It’s time to replace dread with hope and action!
Join us for a special three-part community series inspired by Let’s Move the Needle by Shannon Downey—artist, activist, and founder of Badass Cross Stitch. This thought-provoking book explores how craft can fuel not only creativity and connection but also social change. Together, we’ll read, reflect, and of course, stitch!
Saturday, October 25 (2–4pm)
We’ll dive into the first half of the book and create a small craft project to bring the themes to life through our hands.
Saturday, November 1 (2–4pm)
Our discussion continues with the second half of the book, paired with another accessible, hands-on craft activity.
Saturday, November 8 (2–5pm)
Don’t miss the culminating event! Author Shannon Downey will be visiting us live and in person for a book discussion and embroidery workshop. Learn directly from the author and join in conversation about craft, activism, and community.
Come for the conversation, stay for the stitching, and leave with new skills, fresh inspiration, and meaningful connections.
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WORKSHOP LEADERS:
Author: Shannon Downey will join us (live and in-person!) for a conversation and stitching workshop for the final session in this series on November 8, 2025. Shannon is the founder of Badass Cross Stitch and Seriously Badass Women, and is an artist, activist, craftivist, community builder, and general instigator. Her work moves people from passive consumers of art into engaged creators and leverages craft-based art forms to bring people together, present opportunities to transition from makers to change makers, and inspire radical hope for what is possible. In this series, we’ll be discussing her book, Let’s Move the Needle—an activism handbook for artists, creatives, crafters, and makers.
Discussion Leader: Shira Gabriel (PhD., Northwestern University) is a psychology professor at the University of Buffalo where her work focuses on the social nature of the self. Much of her research is guided by the proposition that humans are a fundamentally social species and thus a great deal of human behavior can be best understood as being in service of connecting to others.
Activity Leader: Michelle Perkins is a textile artist and community organizer with a background in project management, marketing, and instructional design. She is Stitch Buffalo’s Development and Communications Director, allowing her to mesh creativity, sustainability, and communication in the pursuit of safer, more equitable communities.
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SUSTAINABILITY:
Stitch Buffalo is committed to fostering sustainability practices and reducing waste in the textile industry. In this workshop, we will strive to minimize waste and work as much as possible with supplies that have been rescued for reuse.
INCLUSION & ACCESSIBILITY:
Stitch Buffalo is an ADA compliant facility, with accessible entrances, tables, restrooms, and drinking fountains. Please contact us if you require any accommodations to make your visit safe and comfortable. We are happy to work with you!
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Due to the nature of this class and the preparation required, class fees are non-refundable.
For each class, Stitch Buffalo offers one seat at half-price to a student or community member who otherwise could not afford to attend. To inquire about availability, please e-mail us. We have waiting lists for many classes, so if you register for this discounted class, please consider it a commitment to attend.