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Why to wear a Pussyhat (and how to make one)

Why to wear a Pussyhat (and how to make one)

One million people walked in the women’s marches on the 21st of January 2017. A gallery of photos features consecutive pink dots, covering heads in the sea of participants. These are the results of a global knitting-activist initiative called the Pussyhat Project- the founders, the screen writer Krista Suh and the architect Jayna Zweiman, started the project aiming to create both a symbol and a forum which everyone could access and get involved in.

…And so they did! The pink pussyhats (just a normal knitted hat, but with two little cat ears) became a prominent symbol of the American marches.

The purpose of the knitted hats is simple. It’s a symbol. Something accessible which can represent the support of the cause and create a sense of union. While the physical symbols might not be essential to the women’s marches, the purpose of the project was to bring people together. By creating both a way for people to get involved actively by wearing the hats to marches,Krista and Jayna also also wanted to provide an opportunity for those who couldn’t attend a march to show their support by knitting. In this way they create a space for activism both on a personal and on a national level, in a symbol accessible by all humans, young and old.

You can therefore get involved in the Pussyhat Project in two ways:

  1. Be a knitter.

On the Pussyhat project website you can download the pattern to knit a pussyhat. (Simpler even is to scroll to the end of this document for the tutorial). The hat will then be sent to a marcher- either directly by post or to a hat pickup point!

Art work by Aurora Lady. Photo from www.pussyhatpjoject.com

2. Be a marcher.

Wear a pink pussyhat while participating in a march for women’s rights- alternatively wear the hat in solidarity and to spread awareness about the marches. Thirdly you can take part of the virtual march (next on International women’s day) by posting a picture of yourself wearing the hat and tagging it #pussyhatglobal. 

Other ways to get involved while knitting or marching is to host knitting parties (and share pictures of it from social media), if you are a business you can become a local ally, by listing yourself on their website , and finally you can help spread the word by help of the spread-the-word-ideas on the pussyhat website.

Image from www.pussyhatproject.com

 

 

 

As mentioned, the next pussyhat march will be a virtual one, taking place for International Women’s day on the 8th of March, but I don’t see why any day wouldn’t be fit for the occasion to wear this symbol of women’s rights. So (scroll down for the tutorial) get knitting!

And don’t forget to put pictures of yourselves in your new-made hats and hashtag:

#pussyhat #pussyhatglobal

 

 

 

 

 

And the pattern…

If you want a more detailed pattern (with video and variations) go to the Pussyhat project’s website.

If you’re completely new to knitting, to learn the two basic stitches; knitting and purling, my best tip is to search these two on Youtube.

Then, the pattern for the hat is as follows:

Make 50 loops.

Then do 1 knit stitch to start of every row

After this first knit stitch, you’ll do 2 knit, 2 purl 2 knit, 2 purl…. continuing until you only have one stitch left on the whole row.

The last stitch is always a purl. This will leave you with the ribbed result you see in the image. Continue this until you have 13 cm.

When you’ve reached 13 cm, you’ve going to to one entire row of knitting followed by one entire row of purling. Then repeat this until you have 33 cm!

Finally, when you’re about to start a knit row, instead restart the routine for a ribbed result. Do this for the last 13 cm.

 

Finally, take off and fasten the loops, then fold the piece double and sew the edges. When you turn your hat to the right side and poke out the edges you’ll end up with the cute ear-effect you see below:

Good luck and happy International Women’s day everyone!

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