I still ask why - a bit of tat made from tatty odds of wool…
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Under whose auspices was this map made? The BBC Archers messageboard that they closed down? Or the Archers Addicts they closed down?
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On the BBC board, there was a keen group of both knitters & stitchers & a quilt was made by a group, using a particular set of colours, yellows, cream & gold. It was rather lovely, & was auctioned afterwards for Children In Need, which was the charity that the BBC had & still has a huge fundraising drive for every year. I believe that it was bought by an MLer, & is regarded as an heirloom piece. The people who made it were led by expert quilters.
Buoyed with the success of this, it was decided that another would be made, this time to support Alzheimers/Dementia charities, so that one was in blues, purples & white. Again, it was purchased by an MLer, in memory of her Late OH. She still posts elseboard.
At that time, (still the BBC board) I think 2011/12 onwards, there was something of a craze* for knitting all sorts of odd things, like miniature cakes & vegetables.
*Me neither, but I suppose they raised a smile, & used oddments of wool.
Anyhoo, the knitters, led by 1 particular enthusiast, decided that they would like to make a bedspread/blanket (following the quilt idea) in the form of a knitted map of Ambridge.
As ever, at the beginning, there was a lot of enthusiasm, but then life gets in the way, people didn’t send their pieces to the organiser , & she got fed up, & handed it over to another ML member to deal with.
A little more was done, but then the BBC board was closed, & the MLer now only posts in TA groups on social media.
Fast forward to 2020 when everyone had to stay at home, & some contributors started to wonder what had happened to their pieces.
There is a craft thread else-else board, & a Poster located the pieces & she & her OH set them out & tried to work out exactly what was missing. Both previous, & new volunteers came forward, & various additions/modifications were made. Another person volunteered to crochet the whole thing together.
I doubted the wisdom of any form of blanket from the outset, because it really cannot be used as such, & can’t be washed.
Anyhoo, after long negotiations, the BBC decided that they would be delighted to have it for the 70th Anniversary celebrations.
Like many things, these haven’t quite taken place…
The map is hanging ATM, & I’m not sure that that’s right either, but I think that it is supposed to be being displayed flat, in a case. It looks to be quite 3D.
It really isn’t my thing, as very little wot is knitted is, but hours & hours of work has gone into it, & the textures/effects look amazing. I am sure that only new wool/yarn was used.
Carinthia. xx
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And the undeserving BBC scoop the pool. Hah.
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It’s a bit niche for anyone else to want it, Fishy…
Carinthia. xx
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It is that.
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This is at least in part why I wanted nothing to do with it from the start, to be fair. I thought it was a bit useless, unlike a quilt.
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I was never likely to be involved… 
Carinthia. xx
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capable, in my case.
Absolutely love the Vortex Shawl, Fishers.
Soo xx
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I am on my fourth: many people seem to like them!
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Fishers knitted one for the Ma in this lovely colourway. It is splendid and I am kicking myself for not having taken a photie before it was enparcelled. Gorgeous, it is.
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I am just in awe of the skill knitting those beautiful shawls takes!
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The Ma-ly shawl has landed! She is utterly delighted with it, and loves both the colours and the vortex effect. Hurrah for an Knitting Fish!
Huge thanks, me dear. And to Sparrer for facilitatin’.
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So glad she’s glad.
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A work of art, she says.
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Flattery. I know what is wrong with it!
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I am in awe of the Fishly knitting skills
Yesterday in crafty group I managed a decent few rows and a change of colour (intended) on the colour block jumper I am knitting
First decent bit of knitting I have managed without having to give up in pain from my shoulders since I fell in March
10 rows of stocking stitch Yay!
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And so does God, thus you remain un-smitten.
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And there will come a day when I get to the end of a shawl like that without having had to unknit two or more rounds because I dropped a stitch in a pattern part and couldn’t work out how to pick it up without it showing. Ah well. It’s only about a thousand stitches.
(tink tink tink)
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Oh buggrit, Fishy. Commiserations.
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