By Emily-Rose Toohey
For this year’s Jumpers and Jazz in July, Warwick Spinners and Weavers have been holding a pop-up shop at St Mark’s Anglican Church every day, but that’s not the limit of the group’s festival involvement.
Dawn Booth, who’s been a member of the Spinners and Weavers for 48 years (the group was established 50 years ago) is responsible for creating the beanie and scarf that adorns the T.J. Byrnes Statue on Palmerin Street.
Dawn said she first became involved in 2005 (the festival’s second year) after a Warwick Art Gallery representative approached the Spinners and Weavers to undertake the task, so she volunteered.
“I do enjoy doing it every year – sometimes I knit, sometimes I crochet,” she said.
“Last year I made a poncho.”
However, this year’s beanie and scarf are purposefully maroon, representing the Queensland State of Origin team who visited Warwick earlier this month.
Dawn said this colour was a special request, but she has free rein during the creation process.
“I pick up a bag of yarn from the art gallery and then decide what to do,” she said
“I especially enjoy it when I can make it very colourful.”
The Warwick Spinner and Weavers Group pop-up shop is open from 9am to 4pm each day until Sunday 31 July, marking Jumpers and Jazz in July’s end for 2022.
A variety of handmade, cozy items are available for purchase at the shop’s St Mark’s location, so follow the signs – they’ll lead you right to it.
