Knit graffiti flags

Several months ago a friend proposed that we knit up little flags for our local park. I loved the idea and jumped on board.

Together we made about 45 little flags and I strung them together sometime in June. At the time, we were planning to hang them up for the first summer park party of the year. But the party was delayed by rain and the flags never made it up.

Finally today I got my act together and hung the flags. V helped out by lugging over our rickety ladder. He kept Miya amused on the swings while I nailed up the flags.

One of the interesting things about knit bombing is watching the reaction of people when I am putting up the installation. Some are curious and even enthused – but most are indifferent, especially today.

A man who was at the park with his son (a son old enough to play unassisted) sat and watched me the whole time I was climbing up and down the ladder stringing up the flags without once offering to help or hold the ladder. When we were leaving he said, “They look nice.” Um, thank you.

Another dad who was pushing a little girl in circles around the park just gave me a few puzzled, blank stares. Two women chatting on a park bench tossed a couple of glances my way, but otherwise ignored me.

Point taken. Seeing a woman nail knitted items to a gazebo is nothing remarkable.

My mum sent me a clip of a news story about women in Montreal who are yarn bombing their urban neighbourhoods. Maybe if I was just a little more edgy I could get some press coverage too. But I think I need to come up with something more interesting for my next project.

Maybe I need to think bigger. Continue that knitted scarf till it could drape the length of the Peace Tower. Knit a body suit for the Terry Fox statue. Knit a mock-up of the proposed development project for the convent site. Perhaps I need to be thinking in terms of life-size installations, neon colours and high-traffic locations.... I need more hours in the day.