County Board Chair Gets ‘Yarn Bombed’

Arlington County Board Chair Mary Hynes had her chair “yarn bombed” at this afternoon’s Board meeting.

A group called the “Guerilla Stitch Brigade” created a colorful, monogrammed yarn cover for Hynes’ chair and presented it to her at the meeting. Hynes, whose gavel was also covered in yarn, seemed delighted.

“We have a really cool chair here today,” she said, before introducing a speaker from the stitch brigade.

Jennifer Lindsay, project member of the group, thanked county staff for allowing them to “infiltrate” the County Board office. She then used the occasion to promote a “secret” public art project the guerilla stitchers are creating in partnership with the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, Artisphere and Arlington Public Library.

Lindsay said knitters will be working over the winter to create a temporary “yarn bomb” public art project that will be deployed in Rosslyn this coming spring. She was careful not to divulge details about the planned finished product, but promised “an explosion of color and fiber” around Rosslyn.

The group will meet most Wednesdays at Artisphere between now and Feb. 27, 2013 to work on the project.

“We’ll help you get started with materials, instruction and inspiration,” the Artisphere web site says. “Meet other knitters and crocheters while sharing your creativity for a top secret, guerilla-style, collaborative installation early next year! Experienced stitchers are welcome to bring their own needles and hooks.”

Lindsay said the knitters who decorated Hynes’ chair were from the Westover and Glen Carlyn libraries and from the Aurora Highlands Senior Center.