ENJOY a tour of blanket street is the invitation from Kilkenny Arts Office as it showcases its community art project Knitted Together 2.
The office launched its project in June to foster community spirit and mitigate against the effects of social isolation through a shared experience.
Blanket street is normally associated with a good sleep but on this occasion is fully awake and truly alive as people are being encouraged to visit local charity shops where beautiful blankets knitted by teams of volunteers are on sale.
Hundreds of knitters and crocheters took part in the project, completing eight-inch squares, made into beautiful blankets and donated to local charities.
For Culture Night 2021, on Friday, September 17, members of the public are invited to view completed blankets in an exhibition trail in each of the participating charity shops.
SHOWING OFF THEIR SKILLS
In Kilkenny’s Castle Yard, Bernadette Roberts, Maria O’Shea and Annette Sinnott will demonstrate their skills inspiring crochet ideas and techniques.
Over 180 took part in the Knitted Together 2 project and created over 3,500 beautiful, intricate and carefully crafted squares.
Seventy completed blankets have been donated to charity shops and will go on display from next Friday.
To support Kilkenny’s charitable organisations, the blankets will be available for purchase from September 18 from seven local charity shops.
The blankets will be on offer at €49.95 with all profit going towards eharity.
The Arts Office has carefully considered the gift-wrapping of each woollen blanket which will be presented in an eco-friendly bag and has a postcard explaining the meaning behind of the Knitted Together project.
As autumn sets in and looking to the gifting season ahead the Arts Office hopes that people will consider the blankets as gifts for loved ones.
THE JOY OF CHARITY SHOPPING
Those who wish to visit the charities and view the blankets or make a purchase can do so from September 18 at The Jack and Jill Foundation, Friary Street, National Council for the Blind (NCBI), High Street and Castlecomer, Samaritans and Enable Ireland, St Kieran’s Street, Irish Cancer Society, Parliament Street and St Vincent de Paul, Butts Green.
Mary Butler, Kilkenny Arts Officer told Kilkenny Press that as an enthusiastic charity shop visitor she hopes lots of people will take this opportunity to discover the joy of charity shopping and the array of fabulous products the shops have available.
The project is funded by Creative Ireland as part of its Age-Friendly Initiatives, the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) as part of the Governments ‘Keep Well’ campaign and is supported by Age-Friendly and Healthy Ireland Kilkenny programme.
