CraftBomb Liverpool

Following on from the 'Button It' sewing campaign in March, I recently worked again with Voluntary Arts England and Up For Arts from BBC Radio Merseyside to deliver a Heritage Lottery funded participatory craft project in celebration of Voluntary Arts Week.

Yarnstorming or guerrilla knitting is growing in popularity and so to make a big impact in celebrating Voluntary Arts Week, we joined in with a national movement to 'CraftBomb' public places with examples of handcrafted artworks. 

We worked with many partners on the project to 'Spring Into Action' and bring much needed colour to Liverpool during the dormant spring with displays at the Bluecoat and Walker Art Gallery. 

Following on from their Bluecoat Display Centre project with Helen Chatterton, knitters from Holly Lodge Girls College dressed up the trees of the Bluecoat with multicoloured jumpers. 

The Wirral Autistic Society, who I worked with last year as part of Making An Impact with the Bluecoat Display Centre, were invited back to invade the garden with their wonderful woven and wirework flowers, birds and butterflies. 

The Twisted Stitchers brought their swarm of knitted bees to the front courtyard and Liverpool Sewing Club wove patchwork through the railings. The response from visitors was very positive with the brightly coloured woolly surprises raising lots of smiles. The features on BBC Radio Merseyside created a buzz about the project.  

 
Along with co-ordinating the CraftBomb I also delivered some participatory workshops to engage the wider public. At the Walker Art Gallery, inspired by Robyn Woolston's recycled plastic installation, I worked with visitors to create a large collaborative weaving using recycled yarns which was displayed on the building's railings for Voluntary Arts Week. 

The project culminated in a 'CraftBomb Hub' at the Bluecoat for Light Night in which local craft groups were invited to come along and share their skills with visitors.

Visitors were also invited to create pom poms to take away or hang from the trees in the Bluecoat's garden and add to a collaborative weaving for the railings. The event was phenomenally busy with almost 200 people taking part and our participating craft groups passing on their knowledge to many interested people!

When it came time to take down the CraftBomb many commented that they wished it could stay up all year! Visit the Facebook page for lots more photos.