Jim Bunny Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

I blame Magda Sayeg.
'Who?” asked the Doe.

Magda. She started it all. Magda, the high priestess of yarn bombing.

And all the time there's the infernal racket of circular 5mm steel knitting needles going clackety-clack, lickety-split. All for naked cherry trees and the edification of Greerton and the Village Yarn Bomb 2023.

Knitting is not big noise, but there's a nuisance value. 'I think you should know…” said the Doe knowingly, 'and I think you should appreciate, the tone and rhythm of knitting are intertwined”.

Rabbit eyes glaze over.

'The brain might perceive the pattern and propriety of the knitted stitch in much the same way it might perceive music.” I thought she was whipping up some yarn bombing, not composing a sonata.

And did she know the brain might also perceive trouble, Greerton may be in peril, it's very unique social fabric unravelling. Because an Australian academic's research tells her yarn bombing is ‘subverting ideals of women as homemakers' – it's introducing knitters to ‘rebellion and naughtiness.'

Grief!

And it was Magda who started it, Magda a Texan shop owner, and obviously a disenchanted and dissident one. Magda was unhappy with her bland landscape so she knitted up a doorknob cosy for her shop. It generated curiosity, comment and customers. Magda ever the opportunist, started covering everything with yarn… And kaboom! Bloody yarn bombing was born. 'No! Bless her, bless Magda.”

It was like Covid, spreading across the continents. And it became political, knitting needles were weaponised in rebellion and protest. And Greerton is right in the path, it too could become a hotbed of activism. That's because our Australian yarn bomb academic, who has explored yarn bombing, says she can sniff subversion, protest...and art.

'Bollocks back at you,” said the Doe. 'More conspiracy theories.”

Greerton, she insists, is an oasis of community, where good people living in a good place, make good things happen. Like making lovely Chadwick Rd even lovelier with yarn bombing. 'It's a declaration of pride. Just watch us.”

Clackety-clack, lickety-split.

Knit stitch, garter stitch or moss stitch…casting on 36 for a gauge of 4.5 per inch.

The rub

Now here's the rub. There's a bunch of Australian knitters and they are not benign old dears. They're a feisty bunch called Knitting Nannas who use knitting as a tool for political protest. They knit up banners and yell and scream against exploration and mining. They're trouble.

Okay, the Greerton yarn bombers just want to tart up a few trees, but what other forces are at play here?

Could they be planning to occupy the racecourse with knitting needles drawn to stop it being chopped up and flicked on? Or perhaps a sit-down knitting protest at the roading mess that is Cameron Rd? Innocent knit ones, purl ones today, but rebellion and subversion tomorrow. 'It's reclaiming sterile urban environments,” says the Doe, rolling those big amber eyes.

'Not that Greerton is sterile. Greerton has a unique quaintness. It is simple, friendly, where people live in harmony and love.”

There's even a school and a library right in the heart of the village which tells you something about Greerton's priorities. And excellent cheesy weezies.

But our Australian criminologist says yarn bombers can be rebellious: '…subverting the norms of knitting and how it should be employed and enjoyed”.

A contributor to her research told her knitters are using 'a very homemaker medium to go out and make a statement and they're attracted by the naughtiness of yarn bombing because women aren't supposed to be naughty”.

The academic says there are risk and excitement aspects to indiscriminate yarn bombing, like getting caught and being held to account. What the hell do you think you are doing? Aren't you supposed to be a respectable person?

Our researcher says yarn bombers also embrace peaceful protest and activist ideals around their ‘bombing' – like political statements or anti-consumerist thoughts. And it's a way for feminists to feminist stuff…like a group of ‘felters' who make felt cervixes as a campaign against sexual violence.

Beautification

But mostly yarn bombing is about beautification, giving urban environments a personal touch. Most yarn bombers see what they do as street art. Especially if there is a lot of graffiti, which Tauranga is now prone to. One bomber wanted to show the world that not all 'tagging” is bad. Clackety-clack, lickety-split. 4.5 stitches per inch. The Doe twitches her whiskers and knits on. Join her, she says. Get involved! Email: greertonyarnbombing@gmail.com or phone or message 021 209 7008.