Join an inspiring and free community art project promoting gut health and exploring the gut-brain connection. No matter what your skill levels, you can crochet, knit, weave or stitch, while you learn about the gut microbiome.
New research about the complexity and wonders of the gut microbiome has captured the popular imagination. Artists Pat Pillai, Rita Pearce and Mary Hayman share a history of creating community artworks that promote connections between science and the everyday. The Gut Feelings project comes from their ongoing interest in making art that promotes mental health and well-being. They invite you to participate in Gut Feelings, come along, meet new people, and be inspired.
In the lead up to the 2025 exhibition, they are calling for people of all skills levels to get involved. You are invited to create textile microbes, gut cells and intestinal villi that will be stitched together to form scientifically informed but playful renditions of the gut microbiome. They will create larger than life microbes, a woolly gut cross section, and who knows maybe a giant walk in gut!
The project was launched at a community event at Hazelhurst Arts Center as part of 2024 National Science Week. There was a full day of crafting with short talks by leading researchers Professor Georgina Hold, Professor of Gut Microbiology at the St George and Sutherland Clinical School UNSW Sydney, and Dr Erin Shanahan, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology from the University of Sydney, and a gut related performance from Shopfront Arts Co-op. Event report here
Gut Feelings is an ongoing project and will culminate in an exhibition at the Broadhurst Gallery Hazelhurst Art Centre 15 August – 2 Sept during Science Week 2025.
How can you get involved?
Join events to be announced soon.
Make your own woolly microbes using our scientifically informed patterns. Crochet, knit and no-knit versions available. See below.
Craft and contribute other gut villi or epithelial cells
Donate materials, especially yarn and granny squares.
Join a stitching it all together focus group
Donate your expertise e.g. scientific, engineering, set building , photography and more.
Upcoming events
Gut Feelings Community Art Project | Brain Awareness | Caringbah Library
Enjoy knitting, crochet, or getting crafty with your hands? Join us to hear about Gut/Brain Health and this extraordinary project.
You can drop off your own artworks or donated material at any time to the Hazelhurst Arts Centre Broadhurst Gallery desk (on the car park side of the gallery).
Neural Knitworks founding artist Pat Pillai, textile artist Rita Pearce and artist educator Mary Hayman are the artists leading the Gut Feelings project.
Pat, Rita and Mary first collaborated 25 years ago and have worked together on several projects, most recently Neural Knitworks – craft a healthy brain, an award winning community arts-health engagement program. Other projects include Artificial Reef in Sculpture by the Sea and Heritable Acts at Hazelhurst (aka The Jacaranda Project).
Colours, Textures and Bling: what to make and why
Why Microbes? Microbes are diverse forms of life that live in our gut. Donated textile microbes will be combined in sculptural installations that showcase the diversity of life in the gut microbiome. We focus mainly on bacteria and viruses as these are widely known. There are other species so don’t be afraid to branch out and play.
For inspiration, browse some the many scientific images available. (Links to come)
Bacteria. The finished product should appear as predominantly one colour. Use all the colours of the rainbow but avoid black,very dark colours and strongly variegated yarns.
Viruses. Any colour, with contrasting colours and sparkle added on their many spikes.
Gut Epithelial Cells. Use hot pink and purples only, as indicated in images. No bling please. Donated cells will be used in artwork inspired by images viewed through a light microscope.
Gut villi. Medium pinks and pinky purples. Our expert advisors tell us the villi are pink and reasonably uniform in colour. Avoid yarn that is highly textured, variegated, or a very strong colour. NO BLING please. Villi will be combined in a scientifically informed installation.
Textile Food Items, healthy and not so healthy. Create a woolly banquet for the microbiome. Find out what makes your microbiome happy and make lifesize textile versions. No patterns provided. The artists leave this to your own imagination and research.
Patterns
Crochet Spirals The microbes in our gut microbiome come in many shapes and sizes. Those with spiral or helicoid shapes are well suited to moving in a viscous environment. They are also fun to crochet. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Knitted Spheres: cocci and viruses The most common bacteria are cocci (spheres) and bacilli ( rods with rounded ends). Viruses may be spheres or rods or other complex shapes. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Villi Intestinal villi are finger-like projections that line the inside of the small intestine. They increase the surface area of the gut and aid absorption of digested nutrients. Donated villi will be joined with others to form a large-scale representation of a section of the human gut. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Weaving gut epithelial cells Epithelial cells line the gut forming a tight protective border. They increase the gut surface area thus aiding digestion and absorption. In the small intestine the cells are fringed with a border of finger-like microvilli. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Crafting bacteria from drink straws Please use this pattern to find no-knit instructions for crafting bacteria from straws. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
No knit crafting patterns There are many viruses and bacteria you can make without knitting or crocheting. LINK TO PATTERN PDF
New alternate villi knit and crochet pattern. It’s quicker and uses less yarn. We have been experimenting with the walk-in gut build and realise we need smaller lighter villi in some sections. We are very keen to receive both kinds, and really appreciate all the wonderful donors who have been knitting villi for us. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
New crochet pattern for cocci, viruses and bacilli. It’s all in one, quick and easy, and with a little imagination could be adapted to make fruit and vegies. A crochet sphere for cocci and viruses, with instructions to extend into a cylindrical shape for bacilli. Previously our patterns did not include a crochet version for microbes other than spirals. We have also included a few examples of embellishments under hints and fun stuff – who doesn’t like a bit of bling? LINK TO PDF PATTERN
More patterns to come!
Acknowledgements
Inspiring Australia Manager Meredith Hall worked with the artists to kick start the project along with Hazelhurst Arts Centre for National Science Week 2024. Scientific advice and input came from Professor Georgina Hold, Professor of Gut Microbiology at the St George and Sutherland Clinical School UNSW Sydney, and from Dr Erin Shanahan, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology from the University of Sydney. Other supporters include Shopfront Arts Co-op, Photographer Alex Kesselaar, kess.media and Knitters Guild NSW Southern Branch.
Gut Feelings builds on the success of the Neural Knitworks project, now in its 10th year. The artists would like to acknowledge those who collaborated in the Neural Knitworks project and its many mentors, in particular Jackie Randles, former Manager of Inspiring Australia NSW.
Resources
Select articles and digital resources on the topic.
Join an inspiring and free community art project promoting gut health and exploring the gut-brain connection. No matter what your skill levels, you can crochet, knit, weave or stitch, while you learn about the gut microbiome.
What is the Gut Feelings Project?
New research about the complexity and wonders of the gut microbiome has captured the popular imagination. Artists Pat Pillai, Rita Pearce and Mary Hayman share a history of creating community artworks that promote connections between science and the everyday. The Gut Feelings project comes from their ongoing interest in making art that promotes mental health and well-being. They invite you to participate in Gut Feelings, come along, meet new people, and be inspired.
In the lead up to the 2025 exhibition, they are calling for people of all skills levels to get involved. You are invited to create textile microbes, gut cells and intestinal villi that will be stitched together to form scientifically informed but playful renditions of the gut microbiome. They will create larger than life microbes, a woolly gut cross section, and who knows maybe a giant walk in gut!
The project was launched at a community event at Hazelhurst Arts Center as part of 2024 National Science Week. There was a full day of crafting with short talks by leading researchers Professor Georgina Hold, Professor of Gut Microbiology at the St George and Sutherland Clinical School UNSW Sydney, and Dr Erin Shanahan, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology from the University of Sydney, and a gut related performance from Shopfront Arts Co-op. Event report here
Gut Feelings is an ongoing project and will culminate in an exhibition at the Broadhurst Gallery Hazelhurst Art Centre 15 August – 2 Sept during Science Week 2025.
How can you get involved?
Upcoming events
Gut Feelings Community Art Project | Brain Awareness | Caringbah Library
Enjoy knitting, crochet, or getting crafty with your hands? Join us to hear about Gut/Brain Health and this extraordinary project.
9.30am – 10.30am on Thursday 31 July Book Now
Drop off dates and deadlines
You can drop off your own artworks or donated material at any time to the Hazelhurst Arts Centre Broadhurst Gallery desk (on the car park side of the gallery).
Three drop off deadlines for contributions @Hazelhurst Art Centre are:
What will happen to my donation?
Donations will become part of Gut Feelings artworks and will not be returned.
For all inquires please contact neuralknitworks@gmail.com
Meet the artists
Neural Knitworks founding artist Pat Pillai, textile artist Rita Pearce and artist educator Mary Hayman are the artists leading the Gut Feelings project.
Pat, Rita and Mary first collaborated 25 years ago and have worked together on several projects, most recently Neural Knitworks – craft a healthy brain, an award winning community arts-health engagement program. Other projects include Artificial Reef in Sculpture by the Sea and Heritable Acts at Hazelhurst (aka The Jacaranda Project).
Colours, Textures and Bling: what to make and why
Why Microbes? Microbes are diverse forms of life that live in our gut. Donated textile microbes will be combined in sculptural installations that showcase the diversity of life in the gut microbiome. We focus mainly on bacteria and viruses as these are widely known. There are other species so don’t be afraid to branch out and play.
For inspiration, browse some the many scientific images available. (Links to come)
Patterns
Crochet Spirals
The microbes in our gut microbiome come in many shapes and sizes. Those with spiral or helicoid shapes are well suited to moving in a viscous environment. They are also fun to crochet. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Knitted Spheres: cocci and viruses
The most common bacteria are cocci (spheres) and bacilli ( rods with rounded ends). Viruses may be spheres or rods or other complex shapes. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Villi
Intestinal villi are finger-like projections that line the inside of the small intestine. They increase the surface area of the gut and aid absorption of digested nutrients. Donated villi will be joined with others to form a large-scale representation of a section of the human gut. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Weaving gut epithelial cells
Epithelial cells line the gut forming a tight protective border. They increase the gut surface area thus aiding digestion and absorption. In the small intestine the cells are fringed with a border of finger-like microvilli. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
Crafting bacteria from drink straws
Please use this pattern to find no-knit instructions for crafting bacteria from straws. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
No knit crafting patterns
There are many viruses and bacteria you can make without knitting or crocheting. LINK TO PATTERN PDF
New alternate villi knit and crochet pattern. It’s quicker and uses less yarn. We have been experimenting with the walk-in gut build and realise we need smaller lighter villi in some sections. We are very keen to receive both kinds, and really appreciate all the wonderful donors who have been knitting villi for us. LINK TO PDF PATTERN
New crochet pattern for cocci, viruses and bacilli. It’s all in one, quick and easy, and with a little imagination could be adapted to make fruit and vegies. A crochet sphere for cocci and viruses, with instructions to extend into a cylindrical shape for bacilli. Previously our patterns did not include a crochet version for microbes other than spirals. We have also included a few examples of embellishments under hints and fun stuff – who doesn’t like a bit of bling? LINK TO PDF PATTERN
More patterns to come!
Acknowledgements
Inspiring Australia Manager Meredith Hall worked with the artists to kick start the project along with Hazelhurst Arts Centre for National Science Week 2024. Scientific advice and input came from Professor Georgina Hold, Professor of Gut Microbiology at the St George and Sutherland Clinical School UNSW Sydney, and from Dr Erin Shanahan, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology from the University of Sydney. Other supporters include Shopfront Arts Co-op, Photographer Alex Kesselaar, kess.media and Knitters Guild NSW Southern Branch.
Gut Feelings builds on the success of the Neural Knitworks project, now in its 10th year. The artists would like to acknowledge those who collaborated in the Neural Knitworks project and its many mentors, in particular Jackie Randles, former Manager of Inspiring Australia NSW.
Resources
Select articles and digital resources on the topic.
Contacts
The Gut Feelings Team
Email neuralknitworks@gmail.com for all inquires
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