Friday, 27 December 2013

A New Year, a new challenge

Botanic Garden Project - photo credit Louise Stubbings


Throughout most of 2013 I led a team of wonderful Cam City WI ladies to create a beautiful display in the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens for the Festival of Ideas (blogged here). I enjoyed the project immensely as it was an opportunity for me to play with crochet in a way that wearables don't allow, to experiment with stitches for effect and purpose. Seeing the team grow in skill (from complete beginners in many cases), grow in confidence, form new and enduring friendships and produce some of the most amazing crochet art I have ever seen was my highlight of 2013.

This work has led to another exciting opportunity. I have been asked to lead a team to create large screens to be displayed in a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show. The garden designer, Paul Herrington, has a wonderful vision for the screens and I am bubbling full of ideas to explore with the team. We are working with the charity Squeaky Gate to create a garden to create awareness of Mental Health issues.

We are looking for more volunteer team members. You'll need to be able to get yourself to the outskirts of Cambridge (near the Science Park) every Wednesday morning from 9am until noon between January and the start of May. We can take everyone from complete beginners through to experienced crocheters and, whatever level you start at, you can be sure that your skills will improve over the months.

If you can't commit to the Wednesday mornings but are local and would like to be involved then let me know as I'm hoping to organise some evening crochet bees too (We have a lot of crochet to create! About 20 sq m!)

I am also looking for any yarn companies who might read my blog to get in touch if you would like to sponsor us by donating yarn for the project and for bloggers and press coverage nearer the time to shout from the roof tops about the project.

Please leave a comment with a way to get in touch with you if you'd like more details about the project.

(With many thanks to Willow Wanderer for putting Paul and I in touch.)


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16 comments:

  1. Stefanie Thorne27 December 2013 at 18:33

    Hi Joanne, love to be involved but in office in Wednesdays...if you want any contributions from Ipswich let me know though! Love Stef

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  2. Fi27 December 2013 at 19:19

    That sounds incredibly exciting. I will be at work on Wednesday mornings, but as I am local to Cambridge I will keep an eye out for evening crochet bees - count me in :-). Fi

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  3. Pastafrolla27 December 2013 at 21:21

    Hi, I would love to take part to this project but unfortunately I work on Wednesdays so hope to be able to take part to the evening sessions. I live in Cambridge. Thank you and good luck with this!

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  4. Kathryn27 December 2013 at 23:44

    Hi Joanne, I cannot commit to Wednesdays but would love to take part! I am not far from you, near Ely x

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  5. dottycookie28 December 2013 at 00:04

    Would love to join in - am just south of Cambridge but busy working at school on Wednesday mornings. Will keep my eyes open for any crochet bees you organise!

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  6. Scented Sweetpeas30 December 2013 at 10:08

    I saw your wonderful creations at the Botanic gardens, a really lovely idea. Let me have some more info on your Wednesday morning meet ups and I will see if I can help some how, my cousin used to go to Squeaky Gate and found it a wonderful place.

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  7. Unknown30 December 2013 at 17:35

    I would love to be involved, I do work Wednesday mornings, but would be interested in evenings. I relearnt to crochet just over a year ago, and have loved designing and making novelties like a fried breakfast from crochet. Good luck, and please let me know when sessions are happening x

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  8. Mrs. Micawber31 December 2013 at 03:41

    Would love to join in but alas the gulf between us is too wide and deep for that! Congratulations on being asked to lead such a very worthy project.

    A Happy New Year to you and your dear family. I'm looking forward to seeing what you make in 2014! :)

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  9. Heather31 December 2013 at 10:38

    Hi Joanne, what a great project to be involved with. I live in South Cambridgeshire and am free on Wednesday mornings so would love to join in. I am an experienced crocheter! I will e-mail you directly with my contact details.

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  10. Terry2 January 2014 at 18:53

    Hi joanne. Sounds like a great project. Im a non crocheter but learning is on my list of new years resolutions. I live near Cambridge and am available on Wednesday mornings. Id love to be involved if you will have me. Terr. Terrybaker872@gmail.com

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  11. Not So Granny2 January 2014 at 19:30

    Thank you so much for all the support. I have (hopefully) got in touch with everyone about the wednesday sessions and will organise an evening crochet bee and contact the rest of you about that in February (once we have yarn and the design a little more pinned down)

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  12. tree8 January 2014 at 17:22

    I would love to help! I can only do evenings or weekends though.

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  13. tree8 January 2014 at 17:23

    I would love to help! I can only do evenings or weekends though.

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  14. Swarbrick15 January 2014 at 16:48

    I'd love to get involved. I've been crocheting for 40 years or so! I should be able to make most Wednesday mornings.

    Swarbrick (Ravelry)

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  15. Claire15 January 2014 at 22:38

    Hi Jo

    I did your crochet cables course at the sheep shop and found your blog through Sarah's newsletter. I would also love to help, though it would have to be evenings/weekends for me too. Would count myself as beginner+ (?!) but happy to try and teach myself any new stitches etc.
    Claire

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  16. Hannah17 January 2014 at 01:50

    Hello, I'm keen and free Wednesday mornings, but I know only the basics of crocheting and knitting. (nazumitherat@gmail.com)
    Hannah

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