SINGAPORE — While training for the upcoming Army Half Marathon at Jurong Lake Gardens, Mr Richard Morgan, 43, was surprised to see some colourful fabric-like decorations wrapped around some tree trunks.

The Singapore Armed Forces regular serviceman was running there on his usual training route, but got curious and paused between his interval-training sets to look at the trees up close.

That was when he realised that the decorations were crochet craft work done by knitting yarn. They featured figurines of people cycling and engaged in other activities, or had colourful patterns such as those seen on crochet bags or scarfs.

The knitted displays, known as “yarn bombing”, are a form of street art that involve incorporating crocheted or knitted yarn on outdoor objects such as trees and poles to beautify the environment. 

They are part of a collaborative effort involving the Taman Jurong Active Aging Committee, a crocheting and knitting interest group called Yarnbombing SG, and the National Parks Board (NParks).

They have titled the artworks Our Yarny Trees@TJ, National Day 2023 Edition. It was done in conjunction with National Day, which is on Wednesday (Aug 9).

Mr Morgan thought that the designs and decorations added more colour and vibrancy to the park, while showing elements of Singapore’s culture and heritage.

"Looking at the designs that show samsui women, teh tarik uncles… it invokes feelings of our identity as Singaporeans. At the same time, it also tells a little story to visitors about what Singapore is all about,” he said.

Samsui women, known by their trademark red headgear, were immigrants from China who came to Singapore in the pre-war years and who found work as manual labourers in the construction industry, helping to build up the island's infrastructure.

Teh tarik, literally “pulled tea” in Malay, refers to the skill of pouring hot tea with milk from one mug to another to produce a frothy drink, and the practice was said to have been started in Malaysia or Singapore by drinks sellers of Indian Muslim origins.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PROJECT

At the heart of this handicraft project was Ms Mona Cheah, 63, co-founder of Yarnbombing SG who did not want to disclose her profession, only that she is a part-time worker. She was joined by Ms Khairiyana, 39, a full-time healthcare worker and member of Yarnbombing SG.

Both women, as members of the Taman Jurong Active Aging Committee, had initially pitched this idea as part of plans to engage participants in the active ageing programmes offered by the grassroots organisation.

Upon the approval of the project and the display space by NParks, Yarnbombing SG stepped in to guide interested participants who signed up through social media to take up the crocheting and knitting tasks.

Yarnbombing SG was formed nearly 10 years ago when Ms Cheah and her friend began engaging in craft work together as a hobby. Over the years, the interest for the craft has grown significantly, with an estimated 50 members joining efforts for events at a time. 

When not preparing for events, the interest group tries to meet one or two times each month to brainstorm ideas, crochet together and bond over their shared interest in yarnbombing.

The latest project for the Jurong Lake Gardens area is Yarnbombing SG’s second collaboration with the Taman Jurong Active Aging Committee and NParks at the same location. They ran a similar event last year for National Day.

Ms Cheah encouraged participants to exercise their creativity in designing their pieces with this year’s National Day theme “Onwards As One” in mind. 

“We want people (who were doing the knitting) to think about what Singapore means to them. That's what we wanted to showcase on the trees,” she said. 

This year’s project took its 35 participants nearly four months to complete, from proposals and planning to finally displaying the designs on Aug 5. 

The displays will be up for two months and will also tie in with the garden’s mid-autumn festival celebrations. 

Yarnbombing SG created designs for earlier this year that were displayed at Taman Jurong Community Centre, as well as annual decorations for Chinese New Year that were put up at various locations around One North.

“Think of it as graffiti, but using yarn, and it is temporary since we never leave our stuff there for a long time,” Ms Cheah said

“Initially, we were worried about the ‘health’ of the decorations. But after the end of the events, none of the crafts was damaged. It reinforced our faith that Singaporeans are very good people, that they do look after our work.”

An avid crocheter since young, Ms Khairiyana joined Yarnbombing SG three years ago and took part in the group’s National Day project last year.

This year, her designs drew inspiration from stained glass artwork, as well as batik designs that included flowers.

In her design process, she was drawn to the vibrant colours often found in stained glass artworks, and felt that batik designs were a strong reflection of the diverse culture in Singapore

“Some were asking me if (the floral designs) were roses or rafflesia,” the 39-year-old said. 

“I said it's up to you to use your imagination.”

Ms Khairiyana, who joined the Taman Jurong Active Aging Committee late last year, stressed the importance of active ageing.

“I always say that all of us will get older, and you can’t help getting older, but that doesn’t mean you have to get old.

“Active ageing should start early, with healthy independent living, and lifelong learning. The concept of active ageing should apply to anyone, at any stage of life,” she said.

WHAT THE PUBLIC SAYS

When TODAY visited Jurong Lake Gardens, many visitors were seen stopping to admire and take pictures of the displays.

Speaking to TODAY, several visitors who came across the crocheted craft work in Jurong felt that the intricate designs were a good way of showcasing Singapore’s cultural diversity. 

Mr Alex Wang, a Taiwanese tourist who was on vacation with his family, said that the artwork showed the inclusivity and rich history of Singapore.

“I think it is very special, very space- and nature-oriented. The different designs show the different cultures present within Singapore.”

Ms Maslinda Ariffin, 54, was on her morning walk with family members when she discovered the decorated trees. An experienced crocheter herself, she instinctively knew what went into the craft work.

“It’s awesome. I know they put in a lot of effort and hard work to do this. You have to have patience,” she said.

“Not everyone can appreciate the hard work that these people have put into their art to showcase and represent Singapore.”