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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 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  "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...
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  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 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 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:
If you have any questions, please give me a call or send an email. Joy Shirley, for the organising group 0417 065 351 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 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:
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 Yes, that is correct, Yarn Bombing 2020! I am hoping that we can make our yarn bombing event in 2020 easier for everyone, as well as bigger and better by starting our planning much earlier. To do this, I am looking for a group of volunteers who can help with the planning, organisation and administration of the event. My idea is to have different people take responsibility for different aspects. These would include publicity, social media, community group contacts, administration etc. I am hoping for this group to meet at the end of October and discuss what worked for 2019, what can be improved (early planning is one of these), who can help in which way. So, please let me know if you are interested in assisting with the early planning phases.
If you have any questions give me a call. But more importantly, please let me know if and how you can help. Joy Shirley 0417 065 351 'Benalla Rugged Up' 2019 was installed by the Benalla Yarn Bombers on Friday 2nd August. There has been an overwhelmingly warm response on NEA's Facebook Page to posts we have shared, however we are aware that some people are perplexed, asking questions about the event and that the reception has been mixed on some social media sites. The 'Benalla Rugged Up' planning portal on this website received a question through the contact us page ' ' "People have been asking why we are wrapping trees etc. Can you email me the purpose of Yarn Bombing and what it is supporting please. (Name Supplied)" We asked Joy Shirley from Benalla Yarn Bombers to reply to our reader - here is Joy's reply: 'Benalla Rugged Up', an annual yarn bombing event, came about in 2018 when thinking about something that could involve the community at a quiet time of the year - winter. As the ideas developed, we realised that the end of winter meant that the streetscape had little colour and that yarn bombing could bring colour to the street. There are a number of people in town who knit and crochet and this would give them an outlet for their creativity. As the ideas developed further, we found that homelessness week occured in August as well, so the thought of encouraging the community to be aware of homelessness in the north east while warming up our town also developed. So the thoughts behind the event became warmlng/rugging up Benalla while encouraging awareness of the need to help to rug up people who are homeless." The reasons underpinning yarnbombing events and the chosen sites vary. Bendigo yarn bombers yarn bomb a tram; while on the weekend of the Chiltern Jam Session festival in late July the pillars in the streets of Chiltern are yarn bombed with colourful squares containing music 'notes'.. In Benalla, trees and elements of the streetscape in the retail precinct are the focus of the yarnbombers' attention. Would you like to read more:about yarn bombing?
'Knit one, Purl One - the mysteries of yarn bombing unravelled' Alyce McGovern, The Conversation Bendigo Tramway = 'Yarn Bomb Tram' 'Yarn Bombing Lifts Spirits of Drought Hit Warwick ' Friday was a busy but successful day, “rugging up” Benalla. The majority of the installation was complete by around 3:30 on Friday. This included installations on trees and bollards along Mair, Nun and Carrier streets. Saturday a small group checked the installation and made adjustments and additions as available. This included some extra bollards covered in Carrier Street and a few repairs.
Thanks to everyone who contributed, and particularly to those who helped with installation activities. A special thank you to the ANZ bank volunteers who did so much of the installation work. "Wandering around with her camera on Saturday I spoke with a few locals and visitors. In general everyone was positive. One gentleman even commented that it felt it warmed up the town. So good work to everyone." said Joy Shirley, Coordinator. There are also some decorations outside Cooinda, the Uniting Churchand out in Swanpool. So get out and have a look around. Over the next few weeks, we need to keep an eye on the installation and make repairs if necessary. We do not want things to start looking untidy – not a good look for our town. If you see a problem, and you cannot fix it yourself, send me a message and I will see what can be done to make sure all still looks good. The removal of the work will take place on 31 August., coordinated by Chris Dunster will be co-ordinating . If you can helplet Joy know = Joy pass on your details to Chris. Well done to all! Joy Shirley Hello All
We are now in the final stage of preparation for the “Benalla Rugged Up” yarn bombing event. The last week has seen good progress, but there is always more that can be done. Here is a summary of where we are at (updates from last week’s status information in green; effort still required in red):
The outstanding tasks are:
As you can see there is still some work to do. The fun part of actually producing the material has been great. To date the hard work of organisation has been done by a small group of people. Further assistance from people who are available on Saturday, 3 August to help with the installation would be of great help. We will be meeting on Wednesday, 31 July at 10:00 to review and finalise the plans for the installation on 2/3 August (that is the coming Friday and Saturday!). Everyone is welcome to come to this meeting. We will be meeting in our “work room” at the Gliding Club. Call me if you have trouble finding the work room (0417 065 351). If you can help with the finishing work on the material (mainly sorting and sewing) or with the installation on either Friday or Saturday, please come along on Wednesday or call me on 0417 065 351. I have cancelled all my other commitments this week apart from Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon, so I should be available to talk with you if you have any questions. And you can always send me an email. I hope you have enjoyed any part you have played in the journey to get us to this point, and even if you cannot help with the installation, come along and say hello to those who are working on this essential part of the event. After all, this was the goal for the work we have all undertaken. Thank you all Joy 0417 065 351 Hello all
Here is the latest update around the progress towards our yarn bombing event – Benalla Rugged Up.
The outstanding tasks are:
If you can help with any of these tasks, let me know. We are still working out of the Gliding Club building, but have moved to a ground floor room – actually we have three rooms. I plan to be there Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoon this week. The building is open form around 9:00 to 3:00 Monday-Wednesday and Friday. I can also arrange to be there on Monday afternoon and part of Thursday, or even later afternoon, early evenings on any day if anyone can help at those times. Just give me a call on 0417 065 351. Our major priority now though is to identify extra volunteers to assist with the installation process. Without volunteers to help with the installation, all the effort to get us to this stage will not be successful. Please contact me as a matter of urgency if you can assist with the installation on either Friday 2 August or Saturday 3 August. An hour or two on either day is all that we ask, or more if you are available. Just let me know what time/s you can help so I can set up a roster. We are near the end, and with the material that we have received, we are quite excited about being able to achieve more than last year. Our town will be brightly coloured for August. Joy 0417 065 351 Hello All
We have just under three weeks before the installation days on 2/3 August. This is just a brief update around the progress to date for our Benalla Rugged Up yarn bombing event.
For those who are able to help with some of this, the Gliding Club room will generally be available from 9:00 to 3:00 Monday to Wednesday and on Friday while the office is open. Please let Rhonda in the office know if you are there. I will be there:
If anyone is only able to help on Thursday, please call me so we can work out if there is a time that I can be there – at the moment I am not planning to be there as I have another commitment, but may be able to work around this. Joy Shirley 0417 065 351 "Hi
First an update – we have unpacked all the material from last year, and it is now in the room at the Gliding Club that we will be using for our preparation. It would be great if a few more people could assist with some of the upcoming work. To this end, I will be there from 1:00pm on Friday afternoon. To start, we will need to discuss the steps necessary to be ready for the installation on 2-3 August. Then we can continue sorting the material, and working out what actual knitting/crochet needs to be completed. Hope to see you then. If you have trouble finding us please call me on 0417 065 351 after 1:00pm on Friday. Joy" Planning is now well underway for 'Benalla Rugged Up' in August. A number of planning meetings have already been held, with the next meeting to be held on Friday 21st June at 1 pm in Gallery 2 at NEA. "We will be looking at the progress we have made, and planning our next steps. To be successful, we do need people to assist with the steps needed to be able to stage the event.' Joy Shirley Progress to date includes planning tasks such as setting up a time line from 'go' to 'whoa'; commencing the process of seeking approvals from VicRoads; commencing the Council Event Application; investigating a Community Sponsorship Grant process to assist with costs; contacting Waminda re insurance coverage for volunteers during installation and removal; and more. Collection bins and some posters have now been distributed, and some posters. The group is looking for help from volunteers to assist with organisational details and planning; distribute more of the posters; market the event; prepare finished products ready for installation and assist with the installation. The preparation of products ready for installation will commence from 1 July at the Gliding Club at the airfield. If you would like to assist with the organisation of 'Benalla Rugged Up', your attendance at the planning meeting at NEA at 1 pm on Friday 21 would be most welcome. For further information - Contact Joy Shirley 0417 065 351  "Many hands make light work. We are looking for volunteers to assist in taking down the inaugural yarnbomb creations in Bridge Street East. We will meet outside Coles in Carrier Street (on Rettkes Butcher side) at 1pm on Saturday 1 September. The more people who can help the quicker the job will get done. We will store them for next year and add to the mix so we extend the coverage. (Those which may not have faired as well will be donated to other causes eg animal shelters.) As we’ve sat knitting or crocheting, there’s been talk of how great it’s been having a common purpose over the last few months and what a fantastic activity it’s been across all generations. Ideas are already percolating for the next install! It’s also highlighted how passionate, caring people working together can make a real difference in creating a kinder, more connected community. When good people come together with a common purpose anything is possible. Thank you Benalla. Let’s continue to pay it forward." . Source: Benalla Yarn Bombers Facebook Page - Event Information.
Congratulations to Benalla Yarnbombers on the 2018 Yarn Bombing Event - 'Benalla Rugged Up'.
From small beginnings, a dedicated and inspired group of potential yarnbombers took up the challenge, learning about yarnbombing and possible designs along the way. The planning group included NEA members Annie Longmuir, Maggie Hollins, Sally Wallace, Jennifer Gill and Mary Kennedy. As the deadline for contributions neared, photos began to be shared on FB of the collected knitting and crochet contributions building up on tables in the Uniting Church Hall. The cane collection baskets at NEA began to fill to overflowing. Heart warming creations began to appear in Bridge Street, with one of the trees outside NEA featuring Mary Kennedy's hula skirt and Annie's colourful knitted, crocheted and flowered swathed creation hugging the tree just outside NEA's front door. Wonderful bollard creations include Jennifer's daisy flowered crocheted chains which loop between the bollards outside Millers' store. The inaugural installation has proven to be beyond expectations both in volume and design. NEA was listed as a venue for planning sessions; knitting sessions at the Red Road Cafe and as a collection point, NEA's role also included providing the requested option of website within the NEA website. A 'Planning Portal' prepared by Bev and Maggie provided an early point of contact and 'referral on'; however the Yarn Bombers FB site, email list and Mailchimp newsletter were clearly used more effectively as communication strategies during the busy period in the weeks leading up to and during the installation. Websites can, however, provide a repository function which FB and Mailchimp are perhaps less suited for. They can come up in search engines for people researching Benalla's yarn bombing event and be a useful source of information for media releases. The Planning Portal has been retained in the Projects area of the NEA website for now. Updating the Gallery tab in the Planning Portal with images of the 2018 Yarnbomb would be worthwhile; as would retaining its links to the FB page, and also links to all news posts categorized under Benalla Yarn Bomb. Next year, it could be used again or it could form a base from which to begin discussing the development of the Yarn Bombing event's own website. Benalla's inaugural yarn bomb has been memorable, There is a substantial resource base on which to build next year - both in terms of knitted and crocheted works and knowledge of patterns, installation, and more. The event has considerable capacity to continue to reach out to the community in unanticipated and engaging ways such as happened this year with the joining in from knitters from Estia Health; volunteer support by regional ANZ staff using their 'community bank' hours to help with the installation; and many other examples of unanticipated contributions by the community. More recently, the Yarn Bombing group has received a request from Benalla P-12 college for speakers to enable them to find out more about what is involved as they are hoping to motivate their 5/6 classes to become involved with the YB project next year. Congratulations, Benalla Yarn Bombers! An Occasional BLog A message from Catherine McMillan - "Many thanks again for being part of the inaugural Benalla Yarnbomb installation. Hope you're all feeling suitably chuffed at the results - which look fantastic and seem to be holding up very well (touch wood!) A couple of hats have met untimely ends, but the trees and pergolas looks great".
Catherine has planned a light celebration lunch followed by a debrief (what worked, things to improve and other ideas and suggestions; also take down logistics, on Thursday 23rd August at the Library (Pat Claridge Room) from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. RSVP's closed on the 20th for catering purposes, however if you are keen to go to report back, it may be possible to attend after the lunch to share stories and provide input . Saturday 28: Final tweaks and sewing together in the Pat Claridge room of the library, then the last of the yarn 'bombing raids'! Sunday 29: 'wouldn't you just know it' ... it rained! (Perhaps watching rain gods wanted to say 'great work'!)
Monday 30: An item appears about the event in Victoria's High Country News - www.victoriashighcountry.com.au/listing/benalla-rugged-up-benalla/
Congratulations to NEA's Annie Longmuir, Mary Kennedy, Sally Wallace and all @benallayarnbombers volunteers involved in yesterday's installation of the colourful knitting and crocheted panels now hugging the trees in Benalla's CBD. 'Benalla Rugged Up' is a colourful celebration of what has so far been a very cold winter.
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- Home
- About
- Artisans
- GALLERY SHOP
-
EXHIBITIONS
- Exhibitions
- Upcoming and Current Exhibitions
- 'In Your Face' NEA Portrait Prize 2021 - On line Catalogue of Selected Works
- Exhibition Posters 2016-2020
-
Past Shows
>
- 'Upstairs Downstairs'
- $50 Christmas
- Postcards to New York - Response Exhibition
- 'In Your Face' Portrait Prize 2019 >
- Postcards from New York's Hudson Valley 2019
- 'Another Brick in the Wall' April 2019
- 'The Source' - March 2019
- Our Backyard - November 2018
- Wisdom and Experience - October 2018
- Benalla Flexible Learning Centre 2017 - 2019
- Benalla Rural City 2018-19
- 'In Your Face' 2017 >
- Door of Hope Exhibition 2017
- 'Rite of Spring' 2016 >
- On-line Exhibitions 2020 >
- Exhibitions Blog
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COMMUNITY
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