Yarn Bombing Away

Cherry blossoms are coming early this year to The Historic Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver thanks to some local yarn bombers.

The event is intended to highlight the writer-in-residence program held at Kogawa House, the childhood home of author Joy Kogawa who lived there until she was six.  The home was expropriated in 1941 and Kogawa and her family were interned.  She has written about this experience in her novel Obasan and in the Ruth Ohi-illustrated book for children, Naomi's Tree. 

Some info from the Kogawa House site:

All blossoms will be stitched in place on the cherry tree at Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver, on Sunday, March 6, from 2:00 to 3:30pm. Join Yarn Bombing authors Leanne Prain and Mandy Moore, along with writers Nancy Lee, Zsuzsi Gartner, Mary Novik, and June Hutton, among others, as they decorate the Joy Kogawa cherry tree. Drop by to help out or just to watch the magic happen! 

The event is organized to raise awareness for the writer-in-residence program that takes place in the house each year, when the Historic Joy Kogawa House Society hosts a celebrated Canadian writer for three-months at a time.

Blossom patterns are available at www.yarnbombing.com, and those who love to knit or crochet are invited to download patterns, find pink yarn, and get going on this new, fun project. Finished blossoms can be mailed to Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6P 2N4.

                                                                       image property of Janice Wong

A little inspiration, courtesy of Vancouver-based visual artist (and my pal) Janice Wong.

Check out the Yarn Bombing site for more details.