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Welcome Blankets Project Seeks to Reimagine Border Wall

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welcome blanketTalk of a wall being built between the United States and Mexico was a big part of the presidential election and is still a hot topic. But what if a wall, something designed to keep people out, could be transformed into something that would welcome people in?

That’s the idea behind Welcome Blanket, a project that aims to symbolically turn the proposed nearly 2,000 mile border wall into blankets made out of 2,000 miles of yarn.

There’s a mitered square blanket pattern designed by Kat Coyle available on the website, with crochet and quilt patterns to come, but any lap-sized blanket of around 40 inches square would be appropriate for this project. I’m thinking of making a version of my Bulky Stockinette Throw, but the mitered squares are perfect for stash-busting odd balls, too.

They’re going to need a lot of them — estimating 1,200 yards of yarn per blanket, that’s about 3,200 blankets to reach 2,000 miles of yarn. The blankets will be on display at the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago from July 18 to December 17, starting with an empty space that fills as blankets come in. The deadline for sending blankets is Sept. 5; check out all the details in the FAQ. After the exhibit, the blankets will be distributed to refugees and resettlement organizations with notes welcoming them to America.

This sounds like a lovely project, and it might help some people to learn more about refugees and do some knitting for a good cause.

If you feel compelled, check it out. If you feel compelled to bring politics in here, please resist that urge.

[Photo: Kat Coyle.]

Comments

  1. If someone brings a subject up, it’s fair game. Whether political, social, religious, or just plain like/dislike. Talking about an issue in any arena is an invitation.
    But, you’re right on one thing..resisting the urge to bring a subject up in conversation is wise if you don’t want an opposite view brought up.
    I, for one, am so very ready for the wall to be built to keep illegals out (knowing it won’t keep out 100% of them). Come in legally, like so may others have done.

  2. She meant that this might not be the best forum for political discussion – and it’s not. There are plenty of other places on the web to have that debate. If you feel the need to voice your opinion, please go there. No matter your views, please be respectful.

  4. I have two legal immigrants in my family, one from Russia and one from Indonesia. I thought she was respectful.

  5. I love the concept and love the idea, and love that it comes with genuine regard, respect and should be treated as such. I love the space to create and to make a difference and I see this space as being exactly that. We need more compassion, more creativity and more sensitivity and more care of each other. Bring on the knitting needles and let the beautiful creative wall begin..

  6. While I respect the author’s opinion, I think I’ll go elsewhere for my knitting and crafting inspiration from now on. I’ve enjoyed this site for many years, but I don’t come to a craft site for politics.
    Also, kind of telling for the author to bring up a political topic, then ask everyone to refrain from discussing political topic. Don’t post them at all is a very simple solution.
    Best of luck to this site’s creators and contributors, and thanks for the years of enjoyment.

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Classic Dishcloth Knitting Patterns

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use. 

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make. 

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!). 

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn. 

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart. 

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern. 

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.