The sound of knitting needles and sewing machines can be heard far and wide as preparations are made to dress the city of Exeter for Rugby World Cup 2015. But calls are being made for wacky crafters across the county to get involved as the ‘yarn bombing’ project gathers momentum.

Residents of Exeter have been doing their bit to help showcase the city to a worldwide audience ahead of the international qualifying matches being played at Sandy Park. As part of the campaign to style the city, skilfull individuals, creative groups, crafty colleagues and imaginative friends have been busy doing their bit to make an eye-catching mark on Exeter using the colours of the flags of the countries playing at Sandy Park. The busy city residents have been letting their creativity run free in order to create covers for park benches, scarves for lampposts, hats for bins and bunting for the trees. But there is still more to do!

In charge of organising and coordinating the project is Mattie Richardson, Owner of Bunyip Buttons and Beads on Fore Street; “We’ve already had so much support from people all around the city, knitting mini rugby shirts, crocheting flowers and mini rugby balls, and creating amazing, colourful bunting, but we would welcome donations from further afield so that we can make sure we really create an impact when we start putting it all up around the city centre on 31 July and 1 August.”

She added; “We also need helpers on those dates who can fix the decorations to trees, benches, bike racks, bollards and so on, who are happy to trot around the city centre in pairs or small groups and they can email me at rugby@exeter.gov.uk to be added to the list of willing volunteers.”

Cllr Rosie Denham, Lead Councillor for Economy and Culture said “Exeter will be draped in the colours of Rugby World Cup 2015 throughout August, September and October to welcome Sandy Park ticket holders and all the people visiting the Fanzone in Northernhay Gardens; which will be free to enter. Exeter is the only Host City involving the local community with dressing the city for Rugby World Cup 2015, with handmade bunting and yarn bombing, giving us a truly Exeter and Devon welcome”

For those that need a little guidance, templates for bunting and patterns for knitted miniature T-shirts can be found at ehod.co/RWCbunting or by emailing rugby@exeter.gov.uk at the craft shop Bunyip Buttons and Beads on Fore Street to provide advice to anyone that needs it.