Community craft group stages 'Stitch in Public' flash mob on Charlotte light rail

Members of the Charlotte Region Arts Fibers and Textiles group, also known as Craft CLT, marked Worldwide Stitch in Public Day by staging a stitching “flash mob” on Charlotte’s light rail. The group gathered at the I‑485 station, boarded at multiple stops and rode together to the UNC Charlotte station, where they disembarked to photograph a yarn‑bomb installation.

Founder and President Ashley Jane McIntyre said the light‑rail setting helps the group make new connections with the community and increases public visibility for fiber arts. “Stitching in public people ask you questions no matter what and then doing it as a group… it’s always really fun for people to be like what is happening,” a member said, describing how short, public encounters bring joy to both participants and onlookers.

Organizers said last year’s light‑rail flash mob was a success and was repeated this year. Participants emphasized accessibility, noting that using public transit introduces more people to fiber arts and that continued transit expansion would help keep Charlotte affordable to navigate. The group’s youngest member rode the light rail for the first time during the event.

The outing combined community outreach with a public art moment: members posed for photos beside a recent yarn‑bomb installation at the CTC station before dispersing. Organizers said their goal is simply to share craft, invite conversation and show how fiber arts can be visible and accessible in Charlotte.