Friday 28 October 2016

WORKSHOPS

Oops I forgot this last night.......workshops (free, fun, relaxed, easy   and materials provided!) start November 5th. 

You'll learn a few yarnbombing techniques, make flowers and vines 


 For quick reference  this afternoon I will be  putting up a Thread to Thrive workshops page separately .  I'll update it every time something is changed or added.  Also, I'll post on it as soon as we know  if an outdoor workshop needs to be moved to the  wet weather venue.


we'd love to see you there, bring a smile and come and 

- play with some yarn

- have a yarn 

- and in December you can yarnbomb too!!!!!

First workshop - November 5th , 9am - 1pm, rotunda area, Rotary Park, 2 Diamond Street, Diamond Creek.  We (you and I) are going to yarnbomb some pick up and drop off bins to make them so beautiful everyone will want to fill them with lots of lovely knitting!

There will be examples of flowers, and plenty of lovely yarn  to pick up..... in general lots of yarning going on.......... See you there



  

Thursday 27 October 2016

At last - Crochet

So is this a tudor rose do you think?


Whatever its quite easy - more of that down the page, meanwhile here we go with 

Crochet Instructions
Use our yarn, or yours.  just make sure its 100% acrylic 8ply,  hook no 4 or 4.5

First of all 

VERY IMPORTANT POST WRAPS

These will be the foundation for the flower garden which will twine up and round the post.  There are ten posts to wrap, one wrap is already done and another on the way.

Colour - predominantly grey but with a few blue or yellow  stripes at the top and a red at the bottom. The colours and the stitch are designed to pick up on the soft paving in the playground.  

You can crochet just 14cm, or as long as you want. You can crochet just one piece or as many pieces as you like.  When joined each wrap will need to end up two metres long.  The stitch stretches so if its not exactly the correct width or height we have a bit of play.

In grey chain 50, miss two and d.c. across the chain.  *chain one, d.c. into each stitch to the end, turn* repeat to the desired length.



Flowers
these flowers are easy and fun, 

Flower Centre  In any colour chain five, join ends and d.c. into each chain, two more rows of d.c.  tie off.   This gives a rounded shape which can be manipulated to suit different flowers .    

Flower  taking the above centre, d.c. 3 into each gap. one round gives  this  and when its stitched down with a bit of manipulation and we have....... maybe  daisy




or , maybe a nasturtium


two rounds 


three rounds give this 

or, the tudor rose at the top.  Just depends on how you stitch it down.

Flowers grow in clusters so it would be lovely to have a few the same of any you choose to make


Chain
Form tiny scraps,  to full balls of yarn, your yarn or ours,  chain is very, very useful.  You can create stems, leaf outlines, decorative line drawn designs, bunch them into daisies and other flowers. We can never have too many, so easy to do whilst watching tv!



Finished - Hooray and thank you

We'll let you know pick up and drop off points for yarn and finished work very, very soon

To make flowers and pillars come to a workshop  near the pavilion, 2 diamond Street, Diamond Creek on November 19th.  If we have wind and rain we will let you know the change of venue.

For more information 
sarah.hammmond@nillumbik.gov.vic.au  0409 977 583
 or email robina.summers@gmail.com
Share this with a crochet friend - Have a crochet tea

With your help we can have the prettiest yarnbombing ever

By the way - I know I planned a few extra posts over the next few days BUT

I actually forgot its the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday and 
we all know the world pretty much stops tomorrow evening  until its over.

So, next blog next Wednesday!







Tuesday 25 October 2016

KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS.......plus dont forget macramme

Today knitting,Thursday  crochet, next day stitching & macrame , next week (or maybe sooner) where to get yarn, pick up and drop off points, workshop dates.!

Yesterday I went down to Diamond Creek to measure up a pole wrap.  Once again, yarnbombing  is such a great way to meet people.  A much needed offer to help, thanks Shanny, not just for holding up my crochet but for giving me a new idea or three. We got talking - and, guess what, I hadn't even considered macrame in my design.  How exciting that's turned out to be.  Sleeping on the thought  I have come up with some genius ideas, so, stay in touch macrame enthusiasts, you are going to be very important in the overall scheme of things, all will be revealed in a few days!

Now  for...... KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS for our colourful, gorgeous flowers to yarnbomb the water tank and pavilion, and maybe there'll be some leftover for a few bicycles as well...........

These are just the very first test designs,   more on the way................so much fun.......



YARN

use ours,   or yours  8 ply 100% acrylic in colours as near to ours as you have.  It doesn't have to match - what flower in nature is  the same as the next ? - but it would fit the designs  best if its  more or less in the same range.


NEEDLES - no 4



All knitting is one row plain, one row pearl, repeated (stocking stitch) to make either a square or a rectangle.  If you are an ace knitter and would like to experiment with a fancy stitch or two - please do, it will add texture, just make sure its firm and roughly the shape we need.  OH, and MORE important, enjoy the experiment



Its meant to be FUN, so, NO STRESS please.  If you have 49 instead of 50 stitches or your square is a bit rectangular that's perfectly okay,  it will still make a great flower.If you make a mistake or drop a stitch, don't unpick just go on and finish, it wont matter.. Nature is never perfect - AND we'd love to have lots and lots and lots and lots of squares so that we can make lots and lots and lots  of flowers and leaves.



PINK IS FOR ROSES - but we'd welcome  a few in red or yellow too. Cast on 100, knit 15 rows cast off.Rosebuds, 75 stitches, 15 rows.

BLUE IS FOR FORGET ME NOTS - cast on 25, knit a square, cast off

PURPLE IS FOR VIOLETS -- cast on 40, knit a square, cast off

LEMON IS FOR LILIES - cast on 50, knit a square, cast off

PALE GREEN - IS FOR LILY LEAVES, cast on 50 knit a square, cast off. LILY STEM/STAMEN - cast on 150, knit 5 rows, cast off

GREEN, EMERALD, SAGE, AND ANY OTHER LOVELY GREENS we need lots and lots and lots of leaves in different colours    and sizes
cast on 25 or 30 or 35 or 40 or 55 stitches, knit a square, cast off.


finished?  HOORAY and THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!   YOU HAVE MADE  RAW MATERIAL FOR  THE FIRST FLOWER MAKING WORKSHOP.




Drop your knitting off at one of our pickup/drop off points or contact us  and then (if you'd like)        
                                       

YOU CAN COME AND MAKE SQUARES INTO LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVELY FLOWERS AT ONE OF OUR WORKSHOPS.

 The first flower making workshop will be near the pavilion in Rotary Park, 2 Diamond Street, Diamond Creek on Saturday November 19th, 1-5 (weather permitting).    If we have another really foul weather day we will reschedule and post details. Flower making  Instructions will also be on YouTube in November.  Let you know dates later.

For more workshop information:  sarah.hammond@nillumbik.vic.gov.au  0409 977 563


Share this with a friend, have a knitty morning tea......or lunch,...or afternoon tea


The more squares, THE MORE FLOWERS, the lovelier our kniffiti garden!







                                         





Monday 24 October 2016

From Thread to Thrive

IF WISHES WERE ...., Well then  I'd have finished my posts on the Wishing Tree - but for now  that will have to wait for another day because......  


FROM THREAD TO THRIVE.
A REALLY, REALLY EXCITING NEW PROJECT    

Yup, I've  wanted to yarnbomb, kniffiti in  a public space and I (well actually you as well because you will be part of it) am  about to.  I've always preached about getting permission  (OH&S issues)  Well now its better than PERMISSION, its a COMMISSION.   And, everyone can be part of it - knitters. crocheters and stitchers, and helper/installers.


The designs are done, this is Thrive Community Garden.  Its in a beautiful position,  right next to parkland running long the Diamond Creek.







 this is the design

Flowers will be knitted and crocheted.  The illustration shows existing flower  samples which are not really quite that big. Its a big  tank - so we are going to need to make  lots and lots of flowers..  There are many designs in many colours on the drawing - knitting -  board,  

and this is the barbecue pavilion in  Rotary Park in Diamond Road.  Its right next to the netball courts and a lovely new playground.





and these are designs

I have used the same flowers on each post cos these  are the test samples already made.  I think I would like to keep the pink roses for the water tank and use red and yellow  roses on the pavilion, maybe some orange zinnias , blue cornflowers??? because when you turn around this is what you see - so we need lots of lovely colour




And, in between there's a bike path so..........I wonder




how many ...........


DIAMOND CREEK (such a lovely name) - together YOU and I are going to make this parkland a diamond in the crown of kniffiti (yarnbombing).





Workshops will be held in the Rotary Park near the pavilion, in the Thrive Community garden and around town.  To book a workshop contact sarah.hammond@nillumbik.vic.gov.au or phone 0409 977 563.  nillumbikyouth.vic.gov,gov,au/ThreadtoThrive

Yarn and instructions will be available at workshops and pick up and  drop off points points around town - more on that soon


DEADLINE - we install in the first week of December!  So, one and all please, please, please get ready to start knitting and crocheting and then we can start stitching


You dont have to wait for our yarn or live in Diamond Creek to be part of this -  instructions will start being  posted on line tomorrow , so find your hooks and needles, some 100% acrylic 8ply yarn and be ready! Check this space  email us for a delivery point or postal address.


Stitchers - as soon as there is enough knitting and crochet there will be  workshops to  embroider, applique and piece together,  and, for even more fun, join us for the installation.


IF YOU KNIT, STITCH AND CROCHET, OR  ALL THREE  AND LIKE HAVING FUN YOU ARE WELCOME 


The more knitters, the more crocheters and the more stitchers the MORE beautiful our kniffiti garden!


p.s. HOORAY for the wonderful Star Quilters  who have already started - and lassoed their friends and relatives as well - so already, we have knitters in Chirnside Park, Warrandyte, East Doncaster, Blackburn, Box Hill and more.  WHEE!!!!! rock on kniffiti