By Claire Schofield
Bikes get a Yorkshire-themed makeover for the Grand Depart
A trail of woolly bikes will be making their way through Yorkshire as part of the Yorkshire Festival 2014.
In celebration of the Grand Depart, ten bikes will be getting a woolly makeover for a year-long trail connecting ten Yorkshire towns with the many knitters, crocheters and yarn-stormers that taken part.
Yarn-storming, also known as graffiti knitting, is the act of covering street furniture in bits of yarn and knitting.
Cassandra Kilbride, 29, from Ossett, is a creative yarn-stormer and her idea for The Woolly Bike Trail was selected to be a part of the Yorkshire Festival 2014 from almost 400 applications from across the country.
She will be taking ten bikes into ten Yorkshire towns and cities and will work with knitters and crocheters to create ten Yorkshire themed yarn-stormed bikes.
Cassandra, who started crocheting at 22 after learning from her mum, said: “When I found out I had been selected to take part in the Festival I was so shocked. I just thought wow I’m a commissioned artist – that is amazing!”
“When I devised the project concept I wanted the bikes as a full set to represent all the things that make Yorkshire, so distinctive as a county but more specifically for each bike to represent the town and community that will be creating it.”
The woolly bike called Compo, representing Holmfirth
Each bike will represent an iconic Yorkshire theme including literary heroines and heroes, the landscape of the Dales, the iconic flat cap, Yorkshire textiles mills and, representing Leeds, a White Rose themed bike, all handcrafted using yarn from Yorkshire sheep.
The ten bikes have been kindly donated by Shanks recycle centre in Wakefield and will be displayed at Sheffield Cathedral throughout July before being returned to their home towns.
Cassandra added: “The project is a chance turn people who can knit and crochet into established artists, as well as an opportunity to take unloved bikes and transform them.”
“It has been incredible creating these bikes and seeing my creations come to life. It is absolutely amazing to be involved with the project, it is brilliant.”
Workshops are taking place between January and June at festivals and venues across the region and are open to anyone with a basic ability to knit and crochet.
To be a part of the woolly project visit: http://www.yorkshireswoollybikes.co.uk/