By TANIA PHILLIPS
THE yarnbombers of the Southern Downs are almost ready to spin a yarn about a knitted garden – or at least they are preparing to put their work on display.
Over the weekend the group worked hard putting together more than 400 squares according to team leader Loretta Grayson of the Warwick Art Gallery which form part of this year’s Jazz and Jumpers in July major installation – ‘Yarntopia’.
“The green squares are part of the Warwick Art Gallery yarnbombing team’s big Yarntopia project for Jumpers and Jazz in July,” she said.
“Each year our team creates a large-scale knitted and crocheted installation for the festival. The ‘Knitchen’ in 2014 and ‘Woollow Tree’ in 2015 are two of our previous projects.
“This year the team is taking their talents to the centre of the Warwick CBD, where a colourful Yarntopian garden of delights will grow, creating a cosy oasis for the enjoyment of festival goers.
“We will be incorporating the Town Hall and forecourt and a laneway, so it’s our largest yarnbombing installation to date. Earlier this year we put out a call for green and blue squares – 500 of each.
“We have had a wonderful response, receiving over 700 green ones and 600 blue ones, from more than 100 knitters and crocheters. We have a wonderful and very creative local team, but many of our helpers don’t live in Warwick; we have received contributions in the post from as far away as Sydney.
“Our team is now very busy joining together all these squares, and we are still looking for contributions of knitted and crocheted birds, plants and fruit.”
Loretta said the group had been working on joining green squares for a couple of weeks.
“I’m not sure how many hours altogether as our team members take some of them home as well as working on them here,” she admitted.
“The photo shows only about a third of them … there are another 300 green ones to join and 600 blue ones.
“And yes, we are also incorporating hanging baskets of ferns, fruit, flowers, vines, birds and other bits and pieces in our Yarntopia.”
If anyone is interested in helping, they can contact Loretta at the Warwick Art Gallery on Tuesdays and Thursdays by phoning 4661 0434, or email team co-ordinator Loretta.Grayson@sdrc.qld.gov.au
