Yarn-bombed

Picton receives a pop of colour

If you have been on Main Street in Picton in the last few weeks, you may have noticed something different about its lampposts. Ten of them have been adorned lovingly with yarn, or yarn-bombed as the cool kids like to call it. Believe it or not, yarn-bombing has been a popular form of street art over the past few years and one that has been very prevalent in the arts and culture scene. The first examples of yarn-bombing started popping up around 2002, but didn’t really start catching fire until 2005. Thanks to the Internet, the movement has gone global as groups have come to yarn bomb their cities and share their work over the web. In most cases, the purpose is simply to create something fun and beautiful, and to stimulate the mind to think of a certain thing you may see every day in a different light. The objective of yarn-bombing something is to make itmore comfortable and bring it warmth. That’s why yarn-bombing seems most effective in urban settings, which tend to be cold, neutral and unsympathetic.

Picton’s yarn-bombing was done by the residents of McFarland Home, a local retirement facility in the County. The art pieces went up just before the 2018 Fibre Fest event and will stay up for the time being. The event draws over 1,100 visitors and plays host to demonstrations of knitting, weaving and sheep-shearing. There are also workshops, over 60 vendors, local food fare and visits with alpacas and angora rabbits.

The yarn-bombers of McFarland Home with Councillor Steve Ferguson and Tim Snyder in the background.

Any art form can come with some anarchy, and there have been a couple of complaints about the yarn-bombings that have gone to the Historical Society. For now, the fibre-based art project will stay up and the yarn-bombers of McFarland Home are certainly proud of their achievements. Each piece took roughly 20 hours to knit and another hour to sew onto the lamppost. In total, over 200 hours of dedication went into the making of these lamp cozies.

That’s a lot of community hours, and the thought of someone having a problem with this project is one that the organizers, never factored into account.

“Here is a chance for an otherwise unseen part of our community to make some public artwork and brighten up the days of visitors and local community members alike. Who would oppose this and why?” asks Snyder.

This past Monday, the yarn-bombers of McFarland Home took a short bus trip to see their work in person. The group were able to see first-hand the fruits of their labour. Many of the women in the knitting group have mobility issues and spend most of their time at the retirement facility, so this outing was to provide them with sense of pride in what they accomplished. It was a special day for them and something that they are clearly very proud of.

Anna Baldaski is one of the main contributors to this immense knitting project. She is 88 years old and has been knitting since she was eight. So, this is her 80th year as a knitter.

“When I was growing up you were required to learn knitting in school. That’s where I learned to knit and I’ve loved it ever since. It’s very peaceful. I get a lot of thinking done when I’m knitting. I don’t know how long it would take me. I would just knit until it was done. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon,” says Baldaski.

As for future art pieces, the yarn-bombers of McFarland Home aren’t letting the press know their next move. As cutting-edge street artists now with some controversy swirling around them, it is expected they will yarn-bomb something else very soon.

“The work that went into these pieces is something that needs to be recognized. This couldn’t be more community driven and the residents that dedicated their time to this project should be thanked and congratulated. Anyone looking to donate time to a cause should volunteer to spend some time with the folks at McFarland Home. They are always appreciative of guests there,” says Councillor Steve Ferguson.