Knitted Hang Glider to Raise Money for British Hospice
Crafter Kay Burns of Chadderton, England, is on the hunt for support from local knitting groups to help create a knitted hang glider to raise money for Dr. Kershaw’s Hospice in Oldham — which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
But Burn’s dream of seeing a multi-coloured, woollen hang glider streak across the sky isn’t an entirely original one. In fact, she draws direct inspiration from a similar fund raiser from 30 years ago which saw one Kevin Roberts fly a knitted hang glider a whopping 36 inches, raising £1,000 in the process.
Unfortunately for Kay Burns and the Dr Kershaw appeals staff, the original hang glider has been “misplaced” by the Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry to which the craft was originally donated to. But the lack of a 30 year old blueprint hasn’t deterred Burns, who laid our her call to knitting arms in a conversation with the Oldham Evening Chronicle:
We need groups, schools, clubs and knit and natter groups to help knit the squares. They need to be knitted in a diamond shape, to prevent them stretching when they get wet, increasing by one stitch each row until the centre measures 4 inches across, then decreasing until getting back to one stitch.
If all goes to plan, the knitted hang glider will be handed over to extreme sportsman Mike Docherty who will man the woollen craft on August 17, at which point he will attempt to fly over the Dovestone reservoir.
Those wishing to get involved can contact Dr. Kershaw’s Hospice through their website, or can contact Kay Burns directly via the email address listed on this article’s source page.
Burns’ plan to create a knitted hang glider is definitely a novel use of knitting wool. Even so, it’ll be added to the numerous other knitting related curiosities we’ve featured on CraftiHub including a mile of knitted mice, a mystery toy knitter, a “dangerous” knitting circle and even a knitting android. What’s your favourite weird and wonderful crafty creation? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
[Source: Oldham Evening Chronicle]
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