Where's Bunty?

Okay, we all know the game "Where's Wally?" where you hunt different pictures for a bespectacled man in a crowd. And we've tried to have our fair share of fun doing this project, like the Mission Impossible video of Bunty heading to Yorkshire to find his roots.

Well, I've now taken 4 strands of bunting out around town and "hidden" them in shops. These bits of bunting are our "strange" types, not the usual yellow, green, white, and polkadot. Let's meet them!


First of all, Bruce Bunty. Bruce has been all over the world and has many colours to show for it. The middle three jerseys come close to the Australian national champion's jersey, so Bruce it is!




Then we have Gioseppe Bunty. Gioseppe is well known across Italy have been round and round it for many years. The middle three jerseys match the mountains (maglia azzurra) and points (maglia rosso) classifications in the Giro d'Italia, the Italian equivalent of le Tour de France. The end two are more like the Kazakhstan national champion's jersey, a big bike racing country!




Hatty Bunty, named as she is made of felt, has stuck to the traditional colours of France, although her name may well be a diversion from her location.



And finally, Bunty Junior, who is tiny next to her bigger siblings.




So, where are they all? Well, that's up to you to find! If you can find them all, and take pictures of them all you'll get multiple entries into the bike competition! All I'll say is that a couple are in the centre, one is a little south and the other a little east!



Mission Impossible video of Bunty heading to Yorkshire

Filmed on location in: The Alma, Cambridge and Scarborough and county Yorkshire. No bunting was harmed during the making of this film.

Press Release

Calling all knitters and sewers!

Do you want to get involved in the Tour De France and help show off what a wonderful city Cambridge is, to a worldwide audience? Then here is your opportunity!

The race is now on to knit or sew 2000 mini jerseys in the next 5 weeks so it can be put up for the Tour De France coming on Monday 7th July, and we set you the community of Cambridge, the challenge to pick up your knitting needles and get knitting! These mini jerseys will be displayed along parts of the Tour De France route in the city, for the world to see.

We’re calling to all schools, the WI, local businesses, community groups, and creative groups, residential homes to get involved and knit! No experience is necessary as there are lots of opportunities to join #CambuntingTdF workshops at the Sheep Shop and you can also download the pattern and find out more from www.Bit.ly/CamBuntingTdF. We have been donated knitting materials, so please get in touch if you require materials.

Rad, organiser of #CamBuntingTdF, said ‘This project is a great opportunity to bring the Cambridge community together and celebrate the Tour De France coming to our wonderful city. The city is known for its yarn bombing skills and we have seen knitted bikes, lamp posts and benches before. Let’s all knit together and show what a great city Cambridge is and bring back that feel-good factor from the Olympic year!’

‘Historically, the Tour was set up to promote the towns and country around France. This project will give the people of Cambridge a chance to celebrate themselves whether they are interested in cycle racing or not!’



Further Information

Historically, the Tour was set up to promote the towns and country around France.

So the most important thing to towns that get the Tour is not about the bike race. It's a chance for the town to proudly show off its local culture, in front of the world’s cameras. And that's what Cambridge people can do for their town for the weeks preceding and especially on Monday July 7.

It would make a fantastic event to involve as many people as possible knitting little jerseys and wheels for display on the route. We do want to include fabric sewing as well, just to widen the reach of the project to more people.
Rad has extensive experience of the Tour de France having done seven holiday trips, seeing it around fifty times all across southern France. From wild camping at the snowline in the mountains, with 20 mile views and eagles overhead, to delightful small rural towns, the experience is truly wonderful.


Everything you need: Index Page
Background: BBC Report
Our website: Bit.ly/CamBuntingTdF



Happy creating!


Knit Away!

Suppliers

The project is completely voluntary, organised by people who love the idea of celebrating Cambridge with the world's cameras on us. to date, people taking part have chosen to buy their own supplies. It's quite cheap!

Here are some suppliers, although please do search for alternatives if you want.

Wool. The Sheep Shop.

Fabric. Suzie-May, the White with Red dots.

Bunting (bungee) Cord. 5 metres, 10 metres, 50 metres, 100 metres (lots of other 4mm lengths or here).

We have got some donations of fabric, wool, and other items needed to complete the bunting. So please don't let access stop you from joining in and contact us!

Basic Sewing Learning Video

This project has brought lots of enthusiasm from all over the place, all very welcome. People have been asking if they can learn how to do the basic stitches to help out. This would certainly be part of the key benefits of the project, to learn something new!

So, in conjunction with a good tutor, here are some details on how to put this pattern together.


Basic Hand Sewing Stitches
This is how to do all the necessary steps to sewing.

Pictures

We have some pictures on our Facebook group, but here are a few if you can't get there.

We have a much fuller gallery selection here including some (mostly non-cycling) photos from the Tour de France over the years. Please take some pictures of your knitting group and send them in to the email on the right.



70 jerseys!


Learning to knit


Young wool production


Little jerseys abound


So Solid Crew


Inspiration from Anglesey in Stitches at the Abbey


Inspiration from Anglesey in Stitches at the Abbey


Tour de France Signage


Tour de France Signage


Official Cambridge Start Line


Little Jerseys


Inspiration from You Can Bike Too


Inspiration from You Can Bike Too


Inspiration from You Can Bike Too



Just hanging out, near the door...


More wonderful people joining in!

Basic Knitting Learning Videos

This project has brought lots of enthusiasm from all over the place, all very welcome. People have been asking if they can learn how to do the basic stitches to help out. This would certainly be part of the key benefits of the project, to learn something new!

So, in conjunction with a good tutor, here are some details on how to put this pattern together.


Cable Cast On
This is how to start the jersey and create the right number of stitches as a first row.






Knit Stitch - English Style
This is the standard stitch for going forward along the stitch line.
 





Purl Stitch - English Style
This is the standard stitch for going back along the stitch line. 






Colour and Design
The basic jersey pattern is quite simple.

We are aiming for plain coloured knitted jerseys of green, yellow, or white. If you are competent enough, a white jersey with red polka dots is a possible challenge! We are expecting to print these as well, hence not needed so many.

Please note that we cannot use the Tour de France logo as it's a protected trademark. If you think you want to do anything more complicated, please check before commencing anything. It would be sad to turn good work away because we can't use it.



Putting onto a Line
If you are gathering in a group, it makes a lot of sense to put your jerseys into a group along a line to really show your part of the bunting off!

The exact details are on our main pattern page.

This is the homepage for the Cambridge bunting knitting AND fabric project, aiming to show off our town when the Tour de France comes on Monday 7th July.

!! >>      BUNTING IS COMING DOWN, HOW ABOUT GETTING SOME    << !!


Legacy

We are getting requests from far and wide (even USA!) for some bunting.  Please register your desire to have some by telling us on our contact email (on the right), including your name and address. Please note that registration is vital, especially if you want your bunting posted. Donations prior to an accepted registration may not receive bunting.

We would like to give our lovely knitters first choice in having a string of bunting. Then our shops and businesses get second call and finally we're happy to offer it to all people. Any donations would be gratefully received on the JustGiving pages below and will go towards our charity causes.

• Jimmys (www.jimmyscambridge.org.uk), the only emergency accommodation provider in Cambridge - JUST GIVING PAGE
• You Can Bike Too (http://www.youcanbiketoo.org), all ability cycling in Milton Country Park, Cambridge - JUST GIVING PAGE - Please write "For Bunting & You Can Bike Too" in the message
• Marie Curie (http://www.mariecurie.org.uk), the official charity of the Tour de France - JUST GIVING PAGE

We do have requests to use the bunting for future events. The Tour de Cottenham takes place on Friday 11th and will involve a closed road circuit for the pupils of the school.

Aside from that we have other promotional activities who'd like to keep some. If you have ideas, they are welcome!



Thanks

Thanks for taking part in this fantastic community project!

I'm humbled by the enthusiasm and fun exuded by everyone I've had the great opportunity to meet and chat with in this project. And I can only pass that on to those who've I've not been able to meet, I wish I could have! I do have to mention a few groups who's contributions have been outstanding.

• The Sheep Shop for providing a magnificent base for the whole project and welcome tea and biscuits throughout.
• Fine and Country estate agents for holding the whole project together and timely purchases of key supplies. 
• The Women's Institute of Cambridgeshire: having your determined backing made an enormous difference to this project.
• The tireless work by the Key Group who guided the project through some seemingly endless meetings with great patience.
• And last but most definitely not least, all the knitters, sewers (?), crocheters, wrappers (and rappers?), walkers, riders, mechanics, and designers. Each and every one of you has made this happen in a way I really couldn't predict just a few months back. People have come from all over the county, country, and even Australia to take part!

A few details on the final creation.

• Around 400 people in over 100 groups have taken part in knitting over 2,000 little Tour de France jerseys to make half a kilometre of bunting.
• Around 40 wheels have had wool wrapped round them by a number of people and primary school pupils.
• Our work is on key works throughout the city centre and in over 50 shops and businesses in and around town.
• This project held its first meeting just 15 weeks ago, with just 3 people attending. 

What to do now

Apart from registering for bunting, let's enjoy this festival of colour that bedecks our town centre.

Please take photos of any remaining bunting and add them to our photo map. Also have a look at our photo map (or in list form) and reminisce about a special day for Cambridge!




Activities

The Big Idea. To read more about the big idea follow this link or read our press release..

Pledge to Knit! Pledge to join in with the project.

Jersey and Wheel Pattern Download a knitting, crochet, or fabric pattern and even Learn to Knit or Learn to Sew!

Drop Off Points See where to send the finished jerseys.




Contact

#CamBuntingTdF

Facebook CamBuntingTdF

Bit.ly/CamBuntingTDF

CamBuntingTdF@gmail.com

Drop Off Points

Completed jerseys can be dropped off at several places.

Newmarket Road Area 
The Sheep Shop, Beche Road, Cambridge. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-6pm (closed 2-3pm) and later on Tuesday. Note that Outspoken are next door (on Godestone Road, open Monday to Friday, 8am - 6pm) and happy to take in bunting when The Sheep Shop is closed.




Maids Causeway Area 
Fine and Country, Sun Street, Cambridge. Open Monday to Saturday, 8am-8pm.




Regent Street Area 
CLC Bookshop, Regent Street, Cambridge. Open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am-5:30pm.

Pledge to Knit!

With the project really gaining traction and getting people excited we've added an extra challenge!

Our local hub, the Sheep Shop, has set up a page where you can download the pattern, see what others are doing, and pledge to producing a number of jerseys in your local group of friends.

So, why not join in, see what you can do, and become part of a big celebration showing off our town when the world's cameras come here for the Tour de France.

Jersey Pattern

Here are the basic patterns.

On this page you'll find all you need to:

• get supplies
• make a knitted, crocheted, sewn jersey or woollen wheel
• sew it up into bunting
• drop off your creation ready for hanging

Please ensure we have your contact details by pledging before starting!


Creating Bunting

If you make a series of jerseys in your group, it'd be good to keep them together. To do that they need to be attached to a bunting line ready for hanging.

We've been getting some fabulous ready-made bunting in of various lengths. It's great and everyone making to pattern B below is fantastic and to keep going! We do have a new pattern A to follow. And we have bundled up jerseys and cord at The Sheep Shop to take away to do so. Please help get our current jerseys onto cord!


Pattern A: Space the jerseys with a 5cm gap between them and have 12cm at either end. The lines are 4.5 metres long.

Pattern B: Space the jerseys with a 15cm gap between them and have 30cm at either end. Maximum length of a line is 12 metres, and please include a 30cm gap in the middle of a line that is more than 6 metres long.

The standard cord required is 4mm bungee cord which can be bought from many suppliers (5 metres, 10 metres, 100 metres).


Drop Off Points

Completed jerseys and bunting lines can be dropped off at several places listed on this page.


Knitted Jersey

Here is the basic knitted jersey pattern kindly donated by Jo Spreckley of Baa Ram Ewe in Harrogate.


click to enlarge

Crochet Jersey


click to enlarge


Fabric Template

Here is the basic fabric jersey pattern for sewing or alternative fixing.




click to enlarge


And here are the instructions.



click to enlarge

The best fabric to use would be a polka dot (as that's difficult to knit!) and can be got from many suppliers (Suzie-May, the White with Red dots).


Wheel Design

Here is the basic pattern for wrapping up a woollen wheel.

click to enlarge

The Big Idea

From bike parts to little jerseys, let's celebrate the Tour de France coming to Cambridge in July with a bit of Cambridge knitting eccentricity!

A lot has been talked about with the Cambridge Bunting project for the visit of the Tour de France on Monday 7th July 2014. After being on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (iPlayer on Tuesday at 2:49:33, YouTube copy) and appearing on the BBC England News page we need to appeal to Cambridge groups whatever their skill!

The big idea is that it is about our local community. It's to think what group am I in and what can we do? The main idea is knitting little jerseys, of course. We have other things we want to do, from cutting out cotton bunting from templates to knitting or encasing bike wheels or even full bikes! It may be that in your group there are 3 knitters, 2 designers, and 5 people who just want to take part. That's 10 people that could join in this project according to what they can do.




At the moment we are just gathering people and ideas together. So, if you think you want to be involved, just drop us a line through Twitter or Facebook below.


We are on twitter using hashtag #CamBuntingTdF and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/CamBuntingTdF/.