Yarn bombers take on mall challenge

Rope, balls and a new seating arrangement have popped up at Bayfair mall thanks to the latest challenge taken on by the Ninja Knits.

The group, which has been behind other public knitting challenges such as yarn-bombing the Strand, took on a slightly different creation this week.

With the help of the public, they have started on a long, snake-like knitted seat, as part of Saturday's World-Wide Knit in Public Day.

Ninja knitter Wendy Pedersen said their project was similar to French knitting, which uses a cylindrical device which the material is wound around to create a tube of fabric out the bottom.

"It's an interactive public art installation. The kids love it."

Knitters wind the 4km of rope around a wooden frame to make a net. A swiss ball is then placed inside the net to make part of the seat.

It has already passed 10m in length, with the knitters working four hours a day, having already completed ten hours by yesterday, and aiming for 40m.

They had also teamed up with Age Concern to support World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Age Concern set up a stall on Wednesday which provided information about elder abuse and neglect prevention.

The knitting project would be used for seating or decoration.

- The knitters will be in Bayfair today from 10am to 2pm, and on Saturday when they are finishing off the project.

Elder abuse:

* Age Concern receives more than 2000 referrals of elder abuse every year, with an average of eight calls per day, commonly from people experiencing financial, physical and psychological-related abuse.