Thirty five pounds of hand knitted and crocheted hats arrived this afternoon by UPS. It is but a fraction of the hats collected for my Red Thread Project. As of this past Friday, 764 hats had been collected. The number is astounding given that the project was launched just 3 1/2 months ago. On June 30th these hats will be connected to a 500 meter cord and worn as part of a performance by the public. I am concerned whether enough people will volunteer to participate, but that is next week's worry. This week's worry is connecting the hats in anticipation of next week's worry. Life can only be lived one stitch at a time.
The piles of orange, red, pink, and purple hats are a colorful record of individual ingenuity and creativity. Some hats are marvels of lace, while others are fuzzy wonders. Each hat reflects its maker. At the core of The Red Thread Project is the heart of the community. The project wouldn't be happening without community involvement. Children and adults have been involved in the making and will soon be involved in the wearing of these hats. The Red Thread Project is an attempt to visualize the many connections we have to each other.
I have no way of stating more eloquently what I feel - I am in awe of these hats and all that they represent. As these hats are destined for cancer charities, some were made in honor of friends and family. Others were made by those who had not previously thought of themselves as having any artistic ability. To me, these hats symbolize hope for the present and for the future.
--- A special thanks to Lorilee at City Knitting for the photograph!
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