Yarn Bomb

Bridge for Blankets

If you've driven across the Willamette River in downtown Portland this month then you've probably noticed the yarn bomb on the Broadway Bridge.  I am so proud to claim that I played a small role in this grand project.  "Bridge For Blankets" is a public art project installed on the Broadway Bridge. The PDX Bridge Festival is celebrating the the 100th birthday of the Broadway Bridge.

There are currently four of these banners hanging on the Broadway Bridge.  Look very closely at the first block in the second row and you'll see a purple square in the yellow section.  That's my 12" knitted square.  Does that give you some idea of the size of this project? 

Bridge for Blankets is a service/installation project conceived and directed by Tyler Mackie, who grew up in my neighborhood of Maywood Park, a northeast Portland suburb, and I knew her long before she became this amazing artist.  She enlisted the help of over 200 knitters and purchased 840 skeins of Cascade Yarn Company's 220 super-wash wool yarn to complete these knitted 12" squares.  Tyler is still organizing fundraising events to cover the $5,600 cost of the yarn.  

 When the banners are removed later this month they will be taken apart and the 6' blankets will be distributed to the homeless through local agencies.  I am so proud of Tyler and feel fortunate to have been able to participate.