Woolsack Project
Come on Bedfordshire, let’s get
stuffed!
Bedfordshire’s crafters are being called on to get busy making
personal gifts for the Olympians and Paralympians coming to Bedford
this summer. Over 200 athletes from 14 countries will be hosted
here leading up to the Games. Under the Woolsack project every
athlete participating in the Games is being offered a cushion hand
made and stuffed with British wool. Local hand spinner Janet
Ellison is leading the project for Bedfordshire and is busy making
cushions along with other crafters like Heather Webb from the
Bedfordshire based British Nude Ewe wool company.
The Woolsack Project is a national campaign to provide each and
every Olympian and Paralympian with the personal welcome gift of a
hand crafted cushion made and stuffed with British wool. Altogether
this means making over 14,000 cushions! Part of Cultural Olympiad,
Woolsack provides an opportunity for knitters, spinners, weavers,
embroiderers, felters and other crafters to get involved in the
spirit of the Olympics while promoting British wool and traditional
crafts.
Janet is hoping that each of the Bedford-based athletes can be
presented with a cushion made here in this area. So far ‘Bedford
Woolsack HQ’ has collected 32 cushions but the target is to gather
220 by 31st July. Cushions will be presented to the Olympians
before they leave Bedford for the Olympics this August. Each
cushion will be presented with a personal message with the makers
‘wish’ for the athlete.
“It takes me a day and a half to complete one cushion so in
order to meet our target we need other crafters to get on board. It
is such a wonderful way for people to get involved directly with
the 2012 Olympic games that we hope that others might like to take
part” Says Janet. While the cushions can be any style or colour
there are a few rules: each cushion must be 16 inches square, made
entirely from British wool and stuffed only with stuffing provided
by Woolsack. Full information, including pattern ideas and wool
suppliers can be found at www.woolsack.org. There will be a
Woolsack Stuffing Station at the upcoming Fibre-East, where cushion
makers can come stuff and finish their cushions.
Further information:
Fibre East, festival of natural fibre taking place at Scald End
Farm, Thurleigh 14-15 July www.fibre-east.co.uk, or call
Janet Ellison on 07751 813681
Wool from Bedfordshire and surrounding area: The Nude Ewe
www.nude-ewe.co.uk