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There is clicking and clacking among the knitting and nattering at the Te Puke Kiwicoast Lion’s business meeting. No, they are not knitting bonnets for neonatal babies but creating a wraparound artwork to adorn a tree as part of the annual Greerton Village Community Yarn Bombing.
The event which started in 2013 with 16 decorated trees now has over 63 entries. What was originally an idea to embrace the artistic nature of the village and dress the famous cherry blossom trees which become naked and featureless in winter, has grown in fame and become a fundraiser for charitable organizations.
This year’s theme is ‘Children’s Books’ and Te Puke Kiwicoast Lions have chosen to bring alive, “The Farmyard Idol” by local author and illustrator Angie Belcher and Debbie Tipuna.
Overseeing the project is Michelle Cliff, well known in the community for her infectious enthusiasm for everything creative; from directing Te Puke Repertory plays like “Calendar Girl’s” to designing and making costumes for local school productions. “If it’s crazy, hard work and tossed in the basket, she’s the one to pick it out and run with it” said fellow Lioness Barb Van Selm.
Michelle’s not new to knitting but this is her first attempt at yarn bombing and working on a large scale project. “I create a picture in my head, motivated by the illustrations; pick up the needles and start.”
Once the concept had become concrete she was able to share the planning with other members of the group. “I asked them all to bring a pair of size eight (4mm) knitting needles to our first business meeting of the year and it’s just grown stitch by stitch.”
As Michelle talks she gets more and more excited, pulling a knitted chicken, sheep, pigs and ram out of her oversized bag. “The ladies who can’t knit due to arthritis or whatever can make pomp poms and tassels, everyone can be involved.”
Within minutes, a patchwork of green squares, puffs of blue sky and hundreds of colored triangles for bunting are strewn across a corner of the Te Puke Memorial hall floor. In the centre is a tree stump, chicken; the star of the book, piggy and ram, with more animals still to be added to the menagerie. She’s even managed to stitch the book title and replicate the author and illustrator’s signatures.
On those rare occasions when she wonders if the image in her head has transpired recognizably into shape, she calls upon husband Gordon for an honest opinion. “I showed him the bucktoothed ram and he thought it was a rat so a bit of unpicking took place that day!”
Dressing a tree is not just a creative process; it takes organizational skills and requires a certain amount of mathematical accuracy. The tree needs to be measured, especially the three large supporting branches, and the knitting needs to be at least ten percent smaller so it is a tight fit. “We don’t want saggy bits”.
Carol Power, the event co-coordinator, arranges regular pickup times for contributors to collect boomerang bags stuffed with skeins of every colour and thickness, supplied by the Greerton Business Community. “We’ve got entries from as far south as Gore and interest from as far as Perth. The ultimate aim is to make it a National event with bigger charity prizes and more sponsors”.
The hard work culminates on 23rd June (30th if wet) when on one huge day of stitching, dressing and decorating, the cherry trees will be transformed and remain that way for the following six weeks. The public will be invited to vote for their favourite via Facebook, with the ultimate winner being the charity designated by the winning entry.
When asked how she feels about all their hard work left hanging in the elements for that length of time Michelle just laughs. By that stage she will already have moved onto her next big project with the support of the hardworking ladies in the Te Puke Kiwicoast Lions Cub, a group already renowned for their fundraising and altruistic efforts within the community.
Call it craftiti or bombing, the yarns shared during those monthly meeting will now take on a totally new perspective.
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