An Epic Movie: Lion Scarf Sewing: The Journey Begins (with a classic soundtrack)

During our first Lion Scarf sewing weekend Laura and I were feeling a bit Spielberg-ish. We apologize in advance…

Please be patient while it loads…

London Tonight: Stitch and Bitch London Lion Scarf Social: The Knit Begins

Waaaaaaaaay back on October the 21st 2006 we began knitting the Lion Scarf and London Tonight were nice enough to come and film it.

Laura looks fab in her felted shawl. Other knitters present were Frances, Emmy (conquering her horrific fear of being on camera), Margaret (Laura’s mum). Peter and Kat were also there but the TV people wouldn’t let them be in it as they had already lined up their shots (swines!).

And so it appears to the world that Stitch and Bitch London consists of only five knitters! Oh the horrible wrongness of it.

I, personally am still a bit miffed that they cut out my entire interview in the Square with the Lions. :*( I could’ve won an Oscar for that heartbreaking performance!

Laura and I are much more practised at talking about the Giant Scarf now so hopefully on Tuesday we’ll wow the nation with our interview skills…

Lauren gets 15 minutes of fame

This morning Graham from Fridaycities (a website that connects Londoners’ brains together to share their knowledge to make the city a more fabulous place to be in) asked me if I wanted to do an quick online interview about the Lion Scarf shenanigans and my epic battle against the evils of my own cancer. Of course I said yes! Who wouldn’t?!

Faster than you can say London Lion Scarf here it is: The Tuesday Interview… Lauren O’Farrell

I’ll be falling out of limos and throwing up in my hair next, just you wait.

Measuring the Lions – Candice, a washing line and the rain

On a rainy Saturday afternoon I made my way to central London to measure our fine lions.

I managed to convince my boyfriend, Chris, to help me and it was his idea that we use a washing line (thank heavens for the local pound shop) as hopefully that would be long enough,

When we arrived at Trafalgar Square the rain was still coming down in true London style, so the prospect of climbing onto the lion himself faced us with some difficulty. To save us from any crazy injuries, we thought it best to toss the rope over and catch on the other side, wrap it around then toss over again.

Triumphantly it worked first time much to the amazement of the passing tourists who thought us vandals and madmen.

As the washing line fitted just perfect, we had no need to measure Phew!

15m of washing line = 15m of lion scarf (+ 1m for a knot). So there you have it, each scarf needs to be at least an enormous woolly 16m.

I totally forgot my camera in all the excitement, so instead we took pictures on Sunday. This is me with all the rope wrapped round me, tee hee!

 

I’m really proud to be working on this project as cancer has touched my family and many of my friend’s lives.

I can’t wait to see the lions looking all cosy in there woolly creations.

Three cheers for Stitch & Bitch London and Cancer Research

Candice “Go Go Garter Girl”
xxx

The Swedish Entry – a new knitter takes to her needles for the Lions

From Sweden we have been sent a patch by Pauline, who lives in the coastal town of Träslövsläge (which I found this lovely picture of).

Pauline’s scarf patch is curly and purly and excellent black and white, which will stand out amongst all the crazy colours we have so far.

Pauline says:

“Hello from Sweden.

Here’s my contribution to the Lion Scarf. I know it is not perfect (I’m a relatively new knitter) and it might not be wide enough, but I hope you can find some use for it anyway.”

The scarf patch is perfect Pauline. It will go on the Lions with all the other parts so don’t worry.

Tack så mycket, Pauline.

All American Lion Patches from the Sweet Land of Liberty – continued

Several of our Lion Ladies have fallen in love with this kooky and colourful scarf patch from Linda in beautiful Erie, Pennsylvania. Linda sadly lost her mother from lung cancer many years ago and says:“I’m proud to be part of this effort. I’m hoping my swatch gets nominated for the ‘ugliest section of scarf’. I’m capable of much prettier knitting, but I thought there will be lots of ‘pretty’, and this might be my moment to stand out”

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My auntie Gilo sent these two ultra-soft scarf patches from sunny Boca Raton in Florida. It made me laugh as I don’t think the Trafalgar Square Lions have ever had a memo addressed to them before.

Back in November last year the lovely Nancy and her Mum came all the way from New Hampshire on holiday. And what better way to spend your time off than by knitting with a load of strangers in a London pub.

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Nancy and her mum sat down and got stuck in right away. Nancy told us that she knitted her parts in the colours of the US flag, but with a peace symbol to go with the idea of uniting knitters across the world.

It was so great of them both to join us for the evening. They even gave me a little present (for all the London tour guide emails I bombarded them with) which was a handmade pewter bell from their home town.

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Knitting holidays could be a thing of the future… Any other travelling knitters are very welcome to join us if they are ever in town.

All American Lion Patches from the Sweet Land of Liberty

It seems that American knitters are desperate to warm our Lions!

Linda’s nautical themed scarf patch has us all a little green with knitting skill envy. I zoomed in on her letter so you can see the explanation to the fabulous design. I love the idea of wrapping the entire column next year, but I’m not sure we have a ladder long enough. Does anyone have Batman’s phone number?

Someone who must know what it is like to be chilly enough to need a giant scarf is Molly in Fairbanks, Alaska. Who did want her patch to be longer but she ran out of time and yarn.

It happens to us all. But fear not, those Lions have plenty of other patches to go with yours.

Wendy sent in her tropical-flavoured Lion Scarf patch from Tampa in Florida. It is knitted in Island coloured yarn (by Coats and Clark). She says:

“To add to the Trafalgar Lion Scarves I’m sending you a bit of our glorious Flroida sunshine, beaches, puffy white clouds and blue, blye sky, along with the flying stars.

Although England is the country of my birth- and one I dearly love – the ‘flying stars’ of the pattern represent the country of my heart, the USA.

Wish I could be with you to watch you drape the Lions, but vicarious internet contact will have to do! Have a great time and a wonderful day doing it! Wendy E”

Sarah sent her calming pastel green patch all the way from Woonsocket (another excellent place name), which is in America’s northeastern state of Rhode Island.

Jamie sent her part from New Mexico. It is our first crocheted part of lion scarf. She made her part along with Amber (whose scarf patch we featured in a previous post). Proving to the world that the knitter/crocheter divide is well and truly just a myth.

Maple syrup scented swatches from the Great White North

Brooklyn from Kamloops in British Columbia in beautiful Canada promised us a Lion Scarf patch that was “Wild Blue and Purple Hued” and when it turned up it truly was.

All the way back in December we got a Lion Patch from Hannelore in Chilliwack (such a great place name) too. It was one of the first patches we received.

Hannelore told us “I had fun knitting it and hope it keep the Lion warm.”

She sent along a leaflet that was all about how their yarn business began with a bit of fascinating family history thrown in to boot:

“Sun Bench fubres evolved out of Sun Bench Acres. The Lubben family started farming in 1974 with dairy goats. Their four children were all involved in the 4-H movement (to provide rural young people with the opportunity to learn farming and homemaking skills). In the late 1970s the family added Corriedale/Dorset cross sheep to their dairy goat herd, as well as Angora goats that produce the luxurious fibre called Mohair, to their animals.”

Their raw fibres were sold to handspinners all over Canada.

In 1989 the farm was sold and the business became Sun Bench Fibres. They sold all kinds of fibres for spinning, spinning wheels, weaving equipment and 100% natural yarns, as well as knitting needles, dyes and books to show people how to do their own dyeing, spinning and knitting.

Sadly Hannelore tells us that due to ill health they had to sell their business in August 2006.

She tells us “I miss my business and that is why I knitted the scarf for you”.

I really hope that by putting the story on our Lion Blog it helps Hannelore and her business carry on even though she had to sell it. It sounds like it was fabulous.

The Lions will be happy to know that the knitting of their scarf gave someone the chance to remember the good old days.

Antipodean Knitters waiting for rain… UPDATE

We know of at least two ladies Down Under who are knitting for a very distant quartet of Lions, but also for a cause very close to their hearts.

Julia Cullingham (an English lass who ran off to Oz, married a dinky-di Aussie and had the cutest child you will ever see) gave up knitting in a huff years ago after hand-destroying a baby blanket in an attempt to knit a present for a friend. Shamefully she tucked away her needles and vowed she would never knit again (let along purl. Oh the horror the thought brought her).

But lo and behold in January 2007 Julia picked up her needles again to warm a London lion and support her best friend (me) in raising money for Cancer Research. Her Australian/English patch may not be the most technically perfect in the world, we might have to hide it from the press when the big day comes (so she hints) but it is knitted from the right place.

Her Lion Scarf pin on the map states “What a beautiful idea from a beautiful person. Am so happy to be part of something that is positive and makes a difference.” Awww, shucks.

She says that the problem with knitting in 40-degree heat is that you just don’t want to be anywhere near something as warm and cosy as wool. In the summer heat she took to knitting when it rained, and still managed to get it done despite the fine weather. You poor thing!

Updated:

Julia’s Lion Scarf Patch arrived this week. Here it is full of croc and kangas and little Australias. There is even a tiny Tasmania on there.

She says “The Lion Scarf has touched so many people. My mum’s friend is knitting away at her scarf even though she’s just has surgery for breast cancer. You’ve really made a difference. Good for you. You go girl!”

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Heidi Davis in Oxley Bay, Queensland has trouble with the heat too. She began knitting in November. Telling us (via our mySpace message board)

“I have been furiously knitting my contribution for the lion scarf.

Yesterday I left my knitting on the lounge and came back today to find that my yarn had been cut! I was thinking who on earth would do such a thing?!!! After further investigation I noticed it had been chewed off…by my sister’s cat!!!
Maybe it was jealous that I was knitting for another cat…the LION! KITTY EATS SCARF!!!”

For months it went very quiet. We suspected the cat might have taken his feline jealousy too far…

Then lo and behold on the 25th of Jan:

“I finally finished my contribution to the lion scarf…you guys probably thought I was gonna slack off after all this time? I was a little unmotivated to finish it considering the 35-degree heat and the sweaty acrylic I used for it ewe! hahahah
Posted it today, hope it reaches you guys on time!!!

Hope you like my colour selection of GREEN and GOLD as it is AUSTRALIA DAY tomorrow yaaaay aussie aussie aussie. hehe.”

It arrived on English shores not too long ago and has already been sewn in. What a journey! That is one jetlagged scarf patch!

Aussie Knitters Update:

Another Lion Scarf patch has arrived from down under. Just in time to be added into the mix:

Kerry from Woolgoolga in New South Wales (excellent placename for a knitter to call their own) is spokesperson for Busy Hands Warm Hearts who appear to float about the net doing knitty good.

She says:

“I really do wish you well with your project (and I am glad I am not one of the sewer-uppers as I detest that part of knitting!! My hats off to all of you brave women on THAT task.)

I look forwards to seeing the outcome of this international knitting-fest and really wish you well with reaching your financial target, and helping those clever scientists to keep coming up with more weapons in the battle against cancer.”

Scarfarama – A Lion Scarf Update

This weekend we had a bit of a measure…

Now rather than being short of the 64 metres that we require to bescarf the four chilly beasts in the Square we now have…

*drumroll*

126.15 metres!

Yes, we are as shocked as you!