In July of 2017 you would have found me perched precariously on the top of a step ladder sewing a jumper onto a tree. The wind was whipping down the street and I suspected I was more in need of warmth than the tree, but still we persisted. In case you’re wondering, I am not appropriately shaped to climb ladders, but I was cheered on by my sister holding the ladder, and an enthusiastic high-vis wearing volunteer, who’s name I have sadly forgotten.

It was installation day for Jumpers and Jazz in July, which I had never been to, in Warwick, a 2 hour drive from Brisbane, and we were on a road trip to sew yarn around a tree I’d never seen in real life before.

In a fit of ‘put myself out of my comfort zone’-ness a few months earlier, I had signed up to make a tree jumper with nought but the theme ‘Meander’ to guide me.

After 2 hours of sewing and shivering, I was ready to retreat home and leave the tree without the top branches rugged up, because, well, cold, uncomfortable and hungry. Instead my sister called me on my lack of enthusiasm “you’re not a finisher are you” she accused me, although that would have been perfectly obvious to one who had known me for so long and lived with half finished projects littering the family home for years. So we went to lunch and refueled with carbs and sugar.

Another hour or two of ladder balancing and the 4 branches were clothed as well.

Who knew sewing five vaguely rectangular pieces of crochet would take so long?

With a sense of achievement we packed up and took a wander down the Main Street to see some of the other installations.

The following weekend we headed for a weekend in the country. After admiring the tree jumpers we settled in with a snack to listen to the jazz at the art gallery. Between sets they announced the winners of the various categories, and I was shocked to win ‘Best Theme’ 😮

Here I am posing with my tree for the paparazzi (just the fam I’m afraid).

And here is my artist blurb. All true. (Someone asked)

 

Later in the day I took and ‘Extreme Knitting’ class with Jacqui Fink, (the judge) who is lovely, and I learned to knit with Huge needles and yarn. Look at the size of this!