Tourists Flock to See World’s 50th Largest Ball of Yarn

Tourism in Quebec has seen a spike in recent weeks which many in the area attribute to the recent opeinning of the “World’s 50th Largest Ball of Yarn” exhibition in a barn just outside the city.
Three months ago, the city decided to move forward with plans to create and then exhibit the ball of yarn, sinking city funds into the project. Local artists and craftsmen went to work and only two months later had converted a barn into a viewing space and gift shop for the ball.
Debbie Cotourier is the current executive director of the attraction. She told our reporter, “people come to see the ball of yarn because being in the presence of it fills them with wonder and awe. The ball stands as a testament to that which the people of this city can achieve when we commit the best of ourselves to achieving our goals.”
Visitors to the big ball of yarn are able to take their picture with the yarn and are even allowed to reach out and touch it if they’d like.
Linda Carle, a six year old first grader, was among those who reached in to feel the yarn. “It feels like yarn!“ exclaimed Carle, as she touched her hand to the yarn.
There is also a gift shop in one corner of the barn that sells smaller balls of yarn which people can take home as souvenirs.
The ball of yarn has been officially confirmed to be exactly the 50th largest such ball in the world. The ball falls just shy of being 49th largest, an honor which currently rests with the big yellow ball of yarn in Bismark, North Dakota.
The ball of yarn is about twice the size of the industry standard ball. It is made entirely of Barnet-brand royal blue mid-weight yarn.
Michael Giroux was part of the team tasked with creating the ball of yarn. He told The Slant, “We basically took two balls of yarn and tied them together. Now people are coming to see it.”
The ball of yarn has become so popular that many in the community around Quebec have become fans. A group known as the “Yarnsmen” has taken to wearing thickly knitted sweaters to show support for the ball of yarn.
Unfortunately, the advent of the Yarnsmen has made it difficult for any non-supporters of the ball to wear sweaters without appearing to be part of the movement. Karen Pronger says that she doesn’t even feel comfortable wearing her own knit scarves in public “lest people think I’m a tour guide at the yarn ball.”
The popularity of the ball of yarn attraction has baffled many people outside of the city. One such skeptic says that he’d like to remind everyone that, “It’s just a ball of yarn. Why would you want a picture of that? Sure, it’s slightly larger than other balls of yarn, but… come on.”