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Craftivism Night- Welcome Blanket Project
October 2, 2017 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Come knit a Welcome Blanket with us! No knitting experience required.
The proposed border wall between the United States and Mexico is almost 2000 miles long. Imagine if the massive distance of this wall was re-conceptualized and re-contextualized not to divide, but to include. Instead of wall, a concrete line, to keep people out, what if lines of yarn became 3,500,640 yards of blankets to welcome people in?
The Welcome Blanket project was started by Jayna Zweiman, cofounder of the Pussyhat Project. Let’s show our U.S. neighbours some solidarity and join in on the Welcome Blanket project.
Join us to make a welcome blanket for a new immigrant to the United States. Let’s build a project of inclusion together!
Welcome Blanket allows us to connect locally and build positive community— and share this connection nationally and globally.
A welcome blanket is traditionally created to lovingly mark the arrival of a new person into the world. In the Welcome Blanket project, each handmade blanket is a physical manifestation of this celebration of new refugees and other immigrants: “Welcome to the United States and your new life here! We are so glad you have arrived.”
The blankets you make, along with your enclosed notes, will be displayed together in an inaugural show at the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago until December 17. After the show’s close, the blanket packages will be distributed to refugees and other immigrants through resettlement organizations.
The Smart Museum catalogues the blanket and the note, and posts it to our website www.welcomeblanket.org/
When: Monday, October 2, 6-8pm
Cost: $5- will be used to help pay postage to ship the blanket(s).
Supplies: Please bring 1 or 2 colours of washable (super wool or acrylic) bulky weight yarn and size 8mm/US11 straight needles or you can purchase supplies here if you don’t have your own!
Details: We will make the blanket together, as we each knit a 10″
square to be added to the blanket and then piece all the squares together. No knitting experience required! We will provide treats and warm drinks, the free pattern and knitting tutorials/demonstrations for those new to the craft.
*If you cannot attend but would like a copy of the pattern or to donate yarn or needles or would like to work on a square or make your own entire blanket (knit/crochet?quilted ) and drop it off at the shop please contact us at sewlocalsudbury@gmail.com.
The blanket will also include a personalized blanket note. Everyone is invited to fill out a note. A note includes:
a. Description of the blanket (# yards, dimensions, care instructions)
b. What is your family’s immigration story? When and from where did your family come?
c. Advice for the blanket recipient.
d. Words of welcome for the blanket recipient.
e. Contact information (optional).
f. Please note: by entering you are permitting your information to be published unless noted otherwise.
We have the note templates here in shop!
What is the purpose of Welcome Blanket?
The goals of Welcome Blanket are as follows:
1. Welcome new immigrants to the United States with a practical gift and words of welcome and connection.
2. Provide ways for those who want to support immigrants to create and give a practical and thoughtful gift.
3. Create community around positive, hands-on ideas of inclusion.
4. Promote discussions about immigration policy and its effects on real-live people.
You can find more info about the Welcome Blanket Project
at www.welcomeblanket.org