Cloak for Pania, hat for Sheila: Yarny Army brightens Hawke's Bay statues

Statues across Napier and Hastings were warmed up a little bit over the weekend, after the Bay cities were "yarn bombed".

Pania, Sheila and Archie on Emerson St, the Hastings Sheep and the Craggy Range bulls were all given knitted clothes over the weekend, courtesy of the Yarny Army.

Co-founded and coordinator Sandra McNair said the purpose was to "spread some yarny love", ahead of knitting fair Knit August Nights, which kicks off on Thursday.

"It's the end of winter, it's a bit dreary, so we spread some colour and just make it fun for people from all over New Zealand coming for this knitting event."

The first place to be "bombed" was the arrivals hall at Hawke's Bay Airport, done in early August.

"We have a relationship with the Hawke's Bay Airport, who have come on board as our major corporate sponsor."

Pania was given a cloak of flowers, which disappeared about two hours after she received it. Napier City Council said it also had no idea who had taken it.

"We're hoping it will appear somewhere else on another statue, but that's part of yarn bombing, you just don't know what's going to happen."

Sheila, the statue on Emerson St, has a hat of flowers and a corsage, and her dog Raven has a blanket.

"Archie, the little boy, little statue, across the road has a scarf on."

The sheep in the square in Hastings and the Craggy Range bulls were also beneficiaries of the Army's work.

And while over the weekend it was the statues who benefitted from the knitters efforts, normally their labours of love go to children in need.

McNair said the yarn bombing raised awareness of what they do. This year alone the group has donated $30,000 worth of clothes to kids across the Hawke's Bay community.

This includes donating newborn packs to midwives, as well as clothes to other community groups such as Plunket, Well Child Tamariki Ora and the District Health Board.

"There are a lot of kids who need some warm clothes here in Hawke's Bay."

She said many of the knitters were older and may not have anyone to knit for anymore.

"But they've got these fabulous skills, and we can use the skills to help who need it."

In 2018 the Army donated $25,000 worth of clothes to those in need.