Stitch for Senate Blog

Stitch for Senate exhibits in Sweden

September 9, 2009 - January 17, 2010
Craftwerk 2.0
Jönköpings läns Museum, Jönköpings,

Letters from our Senate

Senator Response

So far we have about 10% response from Senators to Stitch for Senate, all very gracious. Considering their workload it is impressive. Google analytics says we have only 43 unique hits from Washington DC from the day they were sent. It's hard to know if helmets made it to all the desks. More soon.

Scarf Drive

Thanks to those who participated in the Scarf Drive for Iraq Veterans, especially the folks in Virginia and Texas!

At Long Last ...Stitch for Senate Helmet Liners Mailed

At long last - the 100 helmet liners went in the mail on Inauguration Day in flag knitted packs. Thanks to all contributing knitters who made helmet liners for the project:

Alyssa Wilson (Pittsburgh, PA) for Senator Specter
Ann Crawford (Bloomfield, CT) for Senator Lieberman and Senator Dodd
Ann Morton (Phoenix, AZ) for Senator Kyl
Anthea Daugherty (Rockford, IL) for Senator Obama
Betsy Greer, (Carrboro, NC) for Senator Burr
Cathy Dowd (St. Peter, MN) for Senators Klobuchar, Murray and Durbin
Chelsea Gunn (Providence, RI) for Senator Reed
Chris Tigner (Portland, OR) for Senator McConnell
Danica King (Seattle, WA) for Senator Feingold
Debra L. Stroud (Fallon, NV) for Senator Reid
Eleanor Castle (Kalamazoo, MI) for Senators Brown, Casey and Stabenow
Eliza Jane Curtis (Gorham, ME) for Senator Collins
Erin R. (Albuquerque, NM) for Senator Bayh
Heather Pristash (Bowling Green, OH) for Senator Voinovich
Jaki Thurman (Salinas, CA) for Senator Kerry
Jennifer Augello (Portland, OR) for Senator Smith
Jessica Godden (Brooklyn, NY) for Senator Bingaman
Julie Groat (Monument, CO) for Senator Allard
Karen L. Mohler (Littleton, CO) for Senator Smith
Kathy Warner (West Linn, OR) for Senator Wyden
Kristin Noel Rivers (San Jose, CA) for Senator Boxer
Leslie Sudock (Philadelphia, PA) for Senator Casey
Linda Harroun (Colorado Springs, CO) for Senator Salazar
Linda Muri (Watertown, MA) for Senator Kerry and Senator Lincoln
Linn Perkins Syz (Montpelier, VT) for Senator Leahy
Meghan Olesen (Phoenix, AZ) for Senator Roberts
Melissa Reynolds (Albuquerque, NM) for Senator McCain
Mike Topper (Huntington Woods, MI) for Senator Levin
Patrick D. Kettner (Federal Way, WA) for Senator Cantwell
Virginia deRochemont (Santa Fe, NM) for Senator Feinstein

Stitch for Soldier Scarf Drive

You can sign up HERE to let us know it's coming. Thanks to all the people who have sent inquiries!

Stitch for Soldier
PO Box 1659
Troy, NY 12181

Also: IVAW was covered last Friday on Democracy Now, in their story Winter Soldier on the Hill: War Vets Testify Before Congress.

Voters' word may not be last in Minn. Senate race

"This is the closest race in Minnesota history, the closest Senate race and the closest race anywhere in the country. This is just part of the process to make sure every vote is counted," Franken said, adding, "Candidates don't get to decide when an election's over - voters do." link to whole story in AP

Alaska Senator Ted Stevens Loses Re-election Bid

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power and Alaska icon who couldn't survive a conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat by Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats within two seats of a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

Senate Race 2008

We're still waiting for the total results, but here's the source of this spread.

There were no Republican pick-ups. Democratic pick-ups in the following races:

1) Colorado: On Election Day, (Mark) Udall defeated Schaffer 52%-43%
2) New Hampshire: Shaheen defeated Sununu, 52%-45%
3) New Mexico: (Tom) Udall defeated Pearce 61%-39%
4) North Carolina: Hagan defeated Dole, 53%-44%
5) Oregon: Merkley defeated Smith in very close race, Smith formally conceded.
6) Virginia: (Mark) Warner defeated Gilmore 64%-34%

Alaska, Minnesota too close to call, Georgia too... and there is a run-off race on Dec 2, 08.

Veteran's DayStitch for Soldier

Stitch for Senate Helmet:Knitted for Senator Alexander

To the Honorable Senator Alexander:

Please find herein a helmet liner made to make a political point. There are common people working at a local level to make things better for us all and here in lies our point. We plead to you to be courageous now in a time that we need true leadership. We ask you to speak up now for the sanity of peace in this time of crisis. I believe as a people and society we must change from a policy of fear and greed into one of cooperation and good will. You have a unique position to make these pleas in your distinguished position. Making war has gained us nothing. Our security is the worse for it. With these terrible policies we have turned even our friends and ancestors aside. Please, take the brave course to repudiate this disastrous policy now. I have seen you speak and I believe you to be an honorable person. Time is of the essence in such matters and now is the time to act. We must bring our troops home now and conserve what resources we still have at our disposal. Security for us means reestablishing our local ties and making sure that our critical infrastructure is maintained. To do so we must stop the folly of war. It is critical for our local and national well being to listen to the councils for peace.

Knitted by Lorraine Merwin from Johnson City, Tennessee

Flag Packs during the Debate!

Living between Troy and Boston I forgot all the knitted flag packs for the workshop at The Change You Want to See last Saturday in Brooklyn. But thanks to everyone who came out! I designed these flag packs with the knitPro pattern (below) to enclose the knitted helmet liners for each Senator. The gallery exhibit in Florida comes down one day before the 2008 Election so the helmet liners will realistically be mailed after we vote, but before the Senate goes on their winter recess.

A Weekend of Arts in Action

People local to New York City - I will be at The Change You Want to See Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn a week from today, Oct 11 from NOON-TWO as part of the event Vote Early Vote Often, A Weekend of Arts in Action.

The Change You Want to See Gallery is on 84 Havemeyer St, in Brooklyn.

This will begin with a brief overview of microRevolt projects and then a craft circle - so bring whatever you're working on!

Afterwards I want to go to this exhibit if people want to come along:
SIGNS OF CHANGE: SOCIAL MOVEMENT CULTURES 1960s TO NOW
Curated by Dara Greenwald and Josh MacPhee

Stitch for Senate exhibited in Florida

Last week I installed the Stitch for Senate helmet liners at Ritter Art Gallery in Boca Raton at Florida Atlantic University, where Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton stumped for Barack Obama just four days before.

The helmets are exhibited in the seating chart of the Senate Chamber. The exhibit opens on Sept 5, 2008 and will close just three days before Election Day on November 4th, when they will be post-mailed to the Senators offices.

Many many thanks to the contributing knitters who made helmet liners for the project:

Stitch for Senate Helmet #100:Knitted for Senator Voinovich

As a lifelong Ohioan who is also a liberal, I haven't agreed with Senator Voinovich about a great many things. However, I do believe that he cares about this country, even though he expresses this caring differently than I do. It is my fervent hope that this project might help him see that the best way to care about this country and all its people right now is to help end this war and bring our soldiers home.

- Heather Pristash, knitting in Bowling Green, OH