Scarf for giant granny rolled out for Limerick City of Culture

Ten days and 500 balls of wool later a knitted scarf literally fit for a giant has been rolled out by the Limerick Craft Hub.

More than 100 pairs of hands were involved in knitting the 80ft scarf for the Royal de Luxe Giant Grandmother who is visiting Limerick this weekend.

The most anticipated event in the Limerick City of Culture calendar will see a 25ft high grandmother marionette move slowly through some of the city's iconic landmarks.

A team of 27 Lilliputians is specifically tasked with handling the 85-year-old giant as she walks around Limerick for three days, covering 19km.

Accompanied by a crew of 60 – attached to French street art company Royal de Luxe – the three-day street spectacle is expected to attract more than 200,000 people to the city centre, which will be pedestrianised for the weekend.

To celebrate the Giant’s visit, the Limerick Craft Hub – a legacy City of Culture project – invited knitting enthusiasts to take part in making a scarf for the grandmother.

At 80ft the scarf has far exceeded the initial target of 50ft, according to Clare Jordan of Limerick Craft Hub.

Community event

“I had the idea to knit the scarf to welcome people to the Craft Hub which opened in August and to celebrate the Giant Granny coming to Limerick. Seeing as knitting is something that Grannies do, we decided to knit a giant scarf for the Giant Granny but make it a community event,” she explained.

“The response has just been phenomenal.”

Over the past ten days, more than 100 people have taken part in knitting the scarf, with up to 30 repeat visitors, including Limerick woman Patsy Kearsley who has been knitting for the past 50 years.

“What was lovely was seeing the kids coming in and teaching them how to knit,” said Ms Kearsley, who knits hats for premature babies.