A rather cute gnome sent in by Jenny Richards. Thanks Jenny. A group at West Howe have done a pond so he can try and catch one of the knitted fishes in it. This exhibition is going to look so wonderful.

I have had so many enquiries from individuals and groups wanting to join in. We have well over 1,000 people working on this project now - I cant keep count anymore.


So, it has been another very busy few weeks and some days had enquires from 20 - 40 new people wanting to participate in the project! Slowing down a bit now so I can have time to knit again!

BBC Radio Solent visited us this week and did a recording of some of us knitting and talking about the project. It should be broadcast this week and they will email to let us know when.

I am going to Weymouth on Monday to help them set up their branch of the project. They have 100 people interested in knitting/crocheting for the garden and I think the idea is the make a fossil garden - sounds wonderful! They would like to whole exhibition to travel down to them in August and I think the work they are making will be put on a float for Weymouth Carnival.

Southbourne Library new knitting group has really taken off and has lots more enquires from people wanting to join in - so they may have to set up a second group to cope with the demand. At the moment it is alternate Tuesdays from 2 - 4pm.

A lovely lady called Val donated a big bag of wool to the project - thank you Val. She is clearing and selling her wool stash and was selling a little hand knitting machine which I bought. It is a children's one and makes tubes - grows very quickly - so will be good for the schools to use. Bit of a pain to thread up - haven't got the hang of it yet.

SnB group at All Fired Up Cafe who meet Thursdays nights at 8 - 10.00 are going to make work to cover a pergola/arch - roses, clematis etc. So I have to try and borrow a structure from a garden centre. Library have given us permission to use it and I would like it in the entrance hall so people can walk through it when the come in the doors.

Had a meeting with arts development and library last Monday just to talk through installation and layout. Will be a mammoth task!

A group from London called E11 knitters are going to make us a tree! Welcome ladies and thank you!!
A group from Soutbourne WI are going to knit us some vegetables.
Some hanging baskets been promised and a group from a senior living unit from Southbourne have joined us. Numbers participating increase daily.

Happy knitting!

oak trees, climbing roses, baskets, trugs and radio

Knitted radio sent in today by Jenny Richards - thanks Jenny it is wonderful!

Wow, what a very busy two weeks. Thanks to articles in Listed, January's issue of BH Life and Dorset Echo on Thursday 13th Jan I have been inundated with phone calls and emails from groups, families, individuals wanting to join in. Six new groups joined last week and 2 today! Most days about 30 people join in so we are now well over 1,000 knitters working on the garden.

Last week Redhill TWG joined us and are taking on one of the pillars in the entrance hall on the library with a knitted climbing rose.

Southbourne library held its first knitting group and 14 ladies came and will make work for the garden. Good to meet you all ladies.

I went to Oakmead College this morning and helped teach 30 girls to knit but they need more sessions. Some of them preferred to finger knit. They plan to turn one of the pillars into an oak tree with roots, leaves, wildlife. It should look wonderful.

Posters, fliers and collection boxes for wool have now gone out to all the libraries.

I did a live radio interview for BBC Solent on Wed 12th at 1.45 - it is still available to listen to on their website. They are coming to interview a number of knitters for a second programme on the project early next week.

The project has now linked with Bournemouth's councils Big Green Fortnight ( May 23rd - June 4th) so we have extended the exhibition for another week to allow children who have a half term holiday to come and see it.

Happy New Year everyone!

I spent a lazy Xmas by log fire doing some bits for the project.

It is now in full swing and growing steadily but it is a bit like winter as I won't see a lot of the work that is being made until it emerges into the light in the spring when it all comes together for the exhibition. Lots of people from Weymouth and Portland now want to join in so a big welcome to them!

We have a great article on Page 7 of this months Knit Today magazine and we have had a mention on Radio Solent!

I am going to see quite a few new groups of the next few weeks so will be meeting some new knitters/crocheters but will be doing items for the garden.

This week's jobs is to finish the wool collection boxes to go out into all the libraries in Bournemouth and to get leaflet design off to printers.

I am also investigating knitting podcasters to see if they will do a piece on the project.

Latest knittings

The lemons are for one of the trees in the library and the leaves are for our knitted greenman.

3 new groups joining in the project - a craft club who meet at a community centre are going to make seagulls, a dog, flowers, maybe a fungi log. One lady had a wonderful idea which was to make a green man - I was thinking he could be just made from lots of individual leaves sewn onto a cotton, stuffed body shape - could be wonderful but need someone to help me do him! Any offers???

The second group is a day centre in Christchurch who want to make a patio garden area and the third group is a day centre in Bournemouth who want to make lots of ivy and vines......... oohhh all so exciting.

And I have just made some lemons for one of the trees. Need to do more work on my knitted wheelbarrow now.

School joining in too and a youth club and Portland and Weymouth via a community development worker.
And the article in Knit Today is published and on the shelves!!

Knitting a cauliflower in memory of her mum

Just been sent this wonderful story:

Diane Blackburn, a participant in this project, who is part of the Sway Ewe-to-Ewe knitting group says:

"My mum, Elsie Moore, would have loved this project - my inheritance from her was a bag of left over balls of wool and since there is a creamy colour and a fluffy green one I can, I hope produce a cauli in her memory".

Article in Knit Today

We should have an article in Knit Today January Issue which is out December 28th. Sent info off to lots of other mags and newspapers. Dorset/Bournemouth Echo very interested especially when they knew that hundreds of people are already knitting for this project! they are sending a photographer out to take pictures of the work already made.