Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

The streets of Leicester filled with colour, texture and joy during city`s first ever textiles festival which took place between 16th - 24th September across various locations. Highlighting Leicester's rich and varied textiles past, present and future the festival takes in many public places across the city center. There`s the Big Wrap by festival Co-Founders Rebecca Harvey-Hobbs and Ali Carpenter-Hughes in Orton Square celebrating all things Leicester. Yarnbombs in Jubilee Square and The Circle created by community groups, schools and more across the city and county. The town hall fountain and square has been decorated (even the pigeons seemed impressed by this !). Leicester Look Up !, features hanging baskets made by individuals and groups and with various pop up exhibits in the Highcross and Haymarket Shopping centers this is a city wide festival of creativity and people coming together to promote positive wellbeing and sustainability. 

The Cosby Crafters return with their Christmas yarnbomb, decorating the village with a variety of festive creations. We begin with a collection of life sized knitted people celebrating the season in various ways before moving to the Nook where we find quilted trees topped with friendly smiling yellow stars. Next up is a dustbin topper and postbox topper with a thank you message to postal workers. We follow the trail beneath swinging stars and angels and as we do small lights in the branches of the trees flicker into life. We end on a fully knitted nativity scene complete with a star shining above the holy scene.

Once again the Cosby Crafters have come together to create another fantastic Yarnbomb in the Leicestershire village of Cosby, This years theme "Make A Splash !". There's a giant octopus attached to the side of the barn and at the fish and chip shop someone has just been eaten by a shark !, No its not the plot of a new Hollywood summer blockbuster film but some clever crochet creations by the Cosby Crafters turning the village into a water themed wonderland with this years theme of "Make A Splash !". There's lots to see with seahorses playing trumpets and a whole shoal of fish swinging in the summer breeze. Children run from creation to creation singing "just keep swimming" and "look mum, a shark !". Moo-ving on we find Daisy the cow enjoying a cooling splash of milkshake and is that Mr Toad simply messing about on the river ? maybe ratty was right after all. Attached to some railings is a knitted underwater scene with some fish sporting s...