INTERNATIONAL CROCHET DAY Thursday Septemeber 12th, 2013

It's nearly here! 
INTERNATIONAL CROCHET DAY...... AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!
Thursday 12th September, 2013
 
Only 4 and half weeks to go and we'll be stitching, chatting, sipping, cakeing, learning, sharing, making, creating...... so much creativity for such a short amount of time!! Our second International Crochet Day gathering is fast approaching and it is only today that I have pulled head out of wedding planning land and got down and crafty with the organising of this fantastic event. Banners are being organised, flyers being created, workshops being confirmed and a new little promo on the community monitor in the Warburton Newsagent window has been emailed and hopefully my nieve attempts at the digital stuff are ok! 

WE CAN NOW SAY ........ PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

 Now the exciting news about our sponsorship received from the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise is that it has finally landed and about to be spent on a number of wonderful things to promote and hopefully ensure the success and continuity of Quarterly Crafternoons and International Crochet Day. We are so grateful to the UYCE and to the wonderful Upper Yarra Arts Centre who provide the venue free of charge (link here).

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 I loved the Sponsorship Application process  as it really made me think hard about where our crafty gatherings are heading and how we, as a community, can participate in and improve them. Mind you, I was absolutely terrified. I've never done anything like this before. I really was out of my comfort zone asking for money and having to put it in such an official proper way, however the Bendigo Bank provided such support and made the process quite easy. It has been so rewarding and really, it was the 'doing it for the greater good' that spurred me on. For every single person who has come to our gatherings, who gave me the encouragement to keep these events going, for every person who stopped me in the street to say thank you.  I took a big breathe out, trusted myself, engaged the advice of a dear friend to whom this is second nature and believed!
Now look below and see what happened.............. A couple of big, dull looking plastic bags arrived at the post office and I was bustingly excited. because in them was............................

 this...............Ohhhhh, new yarny goodness to share out at International Crochet Day. Fresh Spring colours to use in our workshops and to make squares for our Community Crochet Blanket. Didn't I just love opening those 3 new bags. Anticipating the colours and how it would feel. It's soft, it's cheery and it was affordable. You see I now also have a responsibility to spend this sponsorship money wisely. Just the right amount of yarn, just the right banners that promote the event and our beautiful Warburton, just the right crafty folk to run our workshops. It's ok though, I'm up for it. Trust me, I Crochet!!!! Ha, ha couldn't resist!

 Now a few other things quickly as I am on borrowed time with the children....... details of workshops for International Crochet Day are nearly confirmed. I am thrilled to announce Kay and Shara from Crumbz Craft
in Healesville will be running our Beginners Crochet workshop. These two wonderful women are such a great team with a wealth of experience between them and such patience to teach they are the perfect tutors to get you going in the world of crochet. There is another workshop to confirm and a few other goody things to organise. 
Oh and while I'm here I will ask that you bring along some crochet show 'n' tell for our display. Anything old or new as long as it's hand made. We love heirlooms and European crochet, op shop finds or last weeks project! I will leave you now with one of my latest projects......... hee hee I'm laughing already. 
 

It's my crocheted moustache, made especially for the gorgeous Naomi, barrista extraordinaire, at the Warburton Pantry !!!! I guess the message is Naomi, watch what you ask for!!!!! Anything is possible in crochet!!!

xx Le xx

Yarn Bomb Pics

Ridiculously too long since my last post. Sorry to anyone who wanted to know hat happened to our yarn bomb. Well it went off, totally off!  Dakini and I had a great fun time stitching, as you can see. It was a beautiful sunny day and there was lots of chit chat on the way to our Royal Parade destination.
We were split into groups who each took on a section of about 15 trees. We sewed on many pieces and couldn't believe the amount of work and detail stitchers are prepared to put into yarn bombing pieces.

It's a labour of love and a lesson in letting go. For a few hours we were very visible in our VISY vests stitching each piece onto a numbered tree and putting a Yarn Corner tag on each piece. It was a glorious moment to be introduced to tree 64, our Quarterly Crafternoons assigned tree.

Many onlookers stopped to ask what we were doing, why were we doing it and to give much positive feedback, thumbs up and many toots!
The next day we were saddened just a bit to learn that overnight 26 pieces had been taken and within the week at least half of the 85 pieces had been removed by a Vic Roads employee acting out of their juristiction who believed that Vic Roads owned the trees and the project had not been approved by Vic Roads. The pieces removed had been cut to pieces and dragged through the mud.
We were shocked to read of such disrespect. But that's the letting go part of it all. Once it's on and we walk away, that's it. It no longer belongs to us, it belongs to the community and the powers that be.

The joy is in the creation and the almost-feeling-a-bit-naughty feeling of the installation. I'd do it again in a second!

Le