Today was the big yarn bomb for Kaleidofest. Since I didn’t go, let me tell you about Thing 3’s experience there.
Three hours was the minimum amount of time artists could take to put up their lamp post decoration. Things 1, 2, and 3 all thought that would be PLENTY of time. Why, they’d probably have to sit about and make more flowers to add to the garden to make up that minimum three hours. But they didn’t count on one thing: the generosity of Knitmontonians. Once all the flowers, leaves, birds, bees, dragonflies, and other critters had been laid out on the table, well, they were BLOWN AWAY. So many things to plant in the garden! Amazing! Brilliant! Colourful!
Things started not completely smoothly. The lamp post they’d been assigned was larger in diameter than what they’d anticipated, which meant that while the grass fit, the sky wasn’t as sure a proposition. However, the malleability of yarn (even acrylic yarn), proved equal to the task, and that cozy is NOT going anywhere until they take it down tomorrow night. With the hard part done, it was time for proper tea before on to the flowers.
As they worked, many people stopped to look, to touch, and to compliment. It was brilliant, and they would like to thank everyone who stopped by and told them how lovely the Garden was, who took photos of them, who took photos of themselves with the Garden, who told other people about yarnbombing, who voted for them, and who generally made life wonderful. Kudos should also go out to the the Kaleidofest volunteers who stopped by with water and good spirits, and who didn’t laugh when the 30 degree weather made them give up on anonymity.
Yes, it was hot. Hot and sunny. And the hats and beards did not last the full five hours it took to complete the Yarn Garden. Only three (which is long enough to get kind of a silly looking slight sunburn on the face, let Thing 3 tell you…). But we’ll pretend that they’re still anonymous, okay?
The four lamp posts will be judged tomorrow afternoon, and there are cash prizes to be had. Should the Yarn Garden win, Knitmonton will be splitting the prize money between the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts and the Alzheimer Society of Alberta. Because Knitmonton does what they do to make people smile and to bring beauty into the world, and for no other reason.
Click here to see the photos in the slideshow below with captions. Special thanks to Keely for wielding the camera to get so many great pictures!
