Pussyhat Project cofounder launches the next big craftivism effort of the resistance
Dust off your knitting needles — it's time for the latest craftivism project of the resistance.
A new initiative called Welcome Blanket takes the length of President Donald Trump's proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall and reimagines it as thousands of "welcome" blankets for refugees. The goal is to knit blankets from 2,000 miles of yarn — the projected length of the border wall — over the next three months.
With each blanket made, the knitter is encouraged to include a note sharing their family's immigration story and words of welcome for refugee families.
The initiative was started by Jayna Zweiman, cofounder of Pussyhat Project — an effort to craft simple pink "pussyhats" that was a viral success in the lead-up to the Women's March on Washington earlier this year. The hats quickly became a symbol of the resistance for women.
"I want people coming to this country to feel valued because they are."
Now, Zweiman hopes to mimic that astounding success with Welcome Blanket.
"Pussyhat Project proved that being politically active can take many forms," Zweiman says. "Welcome Blanket shows how to create a useful object to give to someone in a way that is kind, engaging, and politically powerful."
She estimates each blanket will measure 40 inches by 40 inches (given the set red-and-white patterns for participants to use), and contain 1,200 yards of yarn each. That means participants will need to craft 3,200 blankets collectively to reach about 3.5 million yards of yarn used — or 2,000 miles.
The designer of the original pattern for the pussyhat, Kat Coyle, also designed the patterns for Welcome Blanket.
The project isn't just for seasoned knitters either. Zweiman and Coyle created a step-by-step photo and text tutorial for beginners to follow, teaching them how to create their blankets from start to finish.
Starting in July, completed blankets and accompanying notes will be displayed on a rolling basis in the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago. Participants need to send their blankets to the museum by August 20, and Zweiman says the completed 2,000 miles of blankets will go on display by September 2017.
"It takes time and care to create something for someone else."
Once the show closes at the end of that month, the individual blankets will be distributed to refugee resettlement organizations to be used by refugee families in the U.S.
"As people debate methods and numbers concerning immigration, it's important to remember we are talking about people — people like ourselves, our neighbors, and our ancestors," Zweiman says. "I want people coming to this country to feel valued, because they are."
Zweiman not only hopes to show visible support for refugees through the initiative, but also to bring communities together in solidarity and resistance. Crafters, for example, can gather around the country at official knitting circles throughout the next three months.
"Craftivism is an opportunity to be politically active while being kind and generous," Zweiman says. "It takes time and care to create something for someone else. Whether someone knits on her own or in a group, the time devoted to making a blanket is an opportunity to think about, discuss, and learn about immigration."
Related Video: This is what refugees face when coming to America
Topics Activism Social Good Immigration
Katie Dupere was a Social Good reporter at Mashable from May 2015 to July 2017, covering activism, identities and social impact. Prior to her work with Mashable, Katie penned pieces about queerness, body positivity, sex and relationships for Gurl. She also previously contributed LGBTQ news coverage to PinkNews.
