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Disobedient Hot Water Bottles

London, 2022

A person with a light grey jumper, half-covered with a fluffy blanket and holding a hot water bottle. The cover of the hot water bottle is a green fabric, a white and black striped fabric and a flowery fabric. The words TAX the RICH embroidered on the cover.
Two feet with black socks peeking out of a blanket. A hot water bottle with a cover of mixed white and beige fabrics is laid between the feet. The words PEOPLE over PROFITS embroidered on the cover.
A person with a light grey jumper, half-covered with a fluffy blanket and presenting the hot water bottle they hold. The cover of the hot water bottle is a mixture of mainly red fabrics. The words NATIONALISE ENERGY & WATER embroidered on the cover.
Two feet with black socks peeking out of a blanket. A hot water bottle is laid on the blanket. The cover of the hot water bottle is a mixture of various denim fabrics. The words UNITY is STRENGTH embroidered on the cover.
A person with a light grey jumper, half-covered with a fluffy blanket and holding a hot water bottle with fisted hands. The cover of the hot water bottle is a mixture of black fabrics. The words STOP the GREED embroidered on the cover.
Two feet with black socks peeking out of a blanket. A hot water bottle is laid on the blanket. The cover of the hot water bottle is a mixture of mainly blue fabrics. The words REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH embroidered on the cover.
A SERIES OF HOT WATER BOTTLE COVERS EMBROIDERED WITH DISSENT

When energy prices began to rise last year, The Money Saving Expert website released a guide titled "How to heat the person, not the home" in order to assist individuals in surviving the cold winter. They initially priced the hot water bottle at 6p per hour and in 2022 it increased to 7p. A once comforting object, symbolising warmth and a remedy for physical and emotional distress, had, due to political decisions, greed, and corruption, transformed into a means of survival.

 

Heating one's home should not be a privilege reserved for the wealthy. A hot water bottle should not serve as a symbol of financial hardship. Motivated by the resolute voices of the cost of living protests, I sought to reclaim the hot water bottle and utilise it as a tool to shed light on actions that can genuinely make a difference in this crisis and beyond.

in a nutshell

THE PROCESS

SYMBIOSIS

As my understanding of the cost of living crisis deepened, the hot water bottle covers began to take shape. My frustration with soaring energy costs was evident in the jumble of fabric scraps. As I organised my thoughts, I was able to group fabrics and develop a distinctive visual style for the covers. While honing my embroidery skills, experimenting with different fabric compositions, and perfecting the techniques for creating the covers, I engaged in discussions surrounding the issues related to the cost of living crisis, allowing my opinions and arguments to form.

One hand holding a fabric stretched in an embroidery hoop, while the other hand embroiders with bottle green thread the word "the" in cursive type.

PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS

Research and making symbiosis
Utilising fabric scraps to create luxurious items, enhanced with hand embroidery
Employing the hot water bottle covers as a catalyst for thought-provoking discussions on the cost of living crisis
Black fabric with an embroidery hook held in hand. The word STOP in the process of being embroidered.
Hand embroidery in process

THE OUTCOME

LABOUR INTENSIVE LUXURY

I successfully crafted six hot water bottle covers, aiming to convey a high-end aesthetic to emphasise the absurdity of luxury in keeping oneself warm during winter. Each cover differed in colour and message: "Tax the Rich" in green, "People over Profits" in white, "Redistribution of Wealth" in navy blue, "Unity is Strength" in denim blue, "Stop the Greed" in black, and "Nationalise Energy and Water" in red.

 

Recognising that hot water bottles remain within the confines of one's home, I also created matching bags to serve as portable companions.

a woman in an off-white corduroy jacket, a striped shirt and a fanny pack worn crossed body. The bag is made from mainly green fabric scraps. The words TAX the RICH are embroidered on the front. One of the zippers is open to show the bag's gold lining.
a woman in an off-white corduroy jacket is opening the zipper of a rectangle fanny pack worn crossed body. The bag is made from mainly white fabric scraps. The words PEOPLE over PROFITS are embroidered on the front of the bag.
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