Parliament Square hit by yarn explosion

The Secret Society of Hertford Crafters have unveiled their latest project with an astonishing display in Parliament Square.

The Enchanted Wonderland is the result of 43,000 hours work by 108 SSOHC members, who have been working since January 2019, crafting, knitting and crocheting and making a wide variety of enchanted items for the event. 

The project includes yarnbombing the stone benches into a Dragon and a Unicorn; a great opportunity for visitors to take photos of themselves sitting with these amazing creatures; transforming bicycle racks into a mini regiment of forest soldiers, plus a friendly spider’s web, caterpillar den and ladybird nest.

Graham Nickson, Chairman of CHIPS; Cllr Jonathan Kaye, Chairman of East Herts Council; Susannah Carr, founder member of SSOHC; Anne Haworth, founder member of SSOHC; Mayor of Hertford Cllr Rosemary Bolton; Jo Baily, founder member of SSOHC; Chief Inspector for East Herts Stuart Orton

The 52 posts round the War Memorial have been adorned with woodland creatures.

Bollards around the square have been transformed into toadstools, trees and bunches of flowers. The trees and bollards have become homes for 38 individually made fairies and pixies; some sitting on swings, fishing, playing tennis and making a daisy chain.

Over 300 yarned flower pots have been made for every business in Parliament Square; secretly placing 2 outside each business, plus mass producing small flower pots for inside each business.

Around 32 different craft skills have been used including knitting, crochet, felting, pottery, cementing and couching. 

The project aims to raise funds for CHIPS (Children’s Integrated Playschemes) - a local charity that offers play and social opportunities for children with additional needs aged 3 to 19 living across Eastern Hertfordshire from Bishops Stortford to Waltham Cross. 
 
The installation is on display at Hertford’s Parliament Square from Wednesday 24th July, for about 3 weeks.  

Chair of CHIPS, Graham Nickson, said: "CHIPS is delighted and honoured to have been chosen by the fabulous Yarn Bombers as the charity which they will support. The installation is wonderful, colourful, magical and great fun. I hope that as many people as possible will visit Hertford to view it." 

Visitors can donate via any of the collecting boxes in the businesses around Parliament Square, or online to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/yarnbombers-ssohc.