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'Pussyhats' Lead To Pink Yarn Shortage After Packed Chicago Women's March

By Kelly Bauer | January 23, 2017 12:05pm
 Knitters are making Pussyhats in every color of pink.
Knitters are making Pussyhats in every color of pink.
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DNAinfo/Patty Wetli

CHICAGO — Pink yarn is running low at craft stores after thousands of women created "pussyhats" for the weekend Women's March.

The hats, which were handmade and knitted to vaguely resemble cat ears, were popular headgear at Women's March protests across the world — including the Women's March on Chicago, which had an estimated 250,000 attendees.

Many made their hats with pink yarn, which the Pussyhat Project recommended because "pink is considered a very female color representing caring, compassion and love — all qualities that have been derided as weak but are actually STRONG," according to its website.

Knit 1, 3856 N. Lincoln Ave., reported running low on pink yarn for pussyhats as early as December. But even Michaels stores were running low on the light pink yarn that was popular with pussyhat knitters, several managers from around the city said.

 Knit 1 employee Abby Dillion models her Pussyhat.
Knit 1 employee Abby Dillion models her Pussyhat.
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DNAinfo/Patty Wetli

"We have been" selling a lot of pink yarn, said one Michaels manager. "A good amount of people have come in to make that."

Chicagoans gathered together before the march to knit the hats, with some even making and sending extra pussyhats to protesters across the country.

The Pussyhat Project is encouraging people to continue making and wearing the hats.