Knitty Gritty and Loopy

We Craft This City at Object Gallery

2010-09-22T17:08:00.005+10:00

Not doing much on a Saturday morning? Come join us on the 2nd October for the launch of We Craft This City!

Crafternoon at Art and About 2010

2010-09-21T14:50:00.003+10:00

Hyde Park is being turned into Art park this weekend and we are INVOLVED! Alongside Denise Litchfield, Cecilie Knowles, Craft Cartel, In Stitches, and Reef Knot... you will get a chance to create with different materials and perhaps contribute to some bigger projects. I know for sure with 350.org around the corner that we treasure every basket dearly. Selected baskets will be exhibited at Object for the Spring series too!

Come join us on 25th and 26th September, 11-3pm, for some crafting action. BYO plastic bags, knitting and crochet needles, friends, family...and fun.

Details here

Sydney Design 2010!

2010-07-28T12:52:00.005+10:00

See you there!

Plarn time

2010-07-26T12:55:00.008+10:00

So you have collected bags full of plastic bags, ready to transform them into something beautiful at our workshop this weekend, what's next?

Make some plastic yarn, Plarn, and bring them along to:
11-3pm
31 Jul, 7 & 14 Aug 2010
Level 4, 2 Hill Street, Surry Hills

See you there!

Material Call Out

2010-06-18T17:36:00.014+10:00

Hello All!

Just a heads up on materials for the next project. We are starting to put together a list for a call out, but meantime, please put aside some plastic bags, milk cartons and washed egg shells in anticipation of crafting frenzy.

We have more options this time, and some very kiddy friendly activities involving weaving. All of which will be taking place in Surry Hills on Saturdays over 3 weekends (31 July, 7+14 August). Your lovely pieces will then be assembled for exhibiting on the 15 August, between 11-3pm. Mark those dates!

This time, the exhibition is responding to the Sydney Design's "Tell a Story" and we will be using "conscious creativity" to collaborate with the community. We will be transforming everyday waste into by-products of love that tell the story of where everyday things came from and where they will go.

Ultimately Knitty Gritty & Loopy seek to inspire and educate, instilling positivity through hands in action. We certainly hope to have your helping hand and look forward to see you at our next meet on 24 July @Carriageworks.

Love

Gritter Officer B

Feasting on Ideas

2010-05-01T18:02:00.005+10:00

Welcome to 2010 Gritters!

With a passion for sustainable fashion, we will be heading to GreenUps again on Tuesday night May 4th. There will be a Clothing Exchange, talks on sustainable fashion, and some green drinking to inspire green thinking. Please join us.

We are excited and would love your company at the Crafternoon at Carriageworks. Save the date 24th July 2010

We are also getting busy for Sydney Design Week in July/August.
Plans are underway, and we look forward to you joining us for a series of workshops and exhibition.

We are thrilled to be included in Object Gallery's exhibition We Craft This City in October. Stay tuned for more news about the workshops, Crafternoon and exhibition here.

You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook

Knitting and Gritting 2010

2010-02-24T14:23:00.000+11:00

Hello all.

Some exciting projects lined up for 2010 coming our way (including workshops and exhibitions).

Watch this space!!

Meanwhile some pictures to whet your appetite :)

The Team

2009-10-27T00:14:00.000+11:00

Finally! Half a proper picture of those who have made this project possible. Thank you all!

Credits and article here

Part of history

2009-10-24T04:28:00.000+11:00

Thank you everyone for your basket making magic and creativity. In less than a month, we have made hundreds of baskets and saved thousands of plastic bags from landfill and the sea.

Each one is a unique little beauty!

We will have the baskets on exhibition at The Sydney Opera House, as part of over 5,200 actions in more than 180 countries around the world.

October 24th is the 350.org international day of climate action, where people all over the world make their voices heard, calling on leaders to reduce carbon levels in the atmosphere to a safe level of 350 parts per million, and calling for a safe future.

It is the largest collective display of action to fight climate change the world has ever seen.

Find out more here http://www.350.org/ and follow some of the amazing actions here on Twitter http://twitter.com/350

Here's a picture of the baskets taken at Bondi Beach.

Thank you gritters Julie, Rena, Floria, Liane, Bea, Sue, Kylie, Annie, Paula, Yumi, Taka, Tobhi, Sam, Bridget, Bev, Melanie, Petrina, Vanessa, Finn, Lana, Scarlet, Sam, Pepe, Joe, Maya, Di, Harvey, Jackie, Sabrina, Sue, Jessika, Tom, Rachel, Dave, Phillip, Alison, Stefanie, Janos, Sacha, Kirsty, Martha, Sarah, Melanie, Roman, Lola, Piper, Jane, Jenny, Trish, Rowena, Nikki, Daniel, Trudi, Sam, Jett, Jo, Lola, Tess, Joan, Lorelle, Marton, Luke, Simone, Joe, Jack, Ryan, Mel, Michele, Judge, Sally, Imogen, Felix, Felicity, Kitty, Marti, Luke, Bambi, Melissa, Susie, Andre, Kate, Kaye, Trudy, Marty, Alice and all the other brilliant Gritters.

We will let you know about where the exhibition will be going after the Opera House.

Baskets at Bondi

2009-10-23T00:46:00.000+11:00

New York Times Square HERE WE COME!

More pictures at the facebook group

Everything kicks off at the Sydney Opera House around 2 in ther afternoon, so do come by and say hello, or just hang around for music music by Felix Riebl of The Cat Empire, The Beautiful Girls and the choir, and the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation!

The list of activities around Sydney can be found here

22 hours to go!

18 Oct '09 - Last Loopy @ the Park

2009-10-20T23:22:00.000+11:00

With 4 days more till the installation at the Syndey Opera House, response to Loopy@ the park picked up last weekend. We crafted a storm with a growing record number of baskets, and occupying 3 benches!

Click on the photos to enlarge.

Busy crafting bees, with amazing finger knitting boys!

Counting the jewels big and small

Packed with love.

11 Oct '09 at the Park

2009-10-13T15:03:00.001+11:00

The sun struggled to stay out but we were out in full force at the park.
Occasional breezes did make it a challenge to sew and plarn but nothing can beat us!

The collection point at the Ivan Dougherty Gallery is also up. so those who have and want to drop your finished baskets off may do so in your own time.

11 days to go!

Looping at GreenUps - 6 Oct '09

2009-10-08T11:30:00.001+11:00

We invaded the pool table at the Beauchamp Hotel for the latest GreenUps.

To our suprise and with much success, over a few drinks we have converted many more loopy-ies! Hope to see those faces again on Sunday@ Centennial.

Plarn-ing 101

Transformation in progress!

4th October Loopy-ies

2009-10-05T20:51:00.000+11:00

we took it indoors because of the wet weather but
thank you all who came along, the gifts you brought
and all the little helping hands you blessed us with.

see you at the park next week!

Loopy @ the Park

2009-10-02T02:19:00.000+10:00

Knitty Gritty & Loopy are making 350 baskets, from plastic bags, to be exhibited at the Opera House for the 350 project. Knitting, crocheting, weaving, fusing. Come join us!

Come by Centennial Park, 11-3pm on Sundays (4,11,18 Oct ‘09) near the bell sculpture/cafe for a loopy grit up. Bring scissors, plastic bags, crochet/knitting needles, and support!

Basket drop-offs welcomed at:
Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Weekdays, 10-5pm
Beauchamp Hotel, Tuesday, 6 Oct, 6-9pm
Centennial Park, Sundays, 11-3pm
Sydney Opera House, Saturday, 24 Oct, 10am

Making Plarn

2009-10-02T02:02:00.000+10:00

Knitty Gritty and Loopy for 350.

2009-10-01T19:43:00.000+10:00

350.org is a great organization started by Bill McKibben. For the last 600,00 years, there have been about 280 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but since the industrial revolution, we have been polluting the atmosphere, and it is now about 390 parts per million.

We are on track to be at 450 ppm, which would mean a temperature rise of at least 2 degrees, which basically wipes out The Great Barrier Reef amongst many other things, and who knows what else will happen to the planet? We could only imagine (or try not to!)

350 parts per million is the number that top scientists, such as NASA's Jim Hansen recommend would keep the planet living safely.

On October 24th, there are worldwide events being organized to highlight and inform people about 350, so we can all act to reduce emissions before the numbers get too high.

http://www.350.org/about

As a group of friends, we have started up an arting/crafting group called Knitty Gritty and Loopy, and for the 350 project, we are making 350 baskets from plastic bags. Knitting, crocheting, weaving, fusing. We would love you to join us if you can. Have a look and please join up at our Facebook group to see how to make 'plarn' - plastic yarn from the bags, and other crafting, reusing, recycling, reinventing and repurposing ideas.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=151602005199

At the moment, the Australian government has basically committed to killing off the Great Barrier Reef, with targets of 450 ppm. Surely we can do better than this!

http://bluelivingideas.com/topics/marine-ocean-sea-life/australian-government-world-killing-great-barrier-reef/