Tree Leaves & the Woodland Trust

Tree Leaves Yarnstorm in Rowntree Park, York - Summer 2019

Once the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm installation was taken down, had its visit to the Tree Leaves Laundrette and went online, the trees & leaves were ready for sale to fundraise for the Woodland Trust.  Our first sale was in Rowntree Park, York.  We had fantastic sunshine, a great response and people queing to buy. 

Trees for Sale

Our second sale was at the Trafalgar Bay pub and also brought in some lovely customers.

More Trees & Leaves for Sale

Finally the remaining trees and leaves plus the extreme knitted conifer and the big knitted leaves that were on the tennis court fence were purchased by York Greenways. York Greenways exists to protect and  enhance the ecology of the accessible traffic-free routes from York into the surrounding countryside. Their vision is a network of green corridors leading to places of interest or refreshment, encouraging York’s residents and visitors to explore and value the biodiversity and heritage in and around the city. 

York Greenways are going to reinstall the yarnstorm on the Solar System Greenway - the cycle path that goes from York to Selby.  If you've never cycled or walked along the Solar System Greenway, give it a go - it's a great route.  You don't have to do the full length unless you want to and there's refreshment en route at the Brunswick Organic Nursery and the former Naburn Station or take a side trip to the local village pubs nearby.

Letter from the Woodland Trust

In total, we've raised over £800 for the Woodland Trust.  The Woodland Trust protects and campaigns on behalf of this country’s woods, plants trees, and restores ancient woodland for the benefit of wildlife and people.  Their vision is a UK rich in native woods and trees, for people and wildlife. So I'm sure they'll put the money to good use.

So all that's left to say is a big THANK YOU to everyone who made this happen - we couldn't have done it without you - it's been fab!


The Tree Leaves project was sponsored by the Friends of Rowntree Park, Bettys & Taylors Group & supported by Boyes 

Extreme Knitting the #TreeLeaves Conifer

Here's my extreme knitting - I've just nipped off for a cup of Yorkshire Tea!

You may already know that I like extreme knitting.  And you may also know that this year's yarnstorming project is entitled Tree Leaves (which you can read all about here) and is supporting the Woodland Trust. 
 

Tree Top Yarn

Tree Trunk Yarn

So whilst lots of people have been making small trees, I've brought out the extreme needles and have been cracking on knitting a large conifer!  Firstly though, I had to prepare some yarn.  This year I was able to find textiles in the right colours and so didn't have to dye anything.  I made my yarn from recycling 7 old curtains, a double duvet cover and 2 pillowcases and knitted it 3 strands at a time.

Getting into a bit of a tangle with my extreme knitting

In the end I used about 440m of yarn, weighing just over 3.8kg to complete my tree.  There's not really enough space to lay it out indoors, as you can see...

Extreme Knitted Conifer Indoors

and I have to put it onto a backing to make it easier to install.  With all the rain we've had I've been putting it off because it's so much easier to do outside.  However last Thursday it was a lovely day so out I went to get started...

Conifer laid out on its backing

I spent a sunny afternoon attaching the conifer to its backing and then trimming the backing to shape.  You can probably tell from the picture that the sun was definitely sinking by the time I'd finished...

Backing trimmed to the tree's shape

There's still more work to do stabilising the conifer but it's well on the way and it's just a bit more than 3m tall so I don't think you'll miss it once it's up in the park.

The Tree Leaves Yarnstorm will be installed in Rowntree Park, York from 24 July 2019 - why not pop along to see it and if you like it, you could make a donation to the Woodland Trust and mention the Tree Leaves yarnstorm.  Lots of people have been joining in with the project and knitting some fab trees and leaves which you may have caught glimpses of on social media or over on my blogposts about the four workshops that we've held.  They will all form part of the installation and the small trees will be for sale to raise funds for the Woodland Trust in September 2019. Details of the sales will be available in July.

Tree Leaves at Rowntree Park Cafe #2

Fab trees and leaves from the Rowntree Park Cafe workshop

Our final #TreeLeaves workshop took place during the York Festival of Ideas in Rowntree Park Cafe.  We had a great turnout and it was also an opportunity to pick up some of the trees and leaves that had been left for the project.

Our youngest participant...

made this super tree...

 Everyone was very busy, chatting, knitting & stitching...

making fantastic trees and leaves as you can see from the pic at the start.  Anna had the idea to applique some owls on her trees...

Anna's trees with applique owls

and Gina added buttons and ribbon to her topiary tree...

Gina's topiary tree with buttons and ribbon

and what a fab stitched leaf from Angie....

Angie's leaf

Also we had deliveries of leaves from Denise...

Denise's leaves

and Sylvia...

Sylvia's leaves

 
and trees and leaves from Anna...

Anna's trees & leaves

and trees from Alyson...

Alyson's trees

Aren't they all great! Thanks to everyone for joining in and thanks to Rowntree Park Cafe for looking after us! 

And you still have time to join in.  Finished trees and leaves have to be with Rowntree Park Cafe or the Trafalgar Bay pub by Saturday 22 June 2019. Full details here.

The Tree Leaves Yarnstorm goes up in Rowntree Park on Wednesday 24 July 2019 (weather permitting) and will be up until the end of August.  Sales of the trees in aid of the Woodland Trust will take place in September - more details on that later.

Tree Leaves Yarnstorm - The Details

What's happening?
Come and make trees and leaves with Deborah New & I so that we can create a giant Tree Leaves yarnstorm installation for Rowntree Park, York in time for this summer.

 

Yarnstorming Workshops

Some of our workshops are during the Get Creative Festival...

This is a huge national celebration of creativity that aims to give everyone the chance to get actively involved in a creative event in their local area and we are joining in!  At our Tree Leaves workshops, you can unleash your creativity with knitting, stitching, pompom making, finger knitting and knitting with very large needles.  

And we also have a workshop during the York Festival of Ideas...

This festival is taking place from 4-16 June 2019 under the banner of A World of Wonder. Featuring world-class speakers, exhibitions, theatre, music, films, guided walks, family-friendly activities and much more, York Festival of Ideas offers a huge range of stimulating and diverse events for all ages and interests – most of them free - and our event is one of them. Events take place at venues throughout the city.

Yarnstorming Workshop Dates

Saturday 11 May 2019 - Spark: York - Platform

17-21 Piccadilly, York YO1 9PB
14:00-16:00

Monday 13 May 2019 – Rowntree Park Café 
Rowntree Park, Richardson Street, York, YO23 1JU 
14:00 – 16:00

Tuesday 21 May 2019 – Trafalgar Bay
7 Nunnery Lane, York, YO23 1AB
19:00 – 21:00

Friday 14 June 2019 – Rowntree Park Café 
Rowntree Park, Richardson Street, York, YO23 1JU
14:00 – 16:00

Drop in – all materials provided and leave your makes behind for display in the park.

Want to join in but can't make a workshop?
If you can't get to any of the workshops but still want to be involved you'll find some Tree & Leaf Patterns here.  In all there are five different tree and four leaf knitting patterns.  Why not give them all a try?  If you'd prefer to stitch why not use the shapes of the knitted trees & leaves as inspiration for your stitching or go freestyle - more here.

Completed trees & leaves can be left at Rowntree Park Cafe, Rowntree Park, Richardson Street, York, YO23 1JU, or the Trafalgar Bay pub, 7 Nunnery Lane, York, YO23 1AB or dropped off at any of the workshops (see above).  If you use social media why not post a picture of your tree or leaf and use #TreeLeaves and #urbanforest in your post.

And you don't have to use these patterns - we'd be happy to have a knitted, stitched, felted or crocheted tree or leaf of your preferred design.

All Trees & Leaves to arrive by Saturday 22 June 2019 please.

When will the installation be up?
The Tree Leaves installation goes up in Rowntree Park on Wednesday 24 July 2019 (by the tennis courts, near the café and beyond), weather permitting, and will be on display until the end of August 2019.

And afterwards? 

We have a number of plans for all the Tree Leaves after the installation comes down.

Some of the trees are going to  be sold to raise funds for the Woodland Trust which is the charity we are pleased to be supporting this year.  The Woodland Trust protects and campaigns on behalf of this country’s woods, plants trees, and restores ancient woodland for the benefit of wildlife and people.  Their vision is a UK rich in native woods and trees, for people and wildlife.  With over 500,000 members and supporters, the Trust maintain over 1000 sites, a number of which are in the York area.  They also maintain a database of publicly accessible woodland which you can access here to plan your venture into the woods. And with their online info about native and non-native trees you can find out more about the trees you will see.   

Do watch out for details of our tree sales in September 2019!

Some of the trees from our installation will go to Bishopthorpe Road, York to bring an #urbanforest to the area round the recycling bins. All the leaves will be going on to decorate Spark: York.

Want to see what we've done before?

Yarnstorming Event in Rowntree Park - 2013

  

Knit a Bike Yarnstormed Installation - 2014

Poppies in the Park - 2015

Fantasy Fish - 2016

Brilliant Birds - 2017

The Tree Leaves project is sponsored by the Friends of Rowntree Park, Bettys & Taylors Group & Boyes