Crochet artist has tall order for Christmas
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
In this file photo, Cheryl Hopper, of Washington, crochets a mandala as part of an art project she displayed in Washington in May.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Cheryl Hopper believes crochet is a dying art.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Cheryl Hopper and her son-in-law, Jason Briggs, arrange mandala art that she crocheted before hanging it as a canopy in front of the Main Street Pavilion in Washington last year.
The crochet artist who “bombed” Washington last year is planning to do it again this Christmas.
Cheryl Hopper wants to make a 15-foot crocheted Christmas tree to brighten the community pavilion on Main Street in downtown Washington.
“I really enjoy it, and I wanted to have community participation this time because I want everyone to come together to do something nice,” Hopper said.
Hopper is asking for people to submit 6-inch, crocheted “granny squares,” as she’ll need a total of 1,400 to cover the metal-frame tree.
“I already have 200 done,” she said. “They’re easy to make. It’s only going to be the tree, and it probably won’t be up too long because of the weather.”
The last crochet bombing, placed throughout the business district in Washington, included a large canopy of mandala art, which she had crocheted inside Hula-Hoops before binding them together above the pavilion. Hopper said she received an amazing amount of positive feedback from the community on that project.
“Even people from Indiana called me. I don’t even know how they found me,” she said. “All the stores thanked me, too. It was pretty nice.”
The Christmas tree idea came from a friend, who made something similar in New Zealand, Hopper said.
“They didn’t have to worry about snow and rain in New Zealand,” Hopper said.
Anyone wanting to participate should use acrylic yarn, Hopper said, to better withstand precipitation. She also asked that participants use any pattern they choose, but with bright colors, not pastels. The deadline to submit the squares is Sept. 1, she said, as “it’s going to take a while to put them all together.
“If I don’t get enough community participation, I’ll send a message out to the guild for some help,” Hopper said.
Participants can send or drop off their squares at Kaleidoscope II, a gift shop at 7 E. Walnut St. in Washington.