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"Voluntary Arts Week Set To Liven Up England’s Windows; 12-20 May" (08.05.12)

From 12 – 20 May 2012, we’re asking everyone to display something in their window that celebrates the art or craft form they love, as part of the ‘What’s in your Window?’ campaign. It could be a painting, piece of knitting, instrument, photo of them singing – or just a simple sketch.
Arts and crafts groups could contact their local community centre, library or shop to see if they can display work in their window. We’re also encouraging groups to think outside of the box during Voluntary Arts Week, by putting on an event to encourage others to join them.

They could:
· run a taster session for new people to have a go
· hold an open rehearsal to show what they’re up to
· take their art/craft form out into the public domain (shopping centre, bus station etc)

Click here for all further details

Yorkshire Post: "The Lions Are Advancing... And They’ve Got Knitting Needles" (02.05.12)

Click here for news of Shauna Richardson's crocheted lions currently bing exhibited at Chatsworth House

BBC "London 2012: Chatsworth House Displays Woolly Lions" (02.05.12)

Click here to watch video from BBC Derby News

Anglotopia.net: "Brit Knits: An Amazing Queen Stamp From The Illusion Knitters!" (01.05.12)

Click here for UKHKA's Knitting Artist Steve Plummer's latest project and watch the video

This is Hampshire: "Knitting Fans' Antics Make A Good Yarn" (29.04.12)

Click here for news of yarnbombing in Basingstoke courtesy of the Knitting Ne’er Do Wells

Click here for images below (20.04.12)

Bristol Yarnbombing: "Expressions Festival of Creativity April 18-22: Knitiffi Strike Again" (27.04.12)

A knitted hat worn by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, woollen pyjamas worn by Cary Grant and a knitted lifeguard’s outfit worn by John Cabot were on display in Bristol in April. The costumes were the latest creation from Knitiffi, a covert knitting group made up of staff and service users from Bristol-based charity Milestones Trust. They were on display at the Expressions Festival of Creativity in the city. Statues across Bristol, including Brunel, John Cabot and William Penn were decorated with clothes and accessories as part of the group’s latest undercover project. Pictures of the statues wearing their new woolly outfits were then displayed at the exhibition alongside the actual costumes. The woolly wears formed part of the groups’ installation at the Expressions Festival of Creativity, an annual event organised by Milestones Trust, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities and mental health needs in the South West.

Knittifi created a Knittifi Museum for the event, a retrospective of their work to date, including photos of a knitted caravan and boat previously decorated by the group. The museum also included a ‘chill-out’ space complete with knitted sofa, lamp shades and footstools.

Click here for more information about the Expressions Art Project

Click here for yarnbomb blog

South Wales: "Knitting Pupils Are Red Hot!" (25.04.12)

Click here to read about an enthusiastic Craft Yarn Club in Penyrheol

Knitting And Crochet Blog Week: 23-29th April (23.04.12)

Click here for details of how to take part

This is Gloucestershire: "Woolly Ideas Bring A Pop Of Colour To Posts" (21.04.12)

Click here for news of 3 week Woolly Festival at Winchcombe, including workshop with UKHKA Knitting Artists Rachel John

Click here for schedule of events

Hampshire: "Knitting Ne’er Do Wells Are Filmed During Latest Yarnbomb Exploit" (20.04.12)

In front of the lens once again, the Knitting Ne’er Do Wells focused their sights on Basingstoke on Friday 20th April leaving behind a mass of woolly creativeness. Filming for a documentary titled "New Age Stamp Collectors", they were accompanied by an up and coming comedian Pete Otway, who was taught to knit only a few weeks prior by Kath “Knitchings” using Skype.

Mr Stitch, a founder member of the Knitting Ne’er Do Wells: "Basingstoke has a vast collection of public art and we found ourselves spoilt for choice. Two police offices were also interested by the goings on, but left the scene with a smile on their faces."

Click here for details of a yarnbomb near you, or add your own on the Yarn Storm Knitwork

Olympic Knitting Project Essex: "Family Knit-Together Launch Session" (20.04.12)

Click on image to read how you can take part in this Essex Knit-Together

Click here for write up of the first of a series of family workshops being held to knit decorations for Hockley Wild Woods Festival and the Olympic Torch Relay event in Chelmsford

Tamworth, Staffordshire: "Christopher Pincher Backs British Legion Beanie Knitters" (18.04.12)

Click here for news of an MP with an interest in knitting - the beanie pattern is free on request

Penarth Wales: "Penarth School's Knitting Club Raises £125 For Velindre" (17.04.12)

Click here for news of a thriving Craft Club at a Cardiff Primary School

Derbyshire: Local Craft Club Teaches Visitors To Knit At Spring Fair (16.04.12)

A Dale Diva learns to knit	Learning to finger knit	Learning to finger knit	Matt Black, Derbyshire Poet Laureate, wears his knitted breakfast hat

The sun may not have been out, but this didn't stop people's enthusiasm to find out everything there was to learn about wool at Wirksworth's Eco Centre Spring Fair over the weekend. Local Craft Club organiser Heather Reeve helped to teach knitting and finger knitting and there were further demonstrations of spinning, weaving and felt making.

Northern Echo: "Note Fails To Unravel Knitting Mystery" (14.04.12)

Click here for latest on identity of Salburn Pier yarnbombers

Cotswold Journal: "Celebration of our wool heritage" (14.04.12)

Click here for news of a three-week celebration of Winchcombe’s wool heritage

Coventry Telegraph: "Fundraisers Attempt To Break Knitting Record At Coventry Cathedral" (13.04.12)

Click here to read whether the Guinness Record was achieved

Derbyshire: Eco Centre Spring Fair And Derbyshire Wool Weekend 14-15 April" (12.04.12)

Click on poster to view full size	Image ©BBC

Derbyshire Eco Centre (Wirksworth) is holding a Spring Fair this weekend to celebrate wool and knitting with exhibitions from local Craft Clubs, Craft stalls even a flock of sheep as well as lots of live entertainment. Taking pride of place is a dress knitted by UK Hand Knitting Association's 'Knitting Graduate' Jennifer Jarvis which was made from nettles.

Click here to see video about The Nettle Dress

BBC News: " Knitathon For Myton Charity Appeal At Coventry Cathedral" (11.04.12)

Click here to read of a second attempt at Guinness World Record for most knitters knitting together and raising money for local Myton Hospice

More About Yarnbombing: " Join A Social Networking Forum For Guerilla Knitters" (02.04.12)

The Yarn Storming Knitwork is a social networking forum for guerilla knitters and is run by volunteers. They have had a massive response so far from guerilla knitters all over the UK, with some as far afield as Iceland, Israel and Australia. It's very easy to join and share details of your own yarnbombing.

Click here The Yarn Storming Knitwork welcomes all guerilla/grafiti/yarnbombing knitters

Wales Online: "Knitwear Guru Brandon Mably On Teaching Killers To Knit" (01.04.12)

Click here to read about teaching knitting in prisons: "All knitting classes have waiting lists."

Birmingham: Knit 2 Together At Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (30.03.12)

Stitches and Hos, a Birmingham based knitting grafitti group, need your help in achieving their most ambitious project to date! To celebrate the arrival and stay of the Jamaican and American Olympic teams in Brum for London 2012, they plan to cover the lower columns on the exterior of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery with knit graffiti. Six colours (red, blue, white, yellow, green and black) will be used to create the piece. The colours are used on both of the teams’ national flags and are also the same colours used in the Olympic rings logo. The project has been chosen to be part of Kalaboration, celebrating both the forthcoming 2012 Olympics and the 50th Anniversary of Jamaican Independence. The knitting will be in place from the beginning of the Games to the end of September.

Click here for further information and detail"s of how you can help

Birmingham Mail:"Ambitious Olympic Project To Cover Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery In Knit Graffiti" (03.04.12)

Click here for article

Penrith Cumbria: "FLOCK Exhibition Launch, 11th April" (29.03.12)

"We'd love everyone who has made a contribution to the project to join us for a very special launch event at Rheged on Wednesday 11 April at 12pm. Alongside the installation of over 4000 sheep created by participants from across Cumbria, the UK and beyond, we'll also be premiering HEFTED, a new film produced by Dreamtime Films. The film is a companion piece to the flock project, telling the story of how people (as well as sheep) feel a sense of belonging to their landscape."

The installation will be on display from 10 - 19 April 2012 at the Rheged Centre in Cumbria

Click here for more details

BBC Tyne & Wear: "Knitting For Queen's Jubilee Exhibition In Pictures" (29.03.12)

Click here to see photos from the Materialistics, a South Tynside knitting group. The exhibition at The Customs House in South Shields has been visited by the Queen as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations

Knit Expo, Launch: "For The Record; Conversations Over Knitting" At Sewing For Pleasure NEC (24.03.12)

Knitting squares 'For The Record'	Filming knitters	A note from Angie	Knitted wall of thoughts

Launched at Sewing for Pleasure, NEC Birmingham - 22-25 March 2012 - R&B interactive created a wall of hand-knitting and knitter's thoughts; to record a 'made census’ of hand-knitters’ work, resulting in a knitted structure, a canvas and a record.

Click here to find put more about how you can take part

London: "Celebrate the Olympics By Helping to Knit Giant Patchwork City For 'Babel,' A New Show." (22.03.12)

Babel is a spectacular outdoor show taking place this May 2012 and will feature a cast of up to 500. The story is loosley based on The Tower of Babel - it will be performed at Caledonian Park Islington where the history of lives in both the loacal area and greater London will be woven into the story, in a celebration of our community and place.

Join our chorus of knitters - Anyone who can knit can get involved! All knitters will receive a free ticket to the preview.

Knit a Square
We want to collect 12x12" squares knitted by you!

Click here for all further details

BBC Wales: "Knitter's 5,000 hats for soldiers serving in Afghanistan" (22.03.12)

Click here for full story

Knit Expo, In Partnership With UK Hand Knitting Association Launch: "For The Record; Conversations Over Knitting"

This new style 'Learn To Knit' Project will be available for everyone to take part in at NEC Sewing For Pleasure 22-25 March

We begin with a huge blank canvas and fill it with your knitted block and your words. We will create a wall of hand-knitting and knitter's thoughts; to record a 'made census' of hand-knitters' work, resulting in a structure or record

We invite you to knit a bias block in cream yarn

Belinda and Ruth: "We will create a wall of hand-knitting and knitter's thoughts; to record a 'made census' of hand-knitters' work, resulting in a structure or record. We invite you to write what you are thinking as you are knitting".

Click here for further information of how you can take part

Coventry: "Raise Cash For A Myton Nurse Appeal And Break A World Record At The Same Time" (15.03.12)

Click on image to read details

ICHF Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts, SECC Glasgow (8-11 March)

Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon learns how to knit with the help of a UK Hand Knitting Association volunteer

Click here for article in The Scottish Sun "Nicola Sturgeon Is Real Natty Knitter"

Click here for article on the BBC

LeftLion: "Craft Club - Cimema Knit Along" (14.03.12)

Click here to read about Craft Club and their new film being shown in Nottingham on 17.03.12

The Northern Echo: "Here Comes The Sun - In Saltburn" (13.03.12)

Click here for latest news about the Saltburn yarnbombing and the boost it has given to local trade

The Guardian: "Knit A Blanket For A Rescue Dog" (13.03.12)

Click here for charity pattern for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, designed by Lauren O'Farrell

The Northern Echo: "Who Darn It? Mystery Of Knitted Figures On Saltburn Pier" (10.03.12)

Click here for clues as to the identity of the mystery yarnbomber

BBC: "London 2012: Mystery Over Phantom Salburn Pier Knitter" (07.03.12)

Click here to see video of Saltburn yarnbombing

The Sun: "It’s A Stich-Up: ‘Yarnbomber’ Attaches 150ft Long Olympics Scarf To Pier" (07.03.12)

Click here for news of latest yarnbombing, in Saltburn, North Yorkshire - great pics!

Newton Ferrers, Devon: "Wave Of Knitting Fever Hits Devon Villages" (01.03.12)

Village communities from the River Yealm in South Devon are knitting squares and triangles night and day with the aim of making 1.5 miles of “flags” by Saturday, 7th April. Over 100 men, women and children of the riverside communities of Noss Mayo, Newton Ferrers and their adjacent villages, together with sympathetic local businesses are being sponsored to raise funds to repair the 87 year old Womens’ Institute Community Hall at Newton Ferrers, which is the village’s hub for community activities. Knit-a-thon supporters range from school children to men and women in their 80s and the Knit-a-thon is proving to be a great community activity, with enthusiastic support from the local and adjacent Women’s Institute branches.

Newton Ferrers WI Member, Brenda Merritt said: "It's heartening to have so much enthusiastic support for our Knit-a-thon. When we have completed our Knit-a-thon, our bunting will be reworked into blankets to go to “Operation Sunshine” a charity that supports the rural poor in Africa”.

The handknitted flags of triangles and squares will be stretched across the river between the villages at low water on 7th April 2012. Hundreds of knitters and spectators are expected to carry the bunting through the village of Noss Mayo, across the bed of the river and through the village of Newton Ferrers to its final destination at the community hall.“Remembering that the tide waits for no man, we will be racing against time to complete the journey between the two villages, before the tide comes in and the flags and our feet get wet… apart from the Yealm community, we want lots of visitors to help us and to join the fun at lunchtime on the Saturday of Easter weekend”;says Janet Cattanach, President of Newton and Noss W.I.

Click here if you live in Devon and would like more details about how you can support this project

Dover: "Gold Medal Knitting, Local Knitters Reach The Half-Mile Mark" (01.03.12)

Kent knitters are asked to help knit a mile of bunting:

"Half of a mile of bunting has been made by over 100 dedicated local knitters in preparation for the arrival of the Olympic torch on the 18 July 2012. Now there is half a mile to go and DAD is calling on you to help knit the last leg of the bunting, if you are interested in crafts, knitting or would like to get involved in something more creative and meet new people you can join the team by attending a knitting workshop or join Knit & Knitter sessions on Mondays between 2pm and 4pm at Amina’s Café, 22 Biggin Street Dover

If you are not a knitter but would like to support the project you can donate wool or unneeded woolen garments for felt-making; you can also knit from home, by following the patterns available to download from DAD’s website."

Click here for all further details

London: "Craft Club Goes To The Cinema" (29.02.12)

Craft Club’s knitted cinema event showing their specially commissioned short animated film that explores the wild and wonderful world of knitting is now showing in local cinemas. Come along, be inspired and have a go yourself with the help of skilled crafters.

Volunteers are needed at the following events to help out with teaching finger knitting:
Customs House, South Shields. Saturday 10th March 2012 . 12.00-13.00
Broadway Cinema, Nottingham. Saturday 17th March 2012. 12.00-13.00

Click here for more infomation about volunteering
Click here read about Craft Club's first cinema event in Stratford, London

Bristol: "Expressions Festival of Creativity April 18-22"

As part of the Expressions Festival of Creativity, covert knitting group Knitiffi will be brightening the streets of Bristol once again. The group, who have in the past covered both a caravan and a boat in knitting, will this year be knitting accessories for the statues of Bristol.

Click here for details of the exhibition, knitting activities and to read more about Bristol's Yarnbombing Knitting Group

Daily Mail: "Caption Competition: Is Ed Balls Hoping To Knit For Victory?" (27.02.12)

Click here for pic of Ed Balls knitting

BBC: "York Church Knits Roof To Raise Money" (26.02.12)

Click here to see if you can help restore St Olave's Church's roof after thieves stole the lead

The Guardian: "Knitting Offers Welcome Relief From Fashion Lust" (22.02.12)

Click here for article written by someone who believes in the empowering quality of knitting

Cornwall Life: "Graffiti Grannys - West Cornwall's Knitting Group" (22.02.12)

Click here to learn more about the infamous Graffiti Grannys

Surrey: Knitting Ne'er Do-Wells Promote 'unRavel' Through Yarnbombing And QR Codes (22.02.12)

The 'Knitting Ne'er Do Wells' were commissioned by Unravel to advertise their Knitting Show(Sat-Sun 25-26th Feb, Farnham Maltings). by yarnbombing Farnham. They attached QR codes to all the pieces so that anyone with the right phone technology could scan them and be taken directly to the site. As far as we know, this is the first time QR codes have been used in Yarnbombing.

Click here for more details about Knitting Ne'er Do Wells

Surrey Life: "Knitted Farnham: Unravelling A Woolley Tale Of Yarnbombing" (22.02.12)

Click here to read about yarnbombing in Farnham

Wiltshire: "Bradford on Avon Pub Seeks More Knitters To Join Hospice Fundraiser" (21.02.12)

Click here for article and to find out how you can help

London 24: "Yarn Bombing’ Gives Trees In Hackney’s Mare Street A Woolly Make-Over" (20.02.12)

Click here to read about the event and view photos

Sunday Express: "Knitting's New-Found Popularity Boosts Firms" (19.02.12)

Click here for new statistics about knitting and thoughts on the current popularity of knitting from Chris Kingdom of the UK Hand Knitting Association Press Office

Surrey: "Don't Miss 'unravel' At Farnham Maltings 25-26 February"

click on image to view full size

Farnham Maltings’ annual festival of knitting, unravel, will return for its fourth year on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 February 2012. An unrivalled success since it began in 2009, the festival has fast become one of the leading events for knitting and crochet enthusiasts across the country. 

As with previous years visitors will be able to hear a range of talks, see demonstrations, take part in workshops, purchase yarn, buttons and other accessories, join in the sock circle, and even enter their favourite item into the ‘Best in Show’ competition. unravel has this year commissioned three yarn installations which will be on display both inside and outside the building. As before real sheep will welcome visitors at the entrance to the festival. Always popular with the children, the sheep will visit unravel from their local home at Well Manor Farm. The Maltings will once again be transformed into a woollen wonderland with a thriving marketplace of exhibitors from the local area and across the country. Following the success of last year’s first ever unravel fashion show, the catwalk will return for one day to enable emerging and established designers to present their creations.

A “Stuffing Station”, part of the Cultural Olympiad’s Woolsack Project, will be at unravel 2012. Knitters around the country have been knitting cushions from British wool to give to the athletes attending the 2012 games.

Click here for all further details of exhibitors, workshops and how to book a ticket

Farnborough, Hampshire: "Loving Hands Group Knit For Charity at 'Make It' 24-26 February"

“The Make It Craft Show is taking place 24-26 February at FIVE in Farnborough including a wide range of crafts such as knitting, stitching, paper craft, card making, candle making and many more! As part of the show, we are secluding an area for charity knitting to take place. This will allow our visitors to practice some new techniques they have learnt and make some small knitted items to go to charity or be sold for charity. In order to do this, we need donations of wool/yarn, patterns and knitting needles. These can be anything ranging from brand new to scraps – everything will be of great help!

Click here if you can help/wish to donate

Spalding Guardian: "Spalding Knitters In-Spire-d To Recreate Parish Church" (17.02.12)

Click here to read how Unique Knitting have knitted church buildings using local Lincoln Longwool sheep

Halifax Courier: "Yarn Bombs Away, All For Age UK!" (13.02.12)

Click here for news of the second Age UK Bobble Day

Isle Of Wight News: "UK's First Ever Yarnstorming Bootcamp Takes Place In Ventnor" (09.02.12)

Click here for more information

South Wales: "Charity Efforts Leave Knitting Pals In Stitches" (08.02.12)

Click here for news of a 24 hour knitting for charity, great images of our younger knitters

Daily Mirror: "Art Project Creates Giant Knitted Walk-Through Aquarium" (04.02.12)

Click here for review of several knitted installations including Above and Below The Waves at Bluewater ICHF Show this weekend

Flock Update: "Join The Flock" (02.02.12)

Several thousand people have so far participated in the Flock public art project, co-ordinated by arts development agency Eden Arts, in Penrith. Schools, groups, organisations and individuals from throughout the UK (and beyond!) have taken part in the project and now Eden Arts is looking for many more people to get involved to help reach the project target of 5000 sheep!

Not only does FLOCK encourage creativity and collaboration, it also aims to help raise awareness of the wool and sheep farming industry. Wool now accounts for only two per cent of the world’s fibre production despite being a remarkable, sustainable fibre and many people are unaware of the difference between real wool and its synthetic counterparts.

The first large scale FLOCK installation will go on display at Rheged Centre from 10th-19th April and participants have until 6th April to hand in their creations for them to be included.

Click here to read full Press Release on our Community Projects page

Click here to find out how you can take part

Age UK Bobble Day: Friday 10th February

Launched last year in response to the needless deaths of more than 200 older people per day in the cold weather, Bobble day is back.

Bobble day is Friday 10th February the time to get your woollies out, make a donation and wear something warm and wonderful. As part of our campaign it would be a great help if you could promote bobble day in anyway you can.

There is a number of ways to get involved in Bobble day you can dig out your favourite or silliest woolly and donate £2 to wear it. Be a knit wit or you can pop into your local Age UK shop to brighten up your outfit with a colourful bobble.

The Independent: "Rising Textile Star: Deryn Relph" (27.01.12)

Click here for latest from UKHKA Knitted Textile Award Winner 2010

MailOnline: "Passing On Your Purls Of Wisdom? Katherine Heigl Stocks Up On Yarn At A Knitting Shop" (27.01.12)

Click here for news of a new celebrity knitter (Grey’s Anatomy)

The Metro: "Zoo Cleaner Knits Woollen Dolls Based On Colleagues" (26.01.12)

Click here to read more

Bradford Telegraph & Argus: "Eastburn School To Launch Knitting Club" (24.01.12)

Click here for news of a new Primary School Knitting Club in Keighley, Yorkshire

BBC Sport: "Rachel Cawthorn Prepares For Olympics With Knitting And Harry Potter" (20.01.12)

Click here to watch video of Rachel in action with her crochet hook

Matlock Mercury: "Charity Stitch-Up" (19.01.12)

Click here to find out how you can knit and help raise funds for Crohns and Colitis UK in Derbyshire

The Irish Times: " KNITTING: Stitching Has Found Its Time" (14.01.12)

Click here to read more about knitting in Ireland and famous Irish Knitwear designers

Internet Press Release: "KnitSpeaker Iphone App Combines the Ancient Craft of Knitting with New Mobile Technology" (14.01.12)

Click here to learn how a new app can help you with a stricky knitting pattern

Cambridge News: "Don't Be Woolly About Being Part Of The Games" (13.01.12)

Click here for news of a Wooksack 'stuffing event' in Cambridge on Sunday 12th February

Get Surrey: "Woman Casts Off For War Horse Knitting Role" (12.01.12)

Click here if you'd like to know how you get to knit for films

Gateshead: "Woolsack Take Sheep to School" (12.01.12)

Click here to read how South Street Primary School learned about wool, sheep, felting and how to make a Woolsack cushion

BBC: "'Guerrilla knitters' Head To New York With Their Art" (09.01.12)

Click here to read how Yarn Bombers from Cornwall have been invited to exhibit at Vogue Knitting Live

This Is Lancashire: "Knitting Project To Cover Clitheroe Castle" (07.01.12)

Click here to learn how you could be involved in 'yarn bombing' a historical building

Cumbria: "Guerilla Knit in: Yarnstorm Rheged! Saturday 14th January" (05.01.12)

Image courtesy of Yarn Corner	Image courtesy of Yarn Corner

As part of the celebrations for the opening of WOW: 'Wonder Of Wool And The Art Of Knit And Stitch' the Rheged Centre is throwing open its doors to guerilla knitters from every corner.

Click here for more details

Fife Today: "Close-Knit Pals’ Woolly Thinking..." (05.01.12)

Click here for news of new wool shop just opened called 'Woolly Brew', in Pittenweem

Northumberland News: "Exhibition: Once Upon a Time at The Customs House, South Shields" (04.01.12)

Click here for news of exciting knitted exhibition based on children's stories

The Oxford Times: "Pledge To Knit Items" (03.01.12)

Click here to read how knitters in Oxford are knitting items for premature babies at The John Ratcliffe Hospital

Edinburgh: "The Yarn Event Calendar Update" (01.01.12)

Click here to visit organiser Shadowstitch's blog to see photos of items knitted