Category: Benalla Rugged Up

We are again planning for a Yarn Bombing Festival for 2022 - the theme - 'Whimsy'

6/5/2022

We are again planning for a yarn bombing event for 2022. The last two years have been difficult between shutdowns and restrictions. Still, a small group of us managed to bring some smiles to the community during the difficult times. We hope this year we will be able to achieve another colourful display with the theme of “Whimsy” to brighten the town at the end of winter. Our aim is to have enough articles to cover Bridge Street from the corner of Smythe St to the Monash Bridge. If we have enough items, we will also cover parts of Carrier, Nunn and Mair Streets.

Our dates for 2022 are from 30 July until 4 September.

We invite all interested community members to participate in the event by completing articles for display. All articles need to be made from acrylic yarn as that survives the elements the best. We would like:
•             fancy tea cosies (with the slits closed) or fancy beanies to fit 50cm ball,
•             long strips of knitting or crochet 25cm (around 10 inches) wide,
•             strips that are around 10 cm (around 3 inches) wide,

Your contributions need to be completed by 5 July 2022. You can ring Joy on 0417 065 351 or Elaine on 0407 438 099 and we will arrange either a pickup or drop off point. We do have some yarn available for you to use – call Susan on 0468 619 198. Or if you have some bright coloured acrylic yarn to donate, call one of the listed numbers and we can arrange collection.

We know that things change from year to year and you may not be able to assist this year. But if you know someone who may be interested, please pass on the information. And if you want to be removed from our list of contact from previous years, please let me know.

Happy knitting and crochet

Joy, for
Benalla Yarn Bombers Group

Yarn Bombing 2020 - Thank you to everyone who contributed!

20/9/2020

Hello all

A very brief message to let you all know that the yarn bombing has now been removed around Benalla. It was bit touch and go as to whether the weather would co-operate, but after Friday’s rain, everything had dried out enough by Saturday afternoon, so we managed to remove everything, and so meet the Council requirements. It does look a little less bright around town, but the leaves will soon be back to brighten things again. Thank you to everyone who helped with providing materials and support, and special thanks to those who were able to help with the installation and the removal.

Joy

Benalla Rugged Up - "Thank you for cheering us up!"

12/9/2020

"Thanks to the knitters and craftspeople of Benalla and district for cheering us up these past few weeks. Your wonderful work is enough to put a smile on anyone's face."

Diane McMillan posted this wonderful photo and comment on the Benalla Community Noticeboard Facebook page! It received lots of likes and some wonderful comments...

Yarn Bombing event extended until Covid-19 Stage 3 restrictions lifted

26/8/2020

Hello all

You may remember from previous posts that we had planned removing the yarn bombing work this coming weekend, 29 August. Due to the current stage 3 restrictions on movement, we are not able to undertake this work. We have been granted an extension from the Council to leave the decorations in place until stage 3 restrictions are lifted, allowing us to move around more freely. So you will see the bright colours around for another few weeks.

Thank you to those who have supported this work this year and in previous years. We hope to repeat the event in 2021 and would welcome your support and participation.

Joy Shirley
0417 065 351

Covid-19 modified Benalla Rugged Up event application approved by Council!

11/7/2020

Hello all

We are happy to tell you that the Council have approved our application to run the Benalla Rugged Up yarn bombing event in August. We have only a couple of minor logistical plans to complete and then we are all set to go ahead. Our plans for this year are slightly altered from previous years (and our initial thoughts before COVID-19 issues). But we are well advanced in preparing the materials for bollards, seat backs and bike racks. We still need to look at what level of coverage we can manage for the trees and perhaps the pergola posts.

If you do have any materials for use this year, please give me a call to discuss pick up or delivery. As I mentioned in a previous update we decided that we could not ask outlets around town to act as drop off points. And as we do not have anywhere for construction activities, can only use completed items this year – just completed strips (narrow and wide), beanies or bollard covers.

Finally, we do not have the out of town volunteers for the installation activity. If anyone is able to assist with this activity on the afternoons of 1st and/or 2nd August, please let me know. Because of the distancing restrictions, we may need to look at rostering, so please let me know when and for how long you can help.

Thank you for your support in pervious years and this year, and we look forward to seeing a bright display around town during August.

Joy
0417 065 351

Benalla Rugged Up 2020 - update

11/7/2020

Benalla Yarnbombers are happy to announce that the Council have approved our application to run the Benalla Rugged Up yarn bombing event in August. We have only a couple of minor logistical plans to complete and then we are all set to go ahead. Our plans for this year are slightly altered from previous years (and our initial thoughts before COVID-19 issues). But we are well advanced in preparing the materials for bollards, seat backs and bike racks. We still need to look at what level of coverage we can manage for the trees and perhaps the pergola posts.

If you do have any materials for use this year, please give me a call to discuss pick up or delivery. As I mentioned in a previous update we decided that we could not ask outlets around town to act as drop off points. And as we do not have anywhere for construction activities, can only use completed items this year – just completed strips (narrow and wide), beanies or bollard covers.

Finally, we do not have the out of town volunteers for the installation activity. If anyone is able to assist with this activity on the afternoons of 1st and/or 2nd August, please let me know. Because of the distancing restrictions, we may need to look at rostering, so please let me know when and for how long you can help.

Thank you for your support in previous years and this year, and we look forward to seeing a bright display around town during August.

Joy
Benalla Yarn Bombers
0417 065 351

'Benalla Rugged Up 2020 will go ahead with some adjustments'

11/6/2020

The good news – we are still hoping that Benalla Rugged Up 2020 will go ahead, with some adjustments. We need to keep in mind the restrictions that may still be in place. Certainly maintaining physical distancing will be necessary. But we think that the town will need the brightening far more this year.

With this in mind, we have taken the following decisions and steps:

We have submitted the event application to council. My conversations with the Event Co-ordinator indicate that there is a strong chance we will be able to go ahead as there is no large group gathering required.
We will install over the weekend of 1-2 August (Saturday/Sunday). We will work in pairs for this and are looking for local volunteers to help. If you can help please let me know.
We will focus first on bollards, seat backs, and bike racks, then move to cover as many trees as we are able to cover ourselves without the help of the out of town volunteers from previous years. For these, bollard covers, beanies and long strips will be required.
We will not have collection points around town. It is not practical to keep the bins sanitised. Instead, if you have articles to contribute, please call me and I will arrange collection. It would be preferable that the items are in bags that can be handed over with minimum handling.

If you have any questions, please give me a call or send an email.

Joy Shirley, for the organising group
0417 065 351

Yarn Bombing - Reminder - Planning Meeting Sunday 15 March

12/3/2020

Hello all

This is the reminder about our planning meeting for yarn Bombing 2020. I hope you can all come, and bring along anyone else you know who would be interested in participating in the event.

Date: Sunday, 15 March
Time: 2:00pm
Venue: 40 Salisbury Street, Benalla

If you need yarn, we will have some available at the meeting.

If you have any questions, just give me a call.

Joy Shirley
0417 065 351

Planning has started for 'Benalla Rugged Up' for August 2020!

17/2/2020

Hello all,

We have started some planning for a Yarn Bombing event (Benalla Rugged Up) for August 2020. To keep everyone informed, we are planning a meeting to discuss and share ideas. This will be on Sunday, 15 March at 2:00pm. We will be meeting at 40 Salisbury Street, Benalla

Our initial ideas include the theme for the 2020 event – “The colours of the Rainbow”. We hope to have enough articles to cover the areas from the corner of Smythe and Bridge St to the Monash Bridge as well as side streets – Carrier, Nunn and Mair Streets, and the area around the Library. And we are trying to come up with a more stable way of decorating the bridge with flowers. As in the past, the articles need to be made from acrylic yarn as that survives the elements the best. To provide flexibility we thought that we could use:

long strips of knitting or crochet 25cm (around 10 inches) wide,
strips that are around 10 cm (around 3 inches) wide,
25 cm or 10 cm squares,
Beanies for the bollards 25cm wide and 20cm tall, and
flowers for the bridge.

With the strips, we can wrap the trees, pergola posts, seats, bike racks etc, or join strips using the squares for the trees. Or if you have a specific idea for a tree, such as the aprons last year, they will also be great to include.

We will start pulling all the articles together from 5 July, so will need any contributions by then. As in previous years, there will be various points around the town where articles can be dropped off. And we do have some yarn available and this will be at the meeting on 15 March.

I will send a reminder message closer to the date, but please put this date in your diaries and come along with ideas as to ways that we can brighten the town through yarn bombing. And if you know of someone who would be interested in participating, please invite them along as well.

Joy Shirley
0417 065 351