One of the 150 crochet blankets from Malta which will be sent to the Netherlands. Photo: FacebookA number of crocket blankets are being exhibited in a number of public places before they make their way to the Netherlands.
The Dutch town of Leeuwarden, which is also European Capital of Culture for 2018, is involved in a project that will cover five football grounds with handmade crochet blankets with received woollen threads. Hence it invited several countries, including Malta, to take part. The aim of this project is to demonstrate power, warmth, diversity, connection and colour.
This activity hopes to promote unity and also to be included in the Guinness Book of Records. After the event in the Netherlands, the blankets will be sent back to their origin and distributed among charitable institutions.
A group of Maltese and Gozitans who love handcrafts have been working on these blankets for the past 18 months. These include members of the Malta Lace Club, the Malta Cross Stitch Club and the Malta Society of Arts.
The blankets are made from recycled woollen thread taken from old woollen garments. The aim was to make about 50 blankets, but they have managed to finish more than 150.
Several people worked together: some undid the old woollens, turning them into balls of wool, others produced the squares, while others joined them into blankets.
These blankets are made from 10x10cm granny’s squares and formed into large blankets measuring 140 x 200cm.
The blankets will be displayed for the public at St George’s Square in Valletta on February 17. Some of them are being exhibited at the courtyard of Palazzo de la Salle in Valletta until February 16 (opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 7pm and on Saturdays from 8.30am to 1.30pm) and also at HSBC in Valletta between February 19 and 28.
This project is endorsed by the Valletta 2018 Foundation.