Good Morning,
Today is May 5 and in Canada it is a day of remembrance for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People. I borrowed an explanation from Google (see below). However for a more personal view of the day I recommend looking at Vanessa Lee Brousseau who is still looking for her sister Pamela 22 years later. She has also started a journey across Canada to raise awareness. https://www.facebook.com/share/1Eb3zGe9L7/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Google info:
Red Dress Day, or the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+), is observed on May 5th in Canada to honor victims and raise awareness of the disproportionate violence they face. Initiated by artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project, the day encourages wearing red to represent the missing. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Details About Red Dress Day & MMIWG2S+:
- Purpose: To commemorate missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals and to call for justice.
- Symbolism: Red dresses are hung in public spaces, trees, and windows to represent the violence and the missing.
- The Crisis: In Canada, Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to go missing or be murdered than non-Indigenous women.
- Origin: The day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s "REDress Project" in 2010, which highlighted the issue through art installations.
- Action: The day is a call to action to address the 231 recommendations from the 2019 National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which described the crisis as a genocide. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
In case you are wondering what this has to do with tatting I’m inviting you to reflect on these missing women, girls and 2 spirited people as you tat the below pattern. I have modelled the pattern after Vanessa’s design and I encourage you to read about her experience.
Red Dress for MMIWG2S+
Based on Vanessa Lee Brousseau’s design
Terms
R ring
C chains
MR mock ring
RW reverse work
SLT shoe lace trick
P picot, most need to be big enough to add a bead
+ join
Materials
red tatting thread
needle or shuttle
beads (this can reflect the size of thread you used, larger thread means larger beads)
Wind 1 yard of red thread on shuttle
normal tail for needle Tatter’s
R 4 p 4 p 4 p 4
C 6
MR 2 p 2
C 10. Add bead to 1st P then lock join to picot
C 8
MR 2 P 2 P 2 P 2
C RW slt 3 P 3
R 2 +(add bead to 3rd picot of MR then join) 2 p 2 p 2
C 3 +(add bead to 2nd p of 1st ring then join) 3
R 2 +(add bead to 3rd p of previous ring then join) 2 p 2 p 2
C 3 p 3
R 2 +(add bead to 3rd p of previous ring then join) 2 p 2 p 2
C RW slt 8 +(add bead to 3rd p of 1st ring then join)
C 10
MR 2 p 2
C 6 join to beginning
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| Red Dress- Tatted part |
To add beads either use a beading needle or a dental floss and the left over red thread. Start at the middle picot of the first and either tie or join to this picot. Consider adding a bead to the picot as you make the join. Then add 7 beads then 1 larger bead then 7 more (if you only have one size of bead then just add 15 beads) then join to the middle p of the 2nd ring. Next add 9 beads, then 1 larger bead then 9 more beads (19 beads) then join to the middle p of the 2nd ring. Read the 7 beads then 1 large bead then 7 more and end by joining to the middle p of the 4th ring.
If you do not have beads then you can also add a fringe to the bottom by pulling up a look of thread through the picot and passing the tails though the loop. When you take up the slack you will have added the beginning of a fringe.
I invite you to play with the beads on this pattern but to be mindful of the meaning of the Red Dress. If you cannot be respectful of the meaning please do not participate. In addition unless please don't sell the Red dresses you make from this pattern.
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| To the left is the beaded version described in the pattern In the middle is a variation of beads used The Red Dress to the right has the fringe version plus a bead added to the middle of the first ring. |
