Linda Wormald's Garden Gallery, York

Linda Wormald & her Garden Gallery

Towards the end of 2021 I discovered a little gem of a gallery in York.  It's called the Garden Gallery and it's run by a very talented lady called Linda Wormald.  Linda is a contemporary artist who specialises in landscapes and seascapes inspired by North Yorkshire & Scotland.  Her paintings, in acrylics and oils on canvas, are a delight of colour and texture.

The Garden Gallery

In her gallery, as well as Linda's own art, you will find a treasure trove of work by local artists and makers.  In fact, a number of my friends received Christmas presents that I found there.

Hippystitch Liberty Print Fabric Necklaces

Anyway there are two pieces of good news.  The first is that the gallery reopens for spring on Thurday 10 March 2022.  And the second is that you'll be able to buy my work there too!

Hippystitch Flower Button Bracelets

A selection of Hippystitch Button Brooches

You'll be able to find a selection of my fabric necklaces, button bracelets and brooches.  And if you need something to carry your purchases away, there'll also be some of my screen printed bike bags!

Hippystitch Screen Printed Bike Bag

Linda Wormald's Garden Gallery reopens on Thursday 10 March 2022 and can be found at 3 Windmill Lane, York, YO10 3LG.  It is open from Thursday to Saturday from 10.30am until 4pm.  Go see!

If you happen to be a member at York's David Lloyd club, it's just a short walk from the carpark and you can combine it with some exercise.

THE GARDEN GALLERY IS NOW CLOSED UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR

Flight with York Learning - A Community Art Project

 

"Flight" - Birds (various makers)

This year's community art project with York Learning, organised by Claire Douglas, is entitled "Flight" and will be a great flock of birds.  Here's what Claire says...

Join us to make wonderful birds from all sorts of scrap and re-cycled materials.

The birds can be made out of anything - fabric, plastic bags, cardboard, milk cartons.

Your creations don’t need to be flat, although “relief” is preferable to 3 dimensional, as the flock will be exhibited on the walls of York Explore Library, from mid-June for 6 weeks.

Suitable for anyone, of any age, who enjoys making things.

We’re asking that pieces made are no larger than A3 (rough guide only) - although they can be as small as you like - variety is good!

The birds do not have to be of any particular species and all imaginary birds are gratefully received.

Bubble wrap bird

We’ll be running a range of workshops between now and May to support the project:-

There are still a few places remaining on the lino printing workshop - book here - booking essential!

And we will be running a drop in session as part of the Our City Festival on the 27^th March 2022 on York Explore Library lawn from 11am – 3pm.

Flight Workshop

 

More workshops will go online as we progress through the spring, but we are of course, more than happy for people to simply create at home and submit as and when pieces are complete.

Please leave your finished birds at York Explore Library before the end of May 2022!

For further details please contact Claire Douglas on 07990 774420 or email claire.douglas@york.gov.uk

My bird for the Flight Community Art Project

I went to a workshop at Southlands Methodist Church led by Donna Taylor using recycled materials.  You can see my bird above. It was great fun.  Do join in!

I can't wait to see all the birds in "Flight" at York Explore Library in June.

York Makers Winter Fair 2021

York Makers Winter Fair 2021
 - A Selection of Work for Sale -

York Makers Winter Fair is returning to Clements Hall, York on Saturday 13 November 2021 after having to cancel the event last year due to Covid.  I'm really looking forward to exhibiting there and I'm sure all the other artists and makers are too!  This will be my only event selling Hippystitch goodies this year and it will be so nice to meet my customers in person - and to check out all the other makers' wares too!  

Hippystitch Fabric Necklaces

I thought you might like a sneaky peak at some of the things I will be bringing along.  As well as my popular fabric necklaces, my colourful button bracelets are coming...

Hippystitch Colourful Button Bracelets

a variety of button brooches....

A Selection of Hippystitch Button Brooches

including some very special vintage button brooches...

Large Vintage Button Brooch

Large Vintage Button Brooch

There'll be some domino brooches and bike bags too...

Domino Brooches

Hippystitch Bike Bags

and probably a few more things as well!

I will even have some Christmas cards and tags...

Handmade Christmas Cards & Tags

and some cards with reindeer brooches...

Reindeer Brooch Christmas Cards

and even a few knitted robin brooches...

Hippystitch Knitted Robin Brooches

To make things even more exciting, York Makers are running a giveaway on their Facebook page.  You can win a voucher for £25 which you can collect in person and spend at the Winter Fair with the maker of your choice! Click here and follow the instructions to enter.

York Makers Winter Fair Giveaway on Facebook

So do come along and meet all the fab York makers who will be exhibiting at the Winter Fair...

Some of the faces behind York Makers

Hope to see you soon!

York Makers Winter Fair - Saturday 13 November 2021 - 10-4pm
Free Entry
Clements Hall, Nunthorpe Road, York, YO23 1BW

Our Final Butterflies & Bees Sale

Lots for sale!

We had our second sale of the butterflies & bees from the Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm in Rowntree Park, York today.  

Sales poster

Our enthusiastic customers were ready to buy as soon as we had all the beautiful creations out on the table!  It was so lovely to hear how much people had enjoyed seeing the display but even those who hadn't seen it were happy to rummage for a special souvenir!

Rosemary helping out

Rosemary from the Friends of Rowntree Park (FoRP) was staffing the stall with me.  It was a lovely morning - thanks so much to everyone who came to support us and to all those who made all the lovely butterflies, bees and flowers.  We can't do any of it without you!

Butterfly garlands for sale

In total, from both our sales and from donations, we raised £485 for the FoRP who help maintain & improve the park and run events for the community.  We sold almost 400 butterflies, bees and flowers (including 2 snails, 2 caterpillars and the hive with all its bees).  Any remaining butterflies, bees and flowers are going to the FoRP for them to sell or reuse in other projects. Whilst all the items were popular, the knitted and crochet bees were particularly quick to fly off! 

Butterflies & Bees Buzz Off To New Homes

Pompom Bees for sale

Today was the first sale of the butterflies and bees from the Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm in Rowntree Park, York.  The sun was shining and we had lots of lovely things for sale, all made by the community of knitters, stitchers, crocheters and felters most of whom were local!

Deborah New & I with our stall

We were delighted with the response.  There were so many lovely customers who came along to say how much they had enjoyed the display and were keen to take home a souvenir and in doing so, support the Friends of Rowntree Park.  The Friends help maintain, improve and promote the park for everyone's enjoyment and were the charity our sale was supporting.

Treasures

Here are just a few snaps of some of the fab butterflies and bees that we had to temp people and happily they were tempted.  The beehive and bees found a new home too!

Beehive & Bees and a Basket of Stitched Bees

Beautiful Butterflies

A  Basket of Bees

                                                        

Cool Crochet Butterflies

Fantastic Flowers

Novel Knitted Butterflies

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to buy today and, of course, to everyone who made them which made the sale possible.  Thanks to to Rosemary and Jan who helped us set up and take down our stall.  (I'm keeping how much we raised a secret until after our second sale!)

If you missed out on the sale today you've got another chance because we're doing it all again next Saturday:

Saturday 16 October 2021 10:30 - 12:30

Find us in Rowntree Park, just below the cafe!

If you want to find out more about this project click here.

Butterflies & Bees Fly Off

Un-Happy

 

Saturday was take down day for the Butterflies & Bees and Happy 100th Birthday yarnstorms in Rowntree Park, York.  We were sad to see them go but pleased to have been able to add to the Park's 100th birthday celebrations.  Some people made a special visit to say goodbye.

Deborah hard at work

Finally it was all down...

Taking down the last butterflies

and lots of creatures were bagged up...

The park went from this...

Yarnstorms

to this...

Empty arbour

Empty tennis court fence

We were lucky because the rain held off till it was all down and Deborah and I were safely in Rowntree Park Cafe warming up with a hot drink and a pastry.

A bee wash

Back at HQ, the butterflies and bees were destrung (is that a word?) and popped in the wash.  Some, like the pompom bees, had a gentle hand wash.  And some enjoyed basking on a teatowel while the underfloor heating dried them out...

Drying butterflies and bees

Don't be too sad though because you get a chance to come and buy your favourite butterflies and bees in the forthcoming sales:

Sunday 10 October 2021 - 10:30 to 12:30

Saturday 16 October 2021 - 10:30 to 12:30

Come and find us below the cafe.  We are fundraising for the Friends of Rowntree Park who work hard to help maintain, improve and promote the park for everyone's enjoyment.  Go on, you know you want to!

Hope to see you at the sales (please bring cash if you can!).

If you want to read more about this project then click here.

Butterflies and Bees (Yarn)Swarm into Rowntree Park, York

Butterflies & bees strung ready to be hung up

Today's the day that all the butterflies and bees swarmed into Rowntree Park, York to form a yarnstorm or perhaps more accurately a yarnswarm! This installation is part of the celebrations for Rowntree Park's 100th birthday.  We have had over 725 butterflies and bees fly in to join the display. There are almost twice as many butterflies as bees and a handful of caterpillars and snails, not to mention a whole host of lovely flowers.  People have knitted, crocheted, stitched, pompommed, felted, origamied (is that a word?) and funky foamed a fabulous swarm for us to display. 

Deborah hanging up the butterflies & bees

Here I am doing the same

Deborah New (& Polly - thanks, Polly!) and I have strung them together and hung them in the arbour at Rowntree Park, York for you to enjoy.  We hope you like them and that you have fun spotting your favourites or the ones you've made.  Why not take your own pictures of the Butterflies & Bees yarnstorm and post them on social media using #butterfliesandbees and tag me in  - @hippystitch - to be sure I get to see them!

Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm - Rowntree Park, York

Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm - Rowntree Park, York

Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm - Rowntree Park, York

Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm - Rowntree Park, York

Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm - Rowntree Park, York

Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm - Rowntree Park, York

Butterflies & Bees Yarnstorm - Rowntree Park, York

There's an information sign if you want to find out more about the project - or you can take a look here.

Information Sign

And don't forget to look carefully so you don't miss anything...

Don't miss spotting all the bees!

The butterflies and bees will be in place until the end of September 2021 after which they will be sold to raise money for the Friends of Rowntree Park, who work hard to help maintain, improve and promote the park for everyone's enjoyment.  Sales will take place below the cafe on these dates:

Sunday 10 October 2021 10:30 - 12:30
Saturday 16 October 2021 10:30 - 12:30

If you have enjoyed seeing this installation and want to make a donation to the Friends of Rowntree Park, pop into Rowntree Park Café where there is a tin for your donation.  Alternatively, you can donate directly by visiting the Friends of Rowntree Park website here.

If you want to read more about this project and the Happy 100th Birthday Banner then take a look here.

Happy 100th Birthday Banner

Looking forward to seeing your pictures and to seeing you at the sales!