Knitted dolls covered up after people got offended by crocheted private parts

Be careful if you’re reading this article in public, as these crocheted willies are definitely not safe for work.

A knitting group has landed itself in trouble after displaying knitted dolls in the window of a local cafe, with their woolen privates on display.

The figures were put on display at The Hive cafe and haberdashery in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, to raise money for the local air ambulance.

But a woman complained about the naughty figures, saying she didn’t want her grandchildren ‘looking at genitals on their way to school’.

Cafe owner Mike Alford said the display wasn’t meant to be offensive – but he’s since covered up the genitals of the knitted policeman, vicar, Rastafarian, as well as a woman with pearls and a man with a beard.

He said: ‘I told her I totally understood where she was coming from, but it is not meant to be offensive and I don’t think it is offensive.

‘I mean if you took your kids out to Bath for the Roman Baths, there are more anatomical pictures of men and ladies actual parts – these are knitted.

‘But we decided to censor the figures – either way it has caused a lot of people to come in and donate to the Air Ambulance – and it’s nice to have a bit of banter!

‘It hasn’t been negative, it’s all just laughs and tongue and cheek – life is too serious and it’s good to have a laugh!’

The knitting group meet regularly to help each other with knitting and crochet – and it was their idea to create the racy window display, Mike added.

Each woolen figure takes about a week to make, and they’re a real labour of love.

But the controversy has helped them to raise money for charity, with about £100 donated in a day after the censorship was added.

This is the group’s first window display of the year, with the next theme being ‘Glastonbury Festival’, and Mike said he’s ‘excited’ but a bit nervous to see what the group come up with.

But following the controversy stirred up by this display, we probably won’t be seeing naked crocheted versions of festival headliners Dua Lipa or Coldplay.

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