Knitters offer warmth to needy with scarves in Ohio park

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

A flash of color from the handmade scarf and a simple, handwritten note drew extra attention to a snowman in Goodale Park.

“If you’re stuck out in the cold, take one!” the note read.

Another scarf and note adorned a nearby tree. And another. And another.

In all, 25 colorful scarves fluttered from the snowman’s neck, trees and signs in the Victorian Village park this week.

The scarves and the notes were placed there by a woman who spent her free time knitting in hopes that chilly passers-by would take them to help fight off the record cold that has settled over Columbus. Another round of extreme cold and snow is on the way.

“Those who may not have homes or shelter this time of year have been on my mind and heart,” said Beth Boring, 26, a Grandview Heights native who lives in Clintonville.

“I figured that foot traffic would be high enough there that anyone who may wander that way would spot them and either take one if they needed one or spread the word to anyone who might need one,” she said about choosing Goodale Park to share her artwork and warmth.

Knitters across the country have been playfully “yarn-bombing” trees and sculptures and other fixtures in public places for years. They wrapped their fuzzy, sweater-like work around poles and trunks to add color and draw attention to the art of knitting

Boring yarn-bombed a few trees last winter, but her project was cut down within 24 hours. She decided to try a different knitting project this winter.

She read a news story about knitters in Detroit, Indianapolis, Toronto and elsewhere who have been yarn-bombing with scarves.

While relatively new to Columbus, the scarf-bombing social movement has gained worldwide popularity through a group called Chase The Chill, based in Easton, Pa. It has spawned numerous similar events across North America and the hashtag #chasethechill on Instagram.

According to its Facebook page, Chase The Chill Chillicothe placed 50 scarves in that Ross County city’s Yoctangee Park in November, and it donated 77 more to the Seeds of Hope homeless charity. A group of seven women who meet each Wednesday at St. Peter Catholic Church in Chillicothe to knit and share new scarf patterns organized that effort.