Knitters/Crocheters/Weavers Wanted - Your Country Needs YOU!

Today was great fun, we took two spinning wheels to go and demonstrate at the 'Woolsack' stand at The Malvern Autumn Show.

"A personal gift for every athlete handmade by people of the UK using British Wool.  We want to welcome 2012 Olympic and Paralympic athletes to the UK with a Personal gift of a cushion made of British Wool.   Woolsack is the project that enables anyone to contribute to making a cushion made from British Wool.  Woolsack is part of the Cultural Olympiad having been granted the inspire mark.  This is about British Wool and celebrating the importance of wool in Britain's history and recognsing what wool has to offer the UK today."
Further Information please contack Sue Blacker - sue@woolsack.org
More information can be found at www.woolsack.org
Any cushion will be received with gratitude, it is intended 7000 will be given out, so far 3000 have been pledged.  Cushions need to be approximately 16" square and can be sent unstuffed to Woolsack.

It is a great opportunity for Yarn fans to get involved with the UK's celebration of the Olympics whilst promoting a valuable British resource.  If you cannot manage an entire cushion, maybe you could work collaboratively with others.  I am wondering if Ravelry groups or Buddies could get together to make Collaborative cushions.  I would be more than happy to sew smaller 4" squares into cushions if Blog Buddies wanted to send me a square or two!  Knitting or Crochet would be fab.  I have started to crochet my cushion from Scottish Shetland Wool.
We seemed to have a steady supply of interest folk today, people took patterns for cushions and seemed enthusiastic to have a go.  It was a lovely day for the show and it was busy.  We were based in 'Severn Hall' where the finalists of 'The Young Farmers Cookery Competition' was held, it smelled absolutely heavenly, especially to someone on a diet Healthy Eating Plan!

Here is the 'Woolsack' stand:

The setting is beautiful, with the backdrop of The Malvern Hills the show ground is enormous.

We live about thirty miles from Malvern and my partner goes every week to collect fresh Spring Water, our tap water is Orrible!  Malvern water makes a superior Cuppa and is worth the effort.

I was having a lovely time spinning and nattering, so I did not see hardly any of the show, I am not happy in crowds but I did venture to a giant 'Food Hall', I forgot the diet healthy eating plan, as we battled our way through the crowds to buy lunch.  'A Tickled Pink' Smoked Salmon, cream cheese and potato ball, followed by a large Duck Pasty with Plum Sauce, Mom and I were good and shared!!  I enjoyed the free samples, Port, Cider and Whiskey.  All of them complemented the Duck wonderfully.  I went and sat back at my spinning wheel for the afternoon with rosie cheeks!
I would have like to view the show without the crowds as there were lots of animals to see.  There were events right outside the hall in the Arena involving Galloping Horses towing people behind on Skateboard type contraptions, it looked far too dangerous to me and it was too fast to photograph after whiskey!

I saw a great net frame that would cover my vegetable beds, it wouldn't have fit in the car though and it is too late as my Chicken Babies have already scritched and scratched around my 'Winter Vegetables', they have done untold damage to my leeks!  It is a good job I love them.  I did get delusions of grandeur when I spotted a great new chicken coop too.  I will have to add Woodwork to my list of skills to learn!!!  The coop wouldn't fit in the car either.