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Beads Along a Thread: Beaded Poles, Loop Stitch Bollards, Eye of the Needle Poles
Beads Along a Thread: Beaded Poles, Loop Stitch Bollards, Eye of the Needle Poles
Beads Along a Thread: Beaded Poles, Loop Stitch Bollards, Eye of the Needle Poles

Beads Along a Thread: Beaded Poles, Loop Stitch Bollards, Eye of the Needle Poles

Artist Claudia Fitch
MediumEye of the Needle Caps: cast fiber glass with industrial finish (TNEMEC)
Dimensions"Eye of the Needle Pole Caps": 66"H x 21"W x 3"D (base dimensions vary according to pole size)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineSeattle Department of Transportation 1 % for Art funds (funds were originally transferred from Sound Transit)
Description: Claudia Fitch began by focusing on the poles that hold the wires that support the streetcar’s power lines. Fitch views the continuous power wire as a thread that links many neighborhoods on the streetcar line. From there, she drew on metaphors related to sewing, needlework and beadwork. Streetcar poles are capped with the “eye of the needle” or, to mark stations, with “beaded poles” – large-scale, abstract bead shapes that are unique to each station.   
 
Location: Sixteen Eye of the Needle Poles are located in five different locations:  Six are located along the north side of East Yesler Way between 12th Avenue South and 14th Avenue South, three are near Broadway and Spruce Street, Two are near Broadway and Madison Street, two are near Broadway and Pine Street, and three are near Broadway and East Howell Street.