Circulo promotes urban knitting and crochet intervention in Santa Catarina

The city of Pomerode, in Santa Catarina, is fully decorated after a major urban knitting and crochet intervention. The initiative is being led by Marie Castro, who is part of a team of artisans from Circulo S.A., a producer of yarns and fabrics that is also a member brand of Texbrasil, the Brazilian Fashion Industry Internationalization Program, developed by Abit and Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency).

Marie is a specialist in the technique of yarn bombing, a movement created by fans of handcrafted techniques that use this art form to decorate the streets. Over three days, 40 local artisans helped Marie to apply knits and decorations made using knitting, crochet, embroidery and sewing done by hand to some of the main tourist spots in Pomerode, giving the city charm and added prominence for the spring edition of the Sonnenfest & Kinderfest, a festival that celebrates Spring and that continues until October 12. The material will remain in place until the end of the festival. The knit and crochet materials used for the decorations will later be donated to charity organizations to be used as blankets for those in need.

The initiative is a way to honor some of the city’s structures by reproducing the Tudor style architecture, inspired by the city’s oldest home, built in 1867 by one of the first immigrants. Known as Pousada Casa Wachholz, this location was restored in 2008 and received protected status from the State Historical Society. “The idea is to show a little of the German culture through needles, yarns and colors,” shares artisan Marie Castro.

The initiative used the equivalent of 200,000 meters of yarn or 900 skeins of Círculo S.A. Mollet, a special acrylic yarn that is weather-resistant, recommended in line with the aim of being a permanent decoration. Marie de Castro came from Sao Paulo (SP) and was supported by some local artisans who are part of the Clube de Troca de Ideias, Clube de Maes Arte e Lazer and Pommerblumenn groups, producing items that decorated the Cultural Center, Casa de Cafe, the garden of the Municipal Theater and other urban spaces such as benches, posts and sidewalks.

The urban intervention is aimed at mobilizing and attracting the local and visiting public at the Sonnenfest and Kinderfest festival to also honor the architectural history of Brazil’s most German city.