Knitters, crafters and stitchers from all over the UK came together with a heart-felt message for the politicians at the COP26 talks in Glasgow that it is time to put the earth – and not money – centre stage in political decisions. Crafters set out to make 1.5 miles of messages about how the earth needs protecting from climate change and environmental destruction to represent the 1.5°C target in the Paris Agreement.
The panels were used for campaigning both before and after COP26 where they were displayed on the washing lines and railings on Glasgow Green. Roberta’s panel was also used in the Scottish Parliament when Soroptimists had a reception there.
Many of the panels which were knitted or padded were stitched together to make blankets which were then donated to homeless shelters. Over a year later communities up and down the UK are still hosting displays of the panels to promote their important message.
Roberta asked the club for material to supplement the scraps she had and a number of members were happy to oblige, and a friend kindly made the animals and the trees. Most of the pieces used on the panel have a story! The backing was an old duvet cover and the beach was part of a dress from the 1960s. The seashells were carefully cut from a swimsuit and the green hill was Roberta’s son’s school gym shoe bag.
