Yarn bombing, an underground creative movement, started in the United States but over the past six years, it has grown into worldwide phenomenon.
What is Yarn Bombing?
Some consider yarn bombing graffiti and call it a pointless waste of time while others appreciate it as bright, beautiful public art. But whether you see yarn bombs as beauty or as eyesores, the premise is much the same: knitters and/or crocheters, acting either alone or as part of a collective, apply their craft to something in the urban landscape. Yarn bombers often work by night, attaching a knit or crochet item around or to a conspicuous piece of public property.
Examples of yarn bombing can range from small knitted hearts or blossoms hung from a tree or bench to a full-scale cozy or sweater for a tree or lamppost. Yarn bombing is usually whimsical, but most yarn bombers would agree their goal is to brighten up the landscape in an unusual do-it-yourself way.
The History of Yarn Bombing
According to a press release, yarn bombing began in 2005 with a Texas group called Knitta Please. Today, the primary resource for yarn bombing is Yarn Bombing, a popular Vancouver-based blog operated by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain. The pair is also responsible for the book Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti, released in 2009 on Arsenal Pulp Press. Billing itself as "the definitive guidebook to covert textile street art," the book serves as an inspiration for aspiring yarn bombers everywhere.
Worldwide Yarn Bombing Groups
As yarn bombing increases in popularity, yarn bombing chapters are popping up all around the world. These groups include include Boston's South End Knitters, Denver's Ladies Fancywork Society, Swansea, UK's Yarnarchy, New Zealand's Craft Bomber Association, New Jersey group Kitten Mitten Knitters and Hartford, CT's Knitty Gritty Committee.
Free Knitting Patterns Online
Being a DIY guerilla movement, yarn bombing isn't necessarily something that should be done with a pattern. Even so, there are many website where one can find patterns suitable for yarn bombing. One of the best is the knitting and crocheting community Ravelry, with over 200 000 patterns available for free and for purchase. It's well worth signing up for. Knitting Pattern Central is another huge directory of free knitting patterns available for download.
Yarn Bomb Your Neighborhood
Yarn bombing your neighborhood is an easy and rewarding way to add a little color to local life. But laws in your area may vary, so it's always best to do these things covertly. After all, one man's graffiti is another man's yarn bomb.
Sources:
'Yarn Bombers' Knit On Boston Streets. iWireNews. 23 February 2011. Retr. 23 February 2011.
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