Yarnstorm in a teacup....

For the last year or so I have been helping to set up and co-ordinate a small, local support group for people affected by psoriatic arthritis ('PsAZZ' in Bath) and this week in particular I have been helping them to organise a yarnstorm event taking place in December.  

Apart from the paperworky things, I've also been making a few examples to take along to the next meeting, and last night I made this batch of funky crochet flowers..

Personally, I believe there is a whole lot of therapeutic value in crafting (or any other such distraction that absorbs you and takes you away from your troubles!) but the nature of this particular arthritis is that it quite often it affects the hands with swollen knuckles, bent finger joints and achey wrists so it can make any kind of crafting difficult. Holding a crafting event such as this is testament to the sheer willpower of those affected!

We have a fairly small area to decorate (hence the 'teacup' bit in the title ;-) and apart from sorting out event details, I have been putting together some ideas for those who feel they might not be able to take part because they either can't knit/crochet or have sore hands that don't lend themselves to crafting very easily. 

The plan is that it will all be on display outside the Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases who have been very supportive to the group.  First of all there is a large door to cover which should be easy enough to sort by asking for small patchwork squares from those who can knit or crochet.  Then, the rest of the area to fill will largely comprise of garlands and I've been thinking of all sort of easy-to-make woolly 'things' that could be strung onto them (in addition to knits & crochets) such as....

 .....pom poms & tassels (see the tutorials page for the easy peasy step-by-steps for these)

.....french knitting tubes & shapes

.....plastic canvas shapes sewn with colourful yarns...

.....examples of how uneven, imperfect but brightly coloured shapes can be fun (and made with big easy-to-grip knitting needles of course!) and not forgetting, good old fashioned wrapped lolly sticks!


So, here's the event poster in case you are interested in taking part...

I'm nagging all my family members to join in - big ones & small ones alike (taking no excuses with all these examples of what to make!).  I am sure the other group members will do the same and the best result will be if it raises awareness for the cause and, in addition, it inspires people back into the possibilities of crafting even with their disabilities!

Well, I'm off to sort out more yarns and then possibly venture out to get some more.  I'll be taking my umbrella though...there has been so much rain this week that the title of this post seems even more appropriate than I first thought!

Happy crafting :-)