Coffee and crochet

THE second crochet group exhibition has been opened at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port.

The Coffee and Crochet Group, which came together in 2009, meets every Tuesday morning, making new blankets and lace for the boats in the collection.

The work of the group was honoured when they won the Waterways Trust Renaissance Award for Education in 2011.

Successful exhibition

Following on from the successful exhibition last year, the group had decked out the museum's new exhibition space in the Toll House with a selection of the traditional blankets and cushions which it has made during the year.

Group members meet in the café on Tuesday mornings where they get free tea or coffee in return for their contribution to the museum. Yarn and hooks are supplied by the Boat Museum Society and through other donations. New members are taught to crochet if necessary, and new techniques are taught to make sure that no one gets bored.

Integral part

Collections Manager Peter Collins explained:

"Crochets and other crafts were an integral part of the life on a working narrowboat, and preserving these skills is an important part of our work at the museum. The group here is a fantastic part of the life of the museum and it's wonderful to be able to put their intricate work on display."

The exhibition will be running until Spring 2012, and the museum is currently open daily.