A community art project conceived by Chicago textile artist Lindsay Obermeier, the project revolves around a Chinese proverb – “An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.”

Dina Demasi and Julie Johnson, with the arts group Springboard to Learning, visited art teacher Linda Goedeker’s classes to kick off this year’s activities. Demasi explained to the students about visible and invisible connections – with their families, friends and others. She also explained the differences among two, three and four dimensional art projects, adding that time is the fourth dimension in this project.

The visitors then passed out large plastic zipper bags, each containing a skein of yarn, a hook and a circular plastic loom. Following the adults’ instructions, the students slowly began to weave hats.

Later this month, students will learn how to document their work with photographs and journal entries. A choreographer will visit the school in October to teach steps for the Dance of Hats. After that, all of the hats will be attached to the actual red thread, which is a half-mile long. In November, students involved in the project will gather in Forest Park to execute the dance while wearing their respective hats. Finally, Brown students will choose a local charity or hospital to donate the hats - those assisting cancer patients, a burn unit, foster children, infants and toddlers, the elderly and the homeless.