Visitors to Hellertown’s Borough Authority Park this holiday season will find its trees… bundled up in colorful scarves? Indeed they will!
The growing trend of decorating trees with colorfully-knit scarves is called yarn bombing, and a local organization is using it to spread positivity and cheer throughout the community.
The project, titled “Comfort and Joy”, is being put together by Honest Imprint, a local organization that has brought creative and fun art projects to Hellertown in the past.
Their latest project will serve as a collaborative community art piece in which participants can spruce up local trees while repurposing old materials taking up space in their home.
“My initial request was to get people thinking about what materials they have sitting in a closet somewhere that might be unused in their homes, but useful in this collaboration,” said Erica Shorb, Creative Director of Honest Imprint. “We are huge proponents of caring for the earth and using recycled materials whenever possible.”
Shorb is calling upon members of the Hellertown community to “adopt” trees to help bring the project to life.
She hopes to begin tagging trees this week in Hellertown’s Borough Authority Park, which is located next to the Hellertown Pool and across the street from Dewey Fire Company.
The roughly 25 tagged trees will have a piece of yarn tied around them, as well as a tag containing basic instructions for adopting them. It will then be up to members of the community to spend time wandering the park looking for their perfect tree.
“It’s a little like hunting for your favorite Christmas tree, but in this scenario you are sharing the joy that tree brings you with the whole town,” Shorb said.
Honest Imprint is currently accepting donations of materials to be used in the yarn bombing. They are looking for donations of yarn, blankets, scarves and other knitting projects, as well as clear zip-ties.
“Old afghans or blankets, ones they have or found at thrift stores are great pieces for this project,” Shorb said.
While recycled materials are encouraged, Shorb said knit sweaters and tiny knit projects are not particularly useful for the project. She recommends knitting or crocheting smaller projects together before donating them.
The project is also in need of volunteers, and Shorb said that volunteering can take many forms.
“I would love to have ambassadors who do the recruiting and supervision of teams of people in their sphere of influence,” she said.
These ambassadors would serve as liaisons between Honest Imprint and participating groups by passing along information and directions, answering questions and orchestrating individual yarn bombing efforts.
Volunteer work may also include thrifting, knitting, crocheting, measuring, installing and maintaining trees.
“We need volunteers at every level, but we encourage people to volunteer together or make sure they have fun doing what they’ve signed up for, because collaboration and enjoying the process are key,” Shorb said.
Email ho***********@gm***.com for more information about donating and volunteering for the yarn bombing. Be sure to like and follow Honest Imprint on Facebook for updates and information about the project.
Most importantly, get down to Borough Authority Park over the course of the next few weeks to pick out a tree to adopt for this holiday season!
“The more people who step in to participate, the more pride and appreciation people will have for the artwork,” Shorb said.
In response to the COVID pandemic, Honest Imprint organized a Community Art Walk through Borough Authority Park last fall. The exhibit featured 15 pandemic-inspired works of art.
