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1,400 KNITTED MOTIFS TO BRING COLOUR TO BODRUM’S STREETS

17.10.2026

The first stage of “Bodrum Women Knit for the Streets”, a project run by Bodrum Municipality’s Women and Family Services Directorate in collaboration with Atölye Mai, has been completed. After a month of knitting colourful motifs, participants gathered in Atölye Mai’s garden for a “Knitting and Picnic” event to begin joining the 1,400 motifs together. The project aims to showcase women’s skills and contribute creatively to Bodrum’s urban environment. Throughout the month, participants knitted motifs at workshops held at the Nazım Hikmet Library in Umurca Park, at home and alongside neighbours. The initiative has brought together individual efforts in a collective project promoting women’s solidarity and shared creativity.

At the gathering, the women joined the motifs into rows of 11, then connected the rows to create two-row sections containing 22 motifs, ready to be assembled into decorative shade structures. Work to join all 1,400 motifs will continue in the coming days. Alongside the knitting, participants enjoyed a picnic, music and games. Keziban Gözde Çakıroğlu, Director of Women and Family Services, also attended with members of her team. The project is designed to provide an alternative to the awnings and tarpaulins commonly used in shopping streets across the district, combining women’s craftsmanship with art and urban design. The knitted motifs will be assembled into decorative shade structures for public streets. The first installation is planned for Sevgi Yolu in Turgutreis, initially covering a stretch of 50 metres, with the aim of extending it to 150 metres in a later phase. A prototype is being tested for durability under different conditions. The shade structures are intended for use during the summer months and will be stored during winter to allow them to be reused over several years.

Mayor Mandalinci previously met participants at the project’s first workshop session. He said the initiative supports women’s participation in production while bringing a distinctive feature to Bodrum’s streets. He thanked the participating women, the Women and Family Services Directorate and Atölye Mai, adding that the municipality would continue to support projects that bring people together through shared work and strengthen community solidarity. Once all 1,400 motifs have been joined, the project will move into its second stage. Bodrum Municipality will announce further details in the coming days.