Joining Lines

Lots of things have been happening in secret over the past few months which have been super exciting but also rather daunting. After lots of brainstorming and creative conversations, I have joined together with the Bulwell Arts Festival and Rebalancing Nottingham North (Bulwell Connectors) to put together a community exhibition. Eeeek this is massive!​

I absolutely love working with new people and get excited when I can share what I know and love with others. Crochet obviously plays a huge part within my life, its my main source of relaxation and its what I turn to when my anxiety is high. We have all heard that creativity can help to improve our mental health and wellness. I want to share my creativity with others and bring people together, to step away and try something they have never tried before. Whether that is to crochet for the first time, socialise with people they haven't before or to get involved in something bigger than themselves. Something that they never imagined they would be a part of. ​
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What is the Joining Lines?

Joining Lines is a community project which brings together crocheters from all warps of life in an exhibition of crocheted doilies.

Get Involved

Submission Deadline:  Saturday 26th April 2018
Exhibition Opening Date:  Saturday 30th June 2018​

​I invite crocheters from all backgrounds, cultures, genders and ages to get involved and crochet a doily to be exhibited as part of the Joining Lines exhibition taking place this summer. Whether you’re an experienced crocheter or you’ve never picked up a hook in your life, I encourage you to have a go and be part of this fantastic community project. The exhibition will be displayed at the Bulwell Riverside, Bulwell, Nottingham and opens to the public from Saturday 30th June 2018. 
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The Details

• Follow my Unity Doily pattern, which can be found here or use one of your own
• Use any yarn or thread weight and fibre you like
• Use shades of white only. Coloured doilies will not be used as part of the final exhibition
• Use a hook size that corresponds with your chosen yarn
• Submit as few or as many doilies as you wish
• Please block your doilies before submitting them. Unsure about how to block? Follow my simple tutorial here. (Ok, so the blocking tutorial will be here very soon I promise - for now head over to YouTube for lots of helpful videos on blocking).

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Along with your doily submissions please also provide the following information:

• Your name
• Your age
• Your gender
• Who taught you to crochet
• Why you crochet

​Each doily and set of comments will be photographed and added to a blurb book which will be available to purchase. All proceeds will be donated to charity. (Edit: 31.3.18 - I will be fundraising for a special little lady called Florence who has CCHS and the wonderful charity that supports families affected by CCHS.)

Closing Date for Submissions:
Submit your doilies to the address provided by Saturday 26th April 2018
Exhibition Opens Saturday 30th June 2018

Send your doilies to:
​Chris Tilley Community Champion
C/O April Towriess Crochet
Joining Lines Project
Bulwell Tesco Extra Community Room
Jennison Street
Nottingham
NG6 8EQ

Whats Next? ​

Once the exhibition closes, date TBC, each doily will be used as part of upcycling projects within a set of community workshops. ​

I see the Joining Lines project being, not just an exhibition for a few weeks over the summer, but a continuous building of community and a chance to bring creativity back into the every day. 

Within this fast passed, throwaway society it is important to sustain traditional techniques and ideas and I am keen to rebuild concepts from days gone by. How many of you actually know your neighbours and I mean really know them. Do you know their names or have you stood and had a conversation with them? Things that would come naturally to folk of my grandparents and parents age seem alien to most under thirty these days. Skills and techniques like sewing and crafts were part of everyday life, you wouldn't catch my granny popping to the shop to buy a new dress because the seem had come loose, no she would get out her needle and thread and repair it. Now I'm not saying that we're all as throwaway as this but when its so easily available the drive to be thriftful is slowly slipping away.

We really need to hold on to this thriftful way of thinking and the skills our elders were taught from a very small age and share them with the next generation. Encourage creativity on all levels otherwise our children are not going to have the knowledge and experience of these skills to be able to pass on to future generations. In a society that requires children to work hard at academic subjects, encourages them to be leaders, and revolves around exam results it is important to also remember that too much pressure can cause harm to their young minds. Lets support these fundamentals with creativity, allow them to explore through the arts and take some time to have fun. We can all take note of this advice. Mental health and wellness is becoming more spoke about, so lets work together to live more freely, have more fun and take time out to relax.

| Community | Heritage | Sustainability | Knowledge | Creativity | Journey | 

Joining Lines is my first big project and I am excited about the process and what might come next. I'm really looking forward to working with my local community and fellow crocheters from the digital world. Building my own community and bringing people together to share their knowledge and experiences. If you'd like to get involved or share your crochet journey, then get in touch, I'd love to hear your story.

Get in touch

April Towriess
hello@apriltowriess.co.uk

Follow my journey

You can follow me and whats going on with the Joining Lines project on:
Facebook @apriltowriescrochet
Instagram @apriltowriess
www.apriltowriess.co.uk
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Working in partnership with: