Yarn bombing in Greerton

Marilyn Mouat, Carol Power, Karen Wood meeting over hot chips and wool.

It was hot chips over balls of wool as keen knitters met to discuss the new developments for this year's Greerton Village yarn bombing.

Bedecked with knitted zany creations, this winter Greerton Village's cherry blossom trees will be raising their branches as they also raise awareness of Tauranga's charities and non-profit organisations.

Newly appointed Greerton Community Knitters and Yarn Bombers coordinator Carol Power has started 2017 with high enthusiasm for the popular yarn bombing event that last year saw a record 39 trees ‘dressed' with knitted sleeves covering their trunks.

Greerton Village Mainstreet Manager Sally Benning is pleased that Carol is available to help coordinate the annual event, now in to its fifth year.

'Officially she started in January but I know she did some work pre-Christmas,” says Sally. 'Carol has a huge amount of contacts because of her teaching role. She is a textile teacher so has ideas for embellishing the trees in different ways.”

Greerton Village came under the national spotlight again last winter when the public and press came in their droves to see the results.

'One of the key things this year is that we are going to be raising money for local charities and not-for-profit organisations,” says Sally. 'There will be an opportunity for the public to vote for their favourite yarn bombing tree. The funds raised will be distributed amongst the organisations.”

'To date,” says Carol, 'the not-for-profit organisations we are yarn bombing a tree for, are the Cancer Society, Citizens Advice Bureau Tauranga, Tauranga Jazz society, Deaf Association, Stroke Foundation, Wish for Fish, Multicultural Tauranga, Turning Point Trust, Motor Neuron Disease Foundation, Western Bay Wildlife Trust, Shakti, and Alzheimers Tauranga/WBOP.”

Carol Power and Marilyn Mouat, a Greerton Village Community Assocation Committee member, have measured and numbered all the trees, as they've grown since last year. It seems, too, that tree sleeves can be reused from previous years.

What started as an idea in 2013, with five or six trees wearing woolly masterpieces grew to over 17 trees in 2014 being included in the colourful collection. More importantly, the public art project brought together people from all walks of life and abilities to knit, crochet and weave. New skills and friendships were formed.

Yarn bombing has become a popular form of temporary public art since the first recorded example in the Netherlands in 2004, with yarn installations appearing overnight in public places.

'Most of the knitted sleeves from last year lasted quite well,” says Sally. 'They've been in storage. Carol has also photographed, measured and numbered them. Some of these could be reused with embellishments added. But we still need a huge number of knitters for this year as there are over 40 trees.”

In 2016, the theme was 'Hundertwasser', with invited guest artist Alia Bland yarn bombing two trees, using her own work and panels she collected from knitters from the US, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia and the UK.

'Another thing that is different about this year,” says Sally, 'is that Carol has visited many of the retirement villages who are going to knit and crochet. Also a number of schools. She's keen to involve children.”

Some of the schools involved in knitting for a tree are Greenpark School, Greerton Village School and Te Puke High School. Knitting groups from Bupa Accadia Retirement Village, Accadia Manor Care Home, Malyon House, Bupa Cedar Manor Retirement Village and Cedar Manor Care Home are also busy knitting.

Carol has organised weekly yarn bombing meetups, and also encouraged people to create their own groups or just work on their own. The Community Knitters and Yarn Bombers knitting group meetings started this week in Greerton Village. On Tuesday nights, they meet at Greers, and on Wednesday afternoons they meet at Greerton Public Library. Wool is provided.

"We would like more non-profit associations and knitters, crocheters, weavers or felt makers on board to yarn bomb a tree," says Carol. "Gather some friends together and yarn bomb a tree, or yarn bomb by yourself. Schools can create a craft elective and create a tree, or just knit, weave, felt or crochet a scarf which can be embellished with lots of interesting bits and bobs."

Details of meetings:

Tuesdays 6.30 to 8.30pm Greers Restaurant, Greerton

Wednesdays 1-3pm Greerton Library

To contact Carol Power for wool, a tree or a charity to yarn bomb for go to https://www.facebook.com/GreertonVillageCommunityYarnBombing or email greertonyarnbombing@gmail.com

Installation date for this year's Greerton Village Community Yarn Bombing is Sunday June 25, 2017.

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1 comment

Another example

Posted on 12-02-2017 18:13 | By overit

of sense of community. Thank you to all.


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