Who knew? Women knitters and crocheters from all over Long Island are coming to boot camps to crochet panels for the Stitched Hamlet for Oyster Bay. It is because this is the first time Long Island has a project of this magnitude, explained Patricia McSkane of The Knitted Purl.
The third boot camp took place at Dodds & Eder Home on Jan. 30. It was a ladies night out as women found items from the warehouse sale at the newly re-organized store. At the front of the store the crafters sat at displays of outdoor furniture under umbrellas. The project, sponsored by the Knitted Purl, the Main Street Association of Oyster Bay and the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce is to transform trees and telephone poles in the downtown area into works of art inspired by world-renowned fibre artist Carol Hummel. Some were crocheters, many were knitters, some were learning to crochet for the first time. They were all there to benefit the Stitched Hamlet, and were having fun and chatting, not unlike an old time sewing bee.
Lara Bartscher and Abby Calleo worked together. It was Calleo’s first time crocheting. She said she always thought of it as something for old ladies. “When I told my daughter I was going to do crocheting, she said ‘Cool’ and that was great to hear,” said Calleo.
McSkane said there are two more boot camps planned. The Madd Potter, 17 Audrey Avenue, is hosting a boot camp on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.; and the Oyster Bay Historical Society, 20 Summit Street, is hosting one on Thursday, March 6 at the Koenig Center from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
McSkane said about half the needed panels are already completed. “A lot of the volunteers have returned to drop off their pieces and to pick up more. Everybody is excited and I can’t be more thrilled about the level of involvement of everyone and the community.”
One of the volunteers is determined to do all the green panels needed and is working to complete them each and every one, finishing one and picking up the yarn for the next.
Many of the women are also sponsoring trees. Barbara Parlente sponsored a tree for her family for Christmas and it will have all their names on their sign. Oyster Bay resident Nora Bohl has sponsored three lamp posts, all to be located consecutively, for her family. Knitter Stanca Petrovic, a full time nurse, has sponsored two trees: one for herself and one for the Anthony Petrovic Foundation in honor of her son.
There is a layout of the streetscape plans available at the Knitted Purl, and an invitation to sponsor a location. Large trees are $200, standard trees, $120; light pole, $50; information kiosk, $80. Already taken are the three bandstand cannons, $75; and the entire bandstand, $435. The cost incorporates a donation to the Youth & Family Counseling Agency of Oyster Bay-East Norwich.
There are about 38 trees involved in the project that will cover the area from Townsend Park, and the Derby-Hall Bandstand to the west and the Life Enrichment Center on the east; and on South Street north from the Knitted Purl to south to the Friends of the Bay and the kiosk in the alleyway.
The Knitted Purl is located at 80 South Street. Call 516-558-7800 for information. The store is open Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Thursday the hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Sunday the Knitted Purl is open from noon to 5 p.m.
