Wednesday, 22 May 2019

Tree Leaves at the Trafalgar Bay

Anna's Leaf Stash

We had a warm welcome from publican, Sarah, for our workshop at the Trafalgar Bay on Tuesday evening.  Everyone worked very hard with their knitting and stitching.  Elizabeth went off piste with some fab crochet!


Candi, Alice, Nettie & Elizabeth

Emma & Hana


Deborah & Sarah

Nicky, Anna & Anna

Thanks to Sarah for accommodating us!

We had a very nice cache of trees and leaves after the workshop...

Trees & Leaves from the Trafalgar Bay workshop

Thank you to everyone who came along and to the Trafalgar Bay for having us!

Our final workshop is on Friday 14 June 2019 at Rowntree Park Cafe from 2-4pm.  Come & join us - full details here.



Friday, 17 May 2019

Tree Leaves at Rowntree Park Cafe #1

Trees & Leaves from the Rowntree Park Cafe workshop

On Monday we joined the Craft & Chat group in Rowntree Park Cafe for our second Tree Leaves workshop during the #GetCreativeFestival. We were making trees and leaves for the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm that will be going up in Rowntree Park in late July 2019 until the end of August.

Crocheting, stitching and knitting was in evidence...

Hazel, Anne & Margaret

with lots of smiles...

Karen & Annie

and concentration...

Nettie, Amanda & Sam


Amanda, Sam, Gina & Tania

It was lovely to meet up with the Craft & Chat group.  We did take up quite a lot of space though...

Craft & Chat Group

but made lots of lovely trees and leaves!

Trees & Leaves

Thank you to everyone who came and to Rowntree Park Cafe for having us!

Our next workshop is on Tuesday 21 May at the Trafalgar Bay pub on Nunnery Lane, York, YO23 1AB from 7-9pm.  Come & join us - full details here.



Sunday, 12 May 2019

Tree Leaves at Spark:York

Knitted and Stitched Trees from the Spark:York Tree Leaves Workshop

Our first Tree Leaves workshop took place at Spark:York on Saturday.  It was the first day of the #GetCreativeFestival, and everyone was making trees and leaves for the Tree Leaves Yarnstorm that will be going up in Rowntree Park in late July 2019 until the end of August.

Trina & Annette & their stitched trees


Trina & Annette were enjoying birthday celebrations as well as stitching trees, meanwhile Meg & Jack were busy knitting their trees.

Meg & Jack knitting trees


Jayne, Suki & Rosie making fab trees
And it wasn't just trees that were made...
Knitted & Stitched Leaves
Nicky & Orla went off piste with their designs using crochet and pompoms!

Nicky & Orla have their own designs

Everyone is very busy getting creative!

Here are all the trees we had by the end of the workshop...


Trees from the Spark:York Tree Leaves Workshop

As usual I forgot about taking photgraphs till the end so thanks to Alyson, Sylvia and Grace & her Dad for joining us too! 

Our next workshop is on Monday 13 May at Rowntree Park Cafe from 2-4pm.  Come & join us - full details here.


Wednesday, 3 April 2019

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

  



Brilliant Birds - 2017



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

Wednesday, 20 February 2019

New in at Olive's Nest, York

Liberty Print Fabric Necklaces

Just thought I'd let you know that there's been a new delivery of stock to Olive's Nest in York.  Not only are there some lovely Liberty print fabric necklaces but also some colourful button hairclips...


Button Hairclips

and some resin button brooches - check out the upcycling!...

Upcycled Resin Button Brooches
 
If you're in York why not pop along to Olive's Nest on Scarcroft Road (just next to Bishopthorpe Road) and take a look.  There are lots of lovely things to buy!




Friday, 15 February 2019

Story Book Dresses with Jennifer Collier at Hope & Elvis

Jennifer Collier - Cup

I'm a great admirer of Jennifer Collier's work so I was delighted to be able to go to one of her workshops.  I was also delighted it was at Hope & Elvis which has a friendly atmosphere, great materials, fabulous lunches, plentiful tea & coffee thanks to Louise Asher, the owner.

Hope & Elvis

Paper pioneer Jennifer makes her wonderful sculptures from vintage papers and stitch.  Her work is original, contemporary and with the papers she chooses, weaves a narrative through her finished pieces. 

Jennifer brought along examples of her fabulous work...

Jennifer Collier - Coat & Dress

Jennifer Collier - Cup

Jennifer Collier - Technique
Samples 

We were making Story Book Dresses and in doing so Jennifer showed us machine and hand stitch techniques, including paper patchwork, covered bindings, button loops, covered buttons plus picot stitch and a needle lace edging.

Jennifer Collier - Examples of Story Book Dresses

We could choose from both Jennifer and Hope & Elvis's materials...

Materials

Jennifer showed us a few techniques at a time and let us try them out.  There were templates available so we could fit our techniques to the size of pattern pieces we would need for our dresses later.

Templates

My selection of papers...
 
Vintage Papers


The first technique Jennifer showed us was pleating...

My Pleating

We also made covered binding and button loops...

My Button Loops & Covered Binding

and pockets.  Mine is embellished with a paper covered button and some (very inexpert) needle lace...

My Pocket

I did a little better with my picot although I have to confess this was my second attempt...

Picot - My Second Attempt

And then it was time to put it altogether.  We even got to make a hanger to hang out dresses from...

My Dress - Back

My Dress - Front

It was a great workshop.  I didn't quite finish my dress in the time although most other people did so I completed mine once I got home.  Jennifer was really helpful and approachable and happy to share her techniques and top tips with us all - thanks Jennifer!

Jennifer Collier

Thanks also to Louise & Ruth from Hope & Elvis for looking after us all and to Maggie for a great lunch!  Check out the workshops on offer at Hope & Elvis here.