End of an era

Well, with Anne delivering the artwork to Headway Knit a Neuron must draw to a close. We've had an amazing couple of years meeting so many interesting people who have taken the time to knit, knatter and create neurons. Neurons have travelled in from all over the world, the artwork's been up and down the UK and now has a proud home at Headway.

While Knit a Neuron is ending, other woolly science projects abound. From Stitch London's fantastic weekend at the Science Museum, the British Society of Immunology project The Big Knit: Multiple Sclerosis and just today I've heard from someone wanting to set up a craft science charity. There are others - too many to mention!

We'd like to take this chance to thank everyone who's been involved with Knit a Neuron. It's a project that could only happen with the support, energy and enthusiasm of people all over the world. It's been a great honour to be part of such a great project - we hope you feel the same way too.

We won't continue to update this blog, however we hope that it can remain here for a while to serve as record of a unique woolly science project.

Now then, where did put that chemistry crochet...

Knit a Neuron reaches its new home!

I'm sure that all KAN Fans will be please to hear that the artwork created out of our wonderful selection of donated, knitted neurons has now been presented to the ‘Headway’ centre in Henley-on-Thames, which will be its final home. Headway is a national charity that, “works to improve life after brain injury”. The Henley centre runs a day care program of physical and cognitive therapy and provides vital support to sufferers and carers affected by head injury.

Anne visited Headway on 21 November to present the artwork. She also spoke about the project, brain injury research going on in Bristol, and answered lots of questions on neuroscience (and other things besides!). Anne had a great day, enjoying the opportunity to meet and chat with all the clients in that day. Some had knitted their own neurons, and all of them were very interested in seeing the artwork depicting brain injury. One lady, Jane, was particularly thrilled with it as a brain haemorrhage had damaged her sight, but she could feel all the neurons and make out the colours.

The KAN neurons are now installed as a wall hanging in one of the rooms at Headway that is used for therapy or as a quiet space by clients.

Big thanks to everyone at Headway for welcoming KAN and giving it a new home!

One year on...

...from Green Man (OK, so it's 11 months on, but it's close enough for me!) where we met Elaine from the Encephalitis Society. We've just heard that Elaine and the knitters at the Encephalitis Society have finished their neural display. Doesn't it look great? Taking pride of place in the office. We're delighted that she's taken the KAN concept and reworked it for the Encephalitis Society.

Stitched science - the evidence

It doesn't seem so long ago that we were packing our needles and yarn to wend our way to the great temple of science that is the Science Museum for their Stitched Science weekend. What a great weekend it was! So many knitting, creative, sciencey folk with amazing creations. See flickr for stacks of photos.












Here are some of our favourite pictures from Knit a Neuron corner. It was lovely meeting so many people who wanted to knit and natter about neuroscience.

Stitched Science

Here at Knit a Neuron Towers we're really looking forward to being part of Stitched Science at the Science Museum in London. There's so much on from stitching the solar system, to cross stitch emoticons and illusion knitting from our friends at Woolly Thoughts.

If you missed out on knitting a neuron, or want to make one for yourself - come along this weekend. It's free and we'd love to see you there!

Knitted MS is revealed

Our friends at the British Society for Immunology have spent a week knitting and nattering at the Times Cheltenham Science Festival.



We popped along over the weekend to join in the fun. It was really exciting to see so many knitters coming along to talk with Sandra, Nicola and David. Knitters talked about the latest research looking into stressed oligodendrocites, population dynamics, genetic links and living with MS. The finished tableaux look stunning and brightened up the stage on a rainy windy Sunday.

Another spin-off project!

Because we enjoyed Knit a Neuron so much, and MS: The Big Knit is going so well, we thought it was time to kick off another project! The Continuous Loop Project makes use of the natural synergies between yarn fabrics and the principals of structural engineering. We have creative workshops in the next couple of weeks, training in early July and then our team of engineers will be heading off to Vintage Steam Engine Fairs over the summer.

If you can't join us at the events, do follow us on the blog!

Knit a Neuron takes part in Glasgow Science Festival

We've just packed up the artwork to send to Glasgow Science Festival.

We're delighted that Knit a Neuron will be on display at the CCA on 11 June for the Knit and Natter. From 12-30 June you can also see it at the fabulous knitting cafe: The Yarn Cake, Queen Margaret Drive.

Here's the display part-way through packing. Safe travels woolly neurons!

MS: The Big Knit

You may remember some time ago that the British Society for Immunology got in touch about the possibility of doing a project related to Multiple Sclerosis. Well, we've been busy working away behind the scenes and it's all kicked off! Check out MS: The Big Knit for the story behind the project, patterns and details of Cheltenham Science Festival.

Nattering with neuroscientists

Anne's at the British Neuroscience Association's biennial conference where she's got a fabulous display all about Knit a Neuron.

We've had so many comments from people here on the blog, from knitters around the world and at events that we've decided to share them with BNA-ers. You can see the tags attached to some of the neurons - that's where your comments reside. Being read by the best neuroscientists in the world!

Drop-in event on Saturday 9 April

Want to knit more neurons? Or see the artwork that's been created from the neurons we've received so far? Come along to the Grant Bradley gallery on Saturday 9 April from 2.30. We'll be there knitting pale neurons for a parallel artwork being created by our friends in the Encephalitis Society. See you there!

Knit a Neuron - on display

In great news, all our collective efforts are coming to fruition as part of the Changing Perspectives exhibition at the Grant Bradley gallery in Bedminster Parade, Bristol. The exhibition is free and open from Saturday 26 March until Saturday 30 April. We hope you'll be able to make it and we'd love to hear your comments.

Here is a picture of the artwork on the wall behind where all the speeches took place! I'm sure there will be better pictures soon...

We are in Newcastle!

We've arrived in Newcastle and have set up our knitting wares in the fabulous Centre for Life. We're taking part in the crazy world that is Maker Faire UK. Come along, sit with us and knit a neuron. You can even take these ones home with you! Pictures to follow...

if you tweet about us over the weekend use the #KANMF.

Knit a neuron takes shape

We made a start on joining all the lovely neurons together last weekend. We have so many that we don't think they'll all fit into this artwork. But we're going to use them in Newcastle at the Maker Faire, during workshops in Sterling and to enhance the display at Grant Bradley. It's fabulous to have so many neurons!

up yer hooter!

Neurons are being put to a new use. You can find them making up the olfactory bulb in a model nose at the Big Bang fair. Brilliant!

Knit a Neuron - on tour!

Good news at Knit a Neuron towers. We've had so many offers of support for the artwork that we're going on tour.

We'll be unveiling the piece as part of the University of Bristol's Changing Perspectives event at the Grant Bradley Gallery. After a month in Bristol, the piece will head up to Glasgow for the month of June and a tour round a few venues as part of Glasgow Science Festival. Staying in Scotland, Stirling Youth Services are hosting for July and August and using the artwork as a springboard for a series of activities for young people in the area.

And finally, Headway are keen to host the installation on a permanent basis once it returns from Scotland.

We couldn't be more delighted with how things have turned out, and how much support there is for the project and the artwork. Thanks everyone!

[I'll update this post with weblinks when things go live.]

Knitting & Multiple Sclerosis

What exciting news for a Friday evening. We have another KAN spin-off project.

We've been approached to help the British Society for Immunology to help out with a Knitting & Multiple Sclerosis project as a contribution to the Cheltenham Science Festival. The exact details are still be worked out, but one of the first things we need is some artistic advice. Are you a knitting/crochet/fibre artist who would be interested in talking with us? Do you know someone who is? We'd love to hear from you.

Knitting Neurons in Newcastle

Ah, we love an alliteration here at KAN Towers. Why Newcastle we hear you ask? We've been invited to have a stand at the fabulous Maker Faire. We like Maker Faire very much - not only is it hosted by our friends at the Life Science Centre, it's full of creative inventors with amazing contraptions.

Come along to our stand where you can knit a neuron and have a natter about neuroscience. We should have a fabulous display of neurons by the end of the weekend.

If you can't wait for March, then head over to Tyneside Cinema next Tuesday. You'll meet fellow knitters and Jennifer Read will be there with all her brain expertise. Bring your neurons to the Maker Faire and add them to the display. Go on, you know you want to!

STOP PRESS! If you're a knitter (or crocheter) from Newcastle then why not join the Yarnbombing activities? Check out the “maker faire guerrilla knitting" group on Ravelry for more information. Neuronal network across Newcastle anyone?

New Year, new neuron...

Happy New Year to all our supporters! And that's a lot of supporters: we've had over 10 000 views of our blog from all over the world - woo hoo! In a rather satisfying link: if all those hits were connections we'd be like one single neuron.

We're sure you'll be pleased to hear that we've several offers of support for hosting the final piece. We're just going to take a look at it all and see what we can do.

We're delighted with the level of support for the piece - thanks to everyone who's offered thoughts, recommendations and physical space. Watch this space for more information.

We know the nights are getting shorter, but summer still seems a long way off. So here's a picture of some of our Green Man knitters enjoying the Welsh sunshine!