafting materials, cause this revolution will be crafted.

I first came across Shannon Downey late in 2020 when she proposed an art challenge for the start of 20221. It was the #MakeDontBreak challenge and I made 30 days of fabric post cards for this challenge. It definitely helped give some kind of structure to my days, which had gotten blurred together into a mush by covid lockdown and distress over what was happening in the world. It was such a shit show, and I’m sure that a lot of other folks were hungry for something like that challenge.

This book is a helpful guide for keeping going in your activism work, she talks about dealing with burnout both in activism circles and in your creative practice, and has some great worksheet like pages to help you focus your energies and really drill down into your own values to help you discover what you really can do and where you want to spend your time.

I super appreciated reading about different kinds of activism and how to value all kinds of roles, but also that push to not sink into complacency. Compassion fatigue is a real thing, and it’s important to care for our selves, but also to make sure we’re not using fear as an excuse to not take the actions that we can.

This is a great book for anyone who could use some help in focusing their thoughts and help.

I enjoyed skimming this book but as a cover-to-cover read it wasn't for me. It's definitely a manual for someone who wants to get organized and be political with their crafting. I wish it would've been a little less geared directly for leaders and offered better options for followers, too.

Although I had to read this on the Shelf app, it was worth it as it was full of great images of activism and lovely little cross-stitch hoop projects, and nicely laid out in general, which would have probably got lost in a straight Kindle version.

Although Downey is a long-standing craftivist, this book offers much more than a discussion of craftivism - although it does that really well, too - it's a deeply practical handbook that will take you through two things:

First, through exercises and worksheets, it takes the individual through an exploration of their skills and attributes and the meaning they ascribe to their life;

Second, through a worked example but lots of other bits and pieces, it walks you through absolutely exactly how to set up an activism campaign, covering costing, resourcing, recruitment, creating structures, running events and making sure very robustly that they are accessible for volunteers and participants alike, and assessing them afterwards.

This all comes along with an excellent section on crafty campaigns of the past which serve to inspire and encourage and a discussion of why people think craft is a quieter and somehow "nicer" way to do activism, where it's in fact a strong and powerful way. Downey helps the reader towards defining themselves as an activist if they feel uneasy about that term (personally, I've never had a problem with that, but I can see some people fear going out with a banner into a demo and would rather do something else). They are also really good on matching people's different abilities to their roles within a campaign in order to keep everyone safe and comfortable, although they do advocate some gentle going outside of one's comfort zone, as well.

Downey is a great guide on this journey, sharing where they've gone wrong and how they've learned as well as where they've done great things. The back of the book has templates for planning and self-reflection and I can't emphasise enough what a great and readable resource this is.

Blog review will publish 3 October 2024: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2024/10/03/book-review-shannon-downey-lets-move-the-needle/

Cover and book description are misleading. This book is helpful to anyone wanting to get more involved in activism - how to ID what causes you care about most, how to find likeminded people, form your own groups, etc. There is only 1 simple project at the end. :(

Thanks Storey Publishing for granting me an ARC!

Helpful resource for those who are interested in craftivism. Using your crafts to help spread the message of causes and issues you are passionate about.

Let’s Move the Needle is an empowering introduction to the world of craftivism, offering a blend of creativity and activism that feels accessible to anyone. Shannon Downey’s voice is inspiring, with plenty of prompts and exercises that encourage self-reflection and engagement in social justice through art. While the book is filled with passion and positivity, I felt it could have provided more practical guidance for those new to organizing activism or making an impact on a larger scale. That said, it’s a motivating read for anyone looking to combine art with purpose, and its playful, sassy tone makes it all the more enjoyable

I’ve been a craftivist for several years, both as a participant in national and international projects and in local and personal activities. I’ve read a lot. But this book is totally different than anything currently available. After describing craftivism and listing several good examples, Downey spends most of the book discussing how to develop a personal craftivist manifesto and plan a project from setting goals to managing resources. If you’re looking for a book of patterns and projects, this isn’t it (although successful examples are listed throughout the book). There are other books out there with patterns, including on the author’s own Instagram, @badasscrossstitch. This book will give you the tools to come up with a meaningful project that works for you and your community, and make it successful.

I believe this book should stand next to Betsy Greer’s classics, Craftivism and Knitting for Good on every craftivist’s bookshelf. Many thanks to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Approachable and practical, this straightforward guide to activism via crafting and community gathering has many valuable insights for both beginners and those seeking deeper practice. Written for adults, but most of the content would be extremely valuable to teens or young adults as well.