Yarn Bombing of Downtown Birmingham Set for Sept. 15-30

Birmingham, prepared to be yarn bombed.

received the official OK from the Birmingham City Commission last week, and plans are underway to begin yarn bombing the city at the end of September.

The project is organized and funded through the city's Public Arts Board and the , Christian Weurth, assistant to the city manager, said. All the colorfully knitted and crocheted pieces will be created by volunteers.

What does "yarn bombing" actually involve? According to a memo sent to the city commission from Weurth, yarn bombing involves placing knitted or crocheted objects onto trees, parking meters, light posts, bicycle racks and sculptures.

Why yarn bombing? According to Weurth, the project is meant to promote public art and engage the community in that art. So far, Weurth said the project has been driven largely by volunteers, many of whom have already met for several planning meetings.

Planning for the yarn bombing project began in late March, when the Public Arts Board began tossing around the idea and recruiting interested knitters in Birmingham and the surrounding communities.

The yarn bombing project will take place from Sept. 15-30 at various locations throughout the city, with the ability to extend the life of certain installations until Oct. 14. The Birmingham Street Art Fair takes will take place Sept. 21-23 and Weurth said there has been interest from that group about also getting involved.

The group plans on placing the yarn sculptures in and around current art installations around the city, as well as Merrill Street between Old Woodward and and the areas around and .

To volunteer with Birmingham in Stitches, visit a special sign-up page created by the city's Public Arts Board. Call 248-530-1810 for more information and details.