During the first lockdown, Nikola Nelson and Lauren Amber set up Ilkeston's Creative Hive after realising how isolated their hairdressing salon customers had become.
Crafting covers a wide range of activities from drawing to making cards, so as the group grew, it became more than a group of crafters, and more like a community of its own. Soon, craft fairs were being held monthly in Trowell, but more recently, organisers have been chatting about how they can celebrate the King's Coronation in a way that allows the whole of the Ilkeston community to come together.
The plan is to make a celebratory blanket made up of squares measuring 6x6 inches each. These squares can be knitted, crocheted, fabric painted, embroidered etc., as long as it can be sewn to another square, with suggestions that it can be square which shows a group, flag, colours, a coronation square or something else that symbolises the person that makes it.
When the blanket is made, everything will be sewn together and the finished item presented locally as a gift for the historical celebration of the Royal Coronation.
Groups, churches, schools, nurseries, community centres and anyone else wishing to be involved are being invited to make a square by the deadline of 9th April 2023. Even if you think your knitting isn't good enough, Nikola and Lauren have offered assurances that it will be because it is being made especially for this historical community project.
If you're interested, send e-mail to Ilkestonscreativehive @ hotmail.com or call 07758 886209. Alternatively, you can make contact via the Ilkeston Creative Hive Facebook page, or contact The Reverend Christine French at All Saints Church in Kirk Hallam.