Maybelle Bennett, a fiber artist fromWashington,DC, has been inAnguillafor two weeks teaching and training local women in the art of knitting and crochet. “This has been a wonderful experience for me because the participants in the knitting programme are very skilled artisans. To help them add knitting to their arsenal of skills has been very rewarding for all of us” she said. Nine participants and two local women who have knitting skills have assisted the instructor and the trainees. The classes have been held at the Eleos Centre, the Old Manse and the programme has been funded in part by the Teacher Noonie Fund of the Anguilla Community Foundation
Ms Bennett has brought materials and equipment for the class to create knitting and crochet library at the Centre. The knitting/crochet programme will also provide participants with continuing opportunities to be part of a knitting circle once the classes have ended. Participants also hope to exhibit their work in the coming months. Marketing and selling work have been part of the programme during the past two weeks.
A native Washingtonian, Maybelle has been knitting and crocheting since she was five years of age. She has taught at the Bethany Women’s Center for homeless women, theMayaAngelouPublicCharterSchool, the New Community Art Space, the Emergence Community Arts Collective andSt. George’sEpiscopal Church. She has also exhibited in theWashingtonarea.
Lorna Bacchas, one of the class participants, remarked that “this learning was remarkable and we wish we could do it again and continue to do craft”.
For additional information contact: Hyacinth Hughes at 235-8965
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)