You’ve seen them around town: trees and signposts snuggled into colorful knit columns. They’re witty, optimistic, and raise many questions. Most notably…
Who is this enigmatic Yarn Bomber and why??
Westport Lifestyle: How did you come up with the idea for yarn bombing?
Yarn Bomber: Knitting has given me a way to harness my anxiety during this highly unusual time. What began as small sign post cozies has become colorful messages of inspiration and hope. It gives me a sense of power to sneak out at night and hide my work in plain sight.
WL: Have you ever done them before?
YB: I’ve done some mild bombing before but not to this degree.
WL: How much time and yarn went into the Bedford Square bomb?
YB: It took about 2 weeks to knit all the components for Bedford Square and approximately 8 skeins of yarn. It's hard to determine time and amounts as multiple projects progress at once and overlap one another.
WL: How long did it take to put it up?
YB: About 20 minutes.
WL: Have you ever been "caught" or spotted doing it?
YB: Post Road and the beach are highly active areas so while people have witnessed me out there, nobody seemed to care.
WL: Will you ever reveal your identity?
YB: Remaining anonymous gives me freedom. This work is for the public during an unsettling time, it's not about me.
WL: How do you stay anonymous to your paying clients?
YB: They send me a picture and an address, and we establish a bomb date so I am not mistaken for an interloper. Cash or checks made out to cash work fine.
WL: What happens when they become really ratty?
YB: Some are starting to show distress from the elements and I knew they wouldn't last forever. They'll have to come down and maybe get replaced.
WL: Do you take them down or does the town?
YB: I haven't thought about that. They're kind of like my children so it's hard for me to turn my back on them. I'll just close my eyes and accept their fate.
@yarnbalmer
