Saturday, September 8, 2012

Something to yarn about

Last year, I entered a local knitting art exhibition and a group of women who call themselves "THE MATAYARNAS" who live in a small town called Matakana, not far from where I live, entered a series of wine cozies. A wine cozy, is literally a cover for a wine bottle with similar attributes as a tea cosy, but with none of the thermal properties. Of course it has thermal proporties but they are nowhere near (or even at all) useful. So I left the exhibition scratching my head ever so slightly. Lovely as they were....

Fast forward a year when The Matayarnas' creative leader, Sharleen Greer, prompted me to enter a competition she was curating....you guessed it....wine cozies! They had a category that challenged you to create a cozy that represented a local vineyard or wine. Well, that got me going - Ascension Vineyards' Passion? Takatu Poppies? Vestil Vrigin? Ooooh the opportunities were endless.


Takatu Poppies was my first entry. A crocheted base with knitted wool flowers and beads on wire.


Omaha Bay Vineyard was my second. It is all crocheted and includes a green hilly landscape with, blue bay, and grape vineyards in the foreground with glass bead grape bunches.

These are the very first wine cozies i have eve attempted and I was surprised to receive a merit award for both. I am inspired to start again for next year.

All of the cozies (and there are some truly magnificent pieces of art) will be on display at The Vintry in Matakan for the month of September. What a great reason to visit and sample a glass of their wonderful wines.