A Good Yarn - Rolling Through The Streets Of Bradford

A Good Yarn at the start

 

On Saturday 26 July 2025, I went to see A Good Yarn rolling through the streets of Bradford.  A Good Yarn was conceived by artist, Luke Jerram.  The yarn was created in May & June from donated fabric (mostly bedding) by Blooming Buds theatre company working with the people of Bradford BD10...

A Good Yarn - Detail

School children, scouts, elderly folk, community groups and more (2,500 people) plaited the fabric together to create 1000 metres of yarn. Then, together with the help of Raven Staging, it was wound onto a hollow core to form a ball of yarn.  The yarn is held in place by wire and the ball has what appears to be a knitting needle piercing it. And then it was ready to roll. A Good Yarn had already rolled through BD10 on 12 July 2025.

Accompanied by the BD1 Brass Band

The roll through Bradford city centre was accompanied by the BD1 Brass Band who were tremendous.

Nuii Ice Creams

And Nuii were giving away ice creams in the city centre which was just an added bonus.

A Good Yarn En Route

It takes quite a bit of manoeuvring...

It's not every day you get married and find a 3 metre ball of yarn outside your wedding venue but that's what happened to this couple...

A Good Yarn & A Good Wedding Outside City Hall

It was a great occasion.  There were plenty of folk from Blooming Buds, Raven Staging and event volunteers making sure the roll went smoothly.  Everyone was very friendly and happy to share information about the event.  It was a great success!  (And I wouldn't mind trying some extreme knitting with that yarn. I feel sure it would knit well on my extreme needles!)

A Good Yarn is currently at Bradford Industrial Museum (closed Mondays) until 26 November 2025 where you can see it, free of charge.  While there, you can also hear a new soundscape stitched together by the Broken Orchestra that features stories and memories from many of the people and community groups who made the ball.

Bradford is the 2025 UK City of Culture and there are lots of things going on.  Check it out here. There's bound to be something you fancy and I'm sure you'll get a warm welcome.

Micklegate Arts Trail, York - 31 May 2025 to 15 June 2025

 

Micklegate Arts Trail - A Shoal of Knitted Fish

It occurred to me just the other day that I'd not blogged about the Micklegate Arts Trail (MAT) so for those who didn't get to go, I thought I should.  It was great to be involved in a 2 week extravaganza of art, music, film and poetry where 14 venues showcased the work of over 30 artists...

Micklegate Arts Trail 2025 - Artists and Venues 

MAT is organised by Navigators Art and is a collaboration between local businesses and artists and is part of the York Festival of Ideas. I took along some extreme knitting, big knitting, hula hoop weaving and crochet to exhibit on the railings of Holy Trinity Church.

Happy, Birds and Rainbow

These were mostly pieces that were originally developed for community art projects in Rowntree Park, which you can read about here (extreme knitted fish), here (big knitted fish), here (big knitted owl), here (hula hoop woven blue tit), here (crocheted Happy) and here (rainbow).  Some of these were made by me and some were made or part made by people joining in with the community projects.  It was lovely to see them all on display again!

Me with some extreme knitting

As part of MAT I brought along my extreme knitting needles so people could have a go for themselves.  And here are just a few of the people who tried it out.  It was very popular...

Extreme Knitting in Progress

There were some other great artists exhibiting in Holy Trinity Church and grounds...

MAT Holy Trinity Church - Peter Baker, Nick Walters, Lu Mason, Barry Lewis, Richard Mackness (from top left clockwise to centre)

And of course there were lots of fab artists exhibiting along the Arts Trail.  Here are just a few...

Micklegate Arts Trail 2025(clockwise from top left)- Sinead Corkery at No. 84 Deli & Cafe, Fiona Kemp at Hudson Moody, Richard Thompson at The Hooting Owl, Nick Kobyluch at Skosh 

It was great fun taking part. I hope everyone who came to visit enjoyed the trail. Thanks to Navigators Art and the York Festival of Ideas and to the venues that took part for making it possible.  Special thanks to Nick Walters for organising the Holy Trinity venue.  And then it was over...

Hippystitch Exhibit Taken down and Packed Up

Thanks to Deborah New for helping me put everything up (and who also helped with the original community projects) and to Lily Stone for helping me take it down.  Watch out for next years Art Trail!

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 

Farewell to the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm

The TreeLeaves Yarnstorm

The Tree Leaves Yarnstorm has been on display for over a month and on Friday it was time to take it down.  Deborah and I packed up our dismantling gear and spent the morning taking everything down...

Deborah Working Hard

All gone on the tennis court fence

 I hope everyone who wanted to see it, got the chance.

No more trees and leaves in the arbour

But if not, here is a recap of some of the lovely trees and leaves on display...

Contributions to the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm

Contributions to the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm

I hope you've enjoyed seeing the #TreeLeaves either in Rowntree Park, York or online.  We've had lots of positive comments and lots of different people have enjoyed seeing it...

 

Clockwise from top left - Ted, Attila & Timea, Helen & Helen, Lily

We are selling the trees and leaves from the yarnstorm to fundraise for the Woodland Trust. Here are the sale dates for your diary...

Saturday 21 September 2019 – Rowntree Park (just below the cafe)

York, YO23 1JU 
10:00 – 15:00

Thursday 26 September 2019 – Trafalgar Bay
7 Nunnery Lane, York, YO23 1AB
19:00 – 21:00

Please spread the word.  We would like to raise as much for the Woodland Trust as possible.  If you'd like to contribute but can't make the sale, there is a donation tin in Rowntree Park Cafe...

Woodland Trust Donation Tin in Rowntree Park Cafe

or you can donate directly to the Woodland Trust here and please mention the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm.

If you want to read more about the project take a look here.  

Thanks to everyone who took part and to our sponsors and supporters, the Friends of Rowntree Park, Bettys & Taylors Group & Boyes.

Treemendous Tree Leaves

All loaded up and ready to go!

Today Deborah and I installed the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm.  It was a lovely day for it.  We arrived at Rowntree Park with all our equipment and everybody's fab makes and set up camp...

Tree Leaves Base Camp

And look, we had an audience straight away... 

 
We definitely made progress, with Deborah concentrating on the little trees and leaves...

Deborah hangs all the little trees and leaves

while I concentrated on the big ones...

and finally it was finished...

Extreme knitting, big knitting, finger knitting and some fab knitted, stitched and crocheted leaves

So if you are wondering what this is all about, keep reading.  The installation was designed and made by Deborah New & I with the amazing help of the local community and those further afield.  We came together to celebrate craft and creativity, to put “Art in the Park” and to fundraise for charity.  This installation will be in place for about one month. (It will be coming down in late August).

The charity we are supporting with this project is the Woodland Trust. They protect and campaign on behalf of this country’s woods, plant trees, and restore ancient woodland for the benefit of wildlife and people.  Their vision is a UK rich in native woods and trees, for people and wildlife.  After the display is taken down, the trees will be sold to raise funds for the Woodland Trust.

Sale dates are as follows: 

 Saturday 21 September 2019 - RowntreePark (by the café) 10-3pm

Thursday 26 September 2019 – Trafalgar Bay Pub, York 7-9pm 

Or if you've enjoyed seeing the installation, why not pop into Rowntree Park Cafe where there is a tin (just by the till) for your Woodland Trust donation.  Alternatively you can donate directly by visiting the Woodland Trust website - click here.

What do you like best about the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm? And which tree or leaf is your favourite? Please post your pics on social media using #TreeLeaves and #urbanforest.

If you want to see more about the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm check out these  blogposts:

Tree Leaves Yarnstorm - The Details

Tree Leaves at Spark:York

Tree Leaves at Rowntree Park Cafe #1

Tree Leaves at the Trafalgar Bay

 Tree Leaves at Rowntree Park Cafe #2

Extreme Knitting the #TreeLeaves Conifer

 

 

Tree Leaves & the Fairfax Court Yarnstormers

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