Behind the Seams: AGO 1st Thursday!

 WHAHOOOO!!!!! We did it guys!

The Art Gallery of Ontario has officially been yarn bombed!

*fist pumps entire installation crew

We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to
this amazing experience. From all the wonderful people who sent
us along yarn, lent us a car to transport everything to the gallery,
and handed over their time to do some super fast last minute darning.

A special shout out also goes to some of the OCAD students who invited us to join the
evenings festivities in the first place. Simone was the perfect host, checking
in to see if we needed anything, escorting our team members around,
and offering to help unload installation equipment even though our
surprisingly light bundles of hexagons looked like they weight tonnes.
And our main contact, Jon, definitely deserves a pat on the back after
all the changes that were made throughout the prep process and for
working out a few kinks. Some of you might recall that originally we were
set to install on the Walker Court stairs, and were moved to the snake ramp at
the main  lobby doors. In the end  there was one last adjustment and the Gallery
Italia space turned out to be a terrific way to bring the street art movement into
the gallery while watching Toronto’s latest snow storm unfold.

The Bissell Bombers also wanted to give a shoutout to AGO security and assorted staff.
We know we must have looked a little odd with our multicoloured rib
wrappings, but your curiosity about the project kept us motivated and
your sense of humour made the 4-hour install fly-by.

And since the event was for one night only and the show sold out incredibly fast,
we wanted to post a few photos for those who couldn’t make it out.
So enjoy our Behind the Seams shots as we prepared for the big night 🙂

Measure twice, darn once.

All set to go as we wait for the ladder to come up from the ‘AGO’ sign up front.

Teamwork, a little ingenuity and a lot of temporary zip ties.

Putting the last finishing touches on the flower garland as the LEDs are activated!

 

Forget being “Facebook Official”, you know you’ve made it when you’re given your own interpretive text panel and program 🙂

The big reveal!
Our secret identities are exposed as two
Bissell Bombers pose with their biggest collaborative piece to date.

To hear more about the project and some of  the other installation pieces
that were on display that night, be sure to check out Christopher Jones article for TO Live with Culture.
And you can make your own dance party by visiting A Tribe Called Reds amazing play list.

Project Shoutout: One More Sleep!

Two months,
Dozens of posts,
HUNDREDS of hexagons,
One.More.Sleep

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

As we put the finishing touches on our pre-installation-
totally-organized-and-ready-to-go yarnbomb for the AGO’s 1st Thursday event
we wanted to post one last photo glut to thank all those donors who
snuck in at the last second with their knit  works.

And to get you in the mood for the Thursday par-tay, the AGO and OCAD students
have organized An Evening With A Tribe Called Red TONIGHT!
Details are on the Facebook page, and who knows… maybe if you
come  you’ll catch a glimpse of the Bissell Bombers and a
few other artists that will be featured on Thursday…
Just sayin’

So before we start posting things like, how we’re going to cover the AGO
(and a new location we’re being given) and the shenanigans we’re bound to get into
during the event, it’s time to take one last look at your individual handy work
before it becomes a fabulous collective of community crocheted craziness!

Project Shoutout: Laura J.

Eermahgerd! Eermahgerd! Eermahgerd!
The AGO 1st Thursday show is almost here!!!

YAAAYYYY!!!!

We are so excited for the big event, so excited that we have neglected to
update you all on the amazing things that came out of
our desperate donation drive.

So here we go,  our last big photo glut pre-install.

First up, we have some lovely flowers to go on…
 

Laura J. has been providing the group with a series of leafy greens
for almost a month now. I’ve been a bit of a bad blogger and taken
an unfortunately long amount of time in finally displaying my
adoration for her publicly.

But no more! A tip of the hat and a Bissell Bomber  SHOUTout to Laura J.
who has been an active contributor to the project on Facebook, with her
cute little links and stories, and her kind donation of pattern books
(with the doubly generous offer of passing them along to potential
yarn bombers if they are looking for inspiration).

THANKS LAURA J.!
We  hope to see you at the big show THIS Thursday at the Art Gallery of Ontario!
Woot! Woot!

Project Shoutout: Super Hero Ninja Mom (Brenda M.)

HELLLLLLOOOOOO GUELPHITES!
Do I see a little city rivalry a brewin’?

A few days a go we intook a hefty collection of squares and rectangles from
a Bissell Bomber mum who can only be described as a Super Hero Ninja.

That’s how ninjas work right?
They sneak on in and drop of loads of knit goods.
Sounds like Santa, but it’s February so everyone knows he’s still on vay-cay.
Come on, don’t be ridiculous.

So a big SHOUTOUT to Brenda M.
I mean Super Hero Ninja Mom!!! Shoot… totally just blew your cover.
My bad…

Well, at least you get full credit for your awesome work now 😉

How did you know purple was my favourite colour? 😉

Project Shoutout: Mary L.

Throughout our donation period for the AGO 1st Thursday project
we’ve seen a wide variety of flowers and different style hexagons from novice
knitters to budding addicts and emerging crafters.

But this donation from Mary L. is the first time we’ve seen someone
offering up an heirloom!

Mary L. contacted one of the Bissell Bombers with a special piece:
this beautiful baby blanket from her grandmother.

We’re really touched that this has been offered up to us,
and so we give a sweet humble shout out to Mary for temporarily
entrusting us with something to close to her family.
You’ve definitely amped up the meaning of community involvement with this one!

Project Update: Catharine W.

Obvious statement of  the day: Toronto has had some weird weather the past few days.
-22, snow, rain, fog?!, +14, snow… MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!!

Suddenly our call out requesting knitted flowers doesn’t seem to strange
anymore does it. That’s right, we saw that quizzical expression you had.
It’s sort of like the one you have on right now. Dun dun DUN!
(Don’t worry, we can’t really see you).

Now our original call out talked about some plane-Jane crochet flowers,
but that original plan has seen some obvious revisions and
as our last few posts have illustrated, we’ve clearly dipped into a
very talented volunteer pool.

Hence another project SHOUTout to Catharine W.
Catharine went that extra mile/took that extra step/gave it 110%
by felting her crochet flowers and for that we salute her.

None of the previous Bissell  Bomber projects have used this technique yet
and for the life of me I don’t know why. This stuff is so PRETTY!
I predict seeing a lot more felted stuff in the future…so stay tuned!

Project Shoutout: Lauren W.

THANKS LAUREN W.!!!
I have to say, when the Bissell Bombers were first asked to be a part of the
AGO’s 1St Thursday project, we were a little nervous about asking
fellow students if  they would mind helping out.
A little flower here, a little hexagon there, a lot of spare yarn all over the place…

But Lauren W. was super adorable about joining in  the fun.
So today the Bissell Bombers are thanking her not only for these
terrificly soft blue hexagons, but also for her generous spirit.

We know what classes you have, and how tricky those vaguely worded essay assignments
can be to interpret. Props to you for powering through!

Project Shoutout: Karis R.

We’ve got another shout out to SHOUT out today.
Introducing the work of Karis R. who learned how to crochet hexagons
for the very first time as part of this new fangled AGO 1St Thursday project.

In the beginning we offered Karis some tips and tricks that we had learned
over the years, but the grasshopper quickly out schooled us masters.
Paired with her sister, they started going allll out with colour combinations
and found some fresh patterns to use.

So THANKS KARIS R. for the fun additions to our yarnbomb!
Only a few more days until art lovers and late night Torontonians
get to see all your hard work in action.

                        

Project Shoutout: Joyce I.

With only 5 days left to send in donations, we’re getting that much closer to our
AGO 1st Thursday yarnbombing event!

Today’s project shoutout goes to Joyce I. for taking us up on our offer
by donating not only some pretty hexagons, but also a
nice bouquet of bright yarn flowers.

And special credit goes to Laura I. for making the drive to Toronto
in order to deliver this awesome package.

Go team work!

Project Update: Canmore Package Arrives!

For those following our AGO 1st thursday project from the beginning,
you might recall that our very own CASToff Curator offered to gather donations
from her new home in Alberta.

Well that province and the staff at the Canmore museum certainly did not disappointing!
Only a few moments ago their package full of FORTY hexagons arrived!

The purples! The pinks! Alberta, you’re after my heart with these six-sides
crocheted bundles of yarn skillz.
*Psst! Can I use them to make a blanket instead and keep them for myself?

These pieces are a welcome addition to the AGO yarnbomb project – happening in only a few more weeks!
We will continue to collect donations until January 31st but after that it’s going to be
hours and hours and hours of stitching for us as we piece all these pretty hexagons together.