By Rose Laudicina
Staff Writer
The term “yarn bombing†evokes images of brightly colored balls of yarn falling from the sky, unraveling over buildings and sidewalks, covering the metal, cement and glass structures of a town in a cozy, comfy knit.
In reality, this is a pretty accurate description.
Yarn bombing, also known as guerrilla knitting or graffiti knitting, is the art of taking objects in public spaces, from trees to bike racks, and covering them in knitted yarn creations.
While this is an international movement – Magda Sayeg of Houston is said to have been the founder, in 2005, and June 11 of last year marked the first international yarn bombing day – it has only just now found its way to Carrboro on a large scale.
Carrboro residents woke up Saturday morning to find a bit more color and yarn around town, encasing water fountains, pillars at Carrboro Town Hall and even a knitted sign on a bench proclaiming, “I love knitting.â€
Typically yarn bombing happens without the knowledge or consent of the town being “bombed.†But Laura Korch, a member of the Carrboro Arts Committee who came up with the idea, went before the Carrboro Board of Alderman in June to get approval.
“When I first got on the arts committee I was thinking about what kind of project I would like to propose,†Korch said.
“Everyone already spends a lot of time outside in Carrboro walking or riding bikes, so I thought that an outdoor art installation would be perfect.â€
Korch said she chose yarn bombing because the material was cheap and colorful.
After the town approved the project, Korch worked on recruiting knitters, ending up with a group of 12, and getting supplies donated.
“It was about brightening spaces and adding color,†Korch said. “People find it kind of funny and playful.â€
The yarn decorations are expected to be up for four weeks.
Carrboro is a tiny town, yet it seems every journalist that decided to cover this project somehow missed the biggest part of it – the seven planters that line the municipal parking lot next to Open Eye Cafe a mere block away.
I hope that the community appreciates them even if they’ve so far gone unnoticed in the news.
I got some photos of the municipal lot! I think they are a beautiful addition to downtown. Thank you Laura Korch and your team of skilled knitters! If North Greensboro St. hadn’t been so busy, I would have liked to get a photo with all of them from across the street.
http://abigailandgreg.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/warm-and-fuzzy-street-art/