A friend who doesn't knit asked if she could commission me to make a red Melt the Ice protest hat for her.
I told her I'd be happy to make one for her & that instead of paying me, she should just make an appropriate donation somewhere. That I had already bought the pattern & had a bunch of red yarn in my stash.
It's a simple pattern. Should be done in 2 evenings of knitting.
And done (except for the tassel).
And now with a braided tassel.
I thought this blogpost about the history of this protest hat was worth sharing. https://artemisnorth.com/the-red-hat-that-freaked-out-the-nazis/
I know there are folks who look at this as simply performative, but there is something amazing about people all over the world buying & making these hats, knowing what they symbolize & knowing the money for the pattern goes to organizations directly supporting immigrants in cities targeted by ICE.
Hat number 2. Modified with fewer cast on stitches, an inch knit in stockinette after the ribbing & before the decreases, & the first 3/4 of the decreases done every other row instead of every row for a taller peak.
@LJ Beloved has taken up textile crafts! 🥰
@MissConstrue Awesome! Meditation you can wear!!
@LJ I agree with you about "performative." I mean of course we are doing this, in a sense, to put on a show. It's a show of solidarity, of conviction, of resolve — even for some folks, in some places, of courage. As the song says, We shall not be moved / We are not afraid / We shall overcome
Edit to add: Beautiful hat, btw!
@stitchbystitchmaui yes! Exactly! And thank you. I dug deep in my stash & found a DK tweed wool/hemp yarn & a sport weight alpaca that I'm holding together to make something approaching worsted weight. I love the marled result better than either fiber alone.
@LJ my mom, 80 and newly disabled by stroke, was overjoyed to learn about this project and have a way to take up a challenge that helps her feel connected to resistance.
@compostablespork awww. Go, mom!
@LJ It is lovely.
@LJ I started one too! 
@LJ I am imagining... all different shades of red hats, a demonstration of something that is not mass-produced by some factory in China. Says it all, really.
@LJ omg for a second I thought this was a mobius strip shape and got super excited
It's very pretty, even so!
@abetterjulie @clive i have too! When doing socks. Aargh!
@clive it does look like that! LOL. Just ribbing that twisted a bit when I put it down.
