Over the next few months fingers will be yarn gardening in the Dorset area with a fantastic community project, known as Blooming Marvellous. It’s bringing together people of all ages and talents…

Over 100 individuals, 30 groups and organisations, primary schools and Budmouth College are taking part in the project to create a knitted floral display to rival The Hampton Court Flower Show.

Julie Hursthouse, a local community development worker, was asked to find funding to develop a craft project in Littlemoor, Melcombe Regis, Westham and Underhill in Portland. Fortunately a local social housing company, Synergy Housing, were delighted to offer support and paid for an artist to help with workshops. And with help from local press, libraries and community centres, the project is gathering pace.

“We had a tremendous response to our appeals for help. Wool was donated and we were able to hand out bags of wool to those taking part,” explained Julie.

Throughout April, May and June free workshops are being held across the borough. Anyone is welcome. “The oldest member of one of the workshops is 87 years and the youngest age 3!”

The work so far has been immensely beneficial for the community, not only in bringing people together, and teaching new skills, but also by giving an outlet to adults with learning disabilities. “We’ve been teaching French knitting and finger knitting. There is even one young lady who never spoke to anyone before she started on the project. Her life has been totally transformed. We’ve discovered that while she is knitting at the centre, she will chat to anyone,” says Julie.

Local artist Julie McCabe is running the free workshops and there are workshops running over the next couple of months for anyone local who would like to join in.

The crafters are working towards a display in Bournemouth library in May and a carnival float for the Weymouth carnival in August. This promises to be a glorious sight, but the Blooming Marvellous project would still like more help. If you’re local why not take part, or see if you can help in some way…

For a full list of Blooming Marvellous workshops in the Weymouth and Portland areas, see Julia McCabe’s Let's Make it Woolly blog.