Yarnbombing

January Round-up: Part 1

2012-01-10T06:09:54Z

It’s time for a January Round-up where I go through my inbox and send you links to amazing things that have been floundering in the shallows of my email archives. Here are the beauties that I have unearthed today:

Joann spotted these statues at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby (Canada) today and send these photos of the adorned “At the Beach” statue today:

Margaret send this image from last year’s Austin Limits Festival:

Lois sent me this image from Ogden Park:

She says: ‘Here is a little story of my brush with yarn bombing. In June of this year I met a woman called Patricia on the VIA train as we travelled from Vancouver to Edmonton… Anyway, this woman was knitting a curious item that would be installed on a bridge near her home in Southern California the same day, that she would arrive back home a couple of weeks from our meeting. That was my introduction to this happen’ thing. In July I was driving through to Jasper Park (I spent too much time in Northern Alberta this summer) and stopped at a viewing place in Mt Robson Park. Well! wasn’t I surprised to see a knit graffiti item on one of the support of the view’s sign.

Then when at Ogden Point in Victoria I found two more of these creations very near to one another. This is as much fun as geocaching seems to be. I’m about to give that a try. Maybe knit bombing sites need to be geo mapped, what do you think?

NIkki sent me a photo of her very first yarn bomb, and it is so pretty! She says:

‘I’ve wanted to yarn bomb something for ages, problem was working up the courage. Recently, I was teaching myself entrelac. As I knitted up my first square while visiting my grandmother she asked me what I planned to do with it. “I dunno,” I said, “Probably tie it to a tree or something.” She either didn’t hear me or thought I’d gone slightly round the twist because she didn’t question it. Here it is.’

And, other notable news of late:

A knitting project to cover Clitheroe Castle.

A ‘yarn bombing and geek’ exhibit at Lafayette College.

Val has created the amazing LEDFlower project which is yarn bombing project where she makes up kits of LED lights and yarn to send to knitters all over the world. The LEDFlower project combines social networking, regular old mail, and google maps to share tiny episodes of yarn bombing fun internationally and put them on a map. What an incredible idea! I wish I’d thought of this first.

Bali Twilight Taggers, in Melbourne Australia, are creating a public installation and running a series of workshops.

She says: ‘In January we are embarking on our biggest project to date. We will be covering all 12 trees in City Square [Cnr Collins and Swanston Streets, Melbourne] with yarn to promote summer in the city and also to bring more coverage of crafts in Victoria. The yarn bombing installation date is Saturday Jan 21 and on Sunday Jan 22 we will hold learn to crochet and knit workshops. We estimate that we will remove it one month later. We have close to $20,000 of sponsorship [mainly in yarn] [we were given $15,000 in yarn from Yarn Barn!!] for the project so it’s a big deal. Anyone wanting to help us out must sign up to the Yarn Corner facebook group [or if they don't have facebook then they can email me] and they can pick up their yarn from myself. If they are not local to Melbourne they can still join in but will have to pay for postage themselves or use their own yarn.

And in other news, I have scored a partnership between Yarn Corner and Spotlight [the biggest craft department stores in Australia] for 2012. We will be hosting two events for Spotlight. One in February will be to quietly open their new 2012 yarn lines. And a larger event in June 2012 will be to open their winter yarn season. We will be attempting two Guinness World Record attempts for yarn bombing [details still to be determined]. So it looks like 2012 will be a stellar year for Yarn Corner and yarn bombing.’

January Round-up: Part 2 will be coming soon!

In the Third Dimension

2011-11-17T04:03:56Z

In complete contradiction to my last post about yarn-wrapping (great comments by the way – I do think yarn bombing is evolving too!), Margaret from the UK sent us these photos of these sculptural yarn bombs (if I dare say, a bit reminiscent of Patricia Waller):

Cupcakes!

Crabs!

and, books!

And in other news, Occupy Berkeley is having a knit-in and needs your help. Here are the details as we received them:

We are encamped at Occupy Berkeley (San Francisco Bay Area). We planned this knit-in which got rained out, but there was so much excitement that we will do another. People were asking what projects we’re going to do. Some suggested yarnbombing which may well come into Occupy play. Meantime, though, people are planning to knit hats and scarves and mittens for Occupiers in colder places, already in contact with someone who visited us from NYC. The idea is that locals will drop by things they’ve knitted or crocheted, hopefully with a photo and note attached, and those not local will send c/o me and we will then do a media thing to get these solidarity boxes sent off to those braving yet worse conditions than we have with massive winds and pounding rains, and on the receiving end they can do another media thing about solidarity from the rest of us. You know that anything warm we can knit them they will use well, and enjoy.

We also are accepting natural fiber yarns and needles and crochet hooks which can be shared with novice knitters and crocheters to get them going.

If people want to help in this larger solidarity action, they can send things as quickly as possible to:

Occupy Berkeley!
2399 East1 4th St. #24
San Leandro, CA 94577

Ideally we’d have enough to send a first box in mid-December but if not enough by then, we can make them holiday packages.

Giving up the stitch?

2011-11-07T15:43:18Z

An interesting couple of yarn bombs have caught my attention in the last week.

First, I received this picture from Deform. It is a spiderweb that they made in Dubai a year ago:

Image courtesy of Deform Industries

Then I saw this article (sad title, interesting work): Yarn Bombing that Doesn’t Suck on Vandablog: http://blog.vandalog.com/2011/10/yarn-bombing-that-doesnt-suck/.

Which reminded me a bit of the Hot Tea group (examples here) who do more yarn wrapping that stitching.

Which leads me to wonder – are yarn bombers giving up the stitch? Debate among yourselves.

(ps – if you are in the Vancouver area, I’m speaking at the Vancouver Public Library tonight about yarn bombing and subversive embroideries. It is a free event, so come out! I’m also leading a stitching craft so there will be a chance to prick your fingers and/or make something beautiful. Details of this and other local events on my writing site.)

The Woolly Walk-along

2011-11-01T05:28:43Z

Thanks to Michael Cannon Miller for forwarding me this video from New Zealand! I am awestruck!

Hitting the West Coast

2011-10-31T04:47:10Z

Things have been quiet around these parts while I (Leanne) tour for my new book Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery.

Do you live near San Mateo, San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle? Come meet me and hear more about knit graffiti and subversive embroidery. Here’s where I’ll be in the next week:

October 6, 2011
Craft Bar, Museum of Craft and Folk Art
51 Yerba Buena Lane
San Francisco, California
6–8 pm, Admission $5 at the door

October 8, 2011
Yarn Bombing and Hoopla Presentation and Book Signing
Nine Rubies
28 E 3rd Ave # 100
San Mateo, California
6–8 pm

October 10, 2011
Hoopla Book Signing with artists Penny Nickels, Johnny Murder, Cate Anevski, and Amy Adoyzie
In Other Words
14 Northeast Killingsworth Street
Portland, Oregon
6–8 pm

October 11, 2011
Assemble Gallery and Studio
7406 Greenwood Avenue North
Seattle, Washington
Yarn Bombing & Hoopla Talk, craft and book signing
6–8 pm

Download event posters from my book tour page on UnexpectedEmbroidery.com

Yarn Bombing Reptiles

2011-09-03T19:43:53Z

Some yarn bombs from Kara in New Hope, PA. Just what kind of reptile is this? Anyone out there know?

It has been quiet around these parts lately, as I (Leanne) have been packing to move apartments and job hunting. I’ve also been working with Arsenal Pulp Press to plan a book tour for my new project Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery. If you are a stitcher of any type who lives in one of the tour cities, I hope that you’ll come out to an event and say hello. I’m hoping to meet embroidery artists and yarn artists alike as I make my way through the east and west coasts of the US.

This afternoon, Mandy and I will be meeting Sarah and John, the folks who are putting together the yarn bombing documentary. They are still trying to raise funds for their project, so if you can help them out in any way (money, air miles, etc…), please do. Every penny helps. From what they have sent me, I can tell that they have really taken the time to research the subject (not always the case with others who contact us) and have included significant participants in the yarn bombing movement in their project.

Int. Yarn Bombing Day – Recap 7 (Updated)

2011-06-21T03:57:06Z

I wasn’t feeling so warm and fuzzy yesterday. My city had a riot. Over a hockey game. Because some idiots in my city are poor losers.

I kept away from the madness and if you live in Vancouver, I hope you did too. While I like to endorse healthy acts of fun anarchy – mindless destruction and looting are not part of it. I think that those who choose to focus on creation have so much more to offer the world.

So, that being said, more photos of International Yarn Bombing Day!

Purl for Loop: the right way to combat the fuzz

Photo from Purl for Loop

A cozy bike lock at the Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle

HookiLoop: Spreading some Love, not War, in Vancouver

See HookLoop’s Tumblr here.

MakerFaire wants your attention!

Why destroy public property when you can be a positive force of warm feelings? Local volunteers covered downtown YVR in a riot of yarn this week. This is what they mean when they say ‘stay classy Vancouver’. I love the elegant stitch work, strong colours, and happy faces in these photos.

I’m proud to be giving a short talk on yarn bombing at the faire on June 25th at noon. Say hi if you are in the crowd and support your local makers!

**UPDATE**
TIght Knit the Bomb is making a yarn bomb for downtown to show solidarity and care for our city.

More details here: http://tightknitthebomb.wordpress.com:

Putting the Heart back into Downtown [Vancouver]

Tightly of tightknitthebomb.com has decided to add to the efforts of cleaning up Downtown Vancouver post-riot. She’s started a yarnbombing project aiming to put the heart back into downtown, and is looking for some company in doing so! She is planning to go out mid-afternoon on Saturday, June 25th.

If you would like to join her, check out her blog post with the project idea [http://tightknitthebomb.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/putting-the-heart-back-into-downtown-vancouver/] and contact her at tightknitthebomb [at] gmail [dot] com for more details.

Int. Yarn Bombing Day – Recap 6

2011-06-15T03:48:12Z

Wheat Ridge, Colorado – Witchscribe

Witchscribe, a new yarn bomber, contributed a tree cozy to International Yarn Bombing Day. She says, I had actually started a Tree Cozy as an act of playful civil disobediance with my city (Wheat Ridge, Colorado), and only learned of International Yarn Bombing Day the day before the event. I stayed up all night to finish my Tree Cozy, and whipstitched it on at 6am. The tree is in Wheat Ridge.

I had such a wonderful time, and it was so cool to watch people slow down to look at it, or to see walkers stop and walk around the tree, smiling and wondering.

——
And, and a completely different note, this week there is a Yarn Bombing Art Show in Santa Monica.

Yarn Bombing 18th
June 18-July 8, 2011
Opening June 18th, 6-10pm as part of 18th Street Artnight

Arroyo Arts Collective and 18th Street Arts Center present Yarn Bombing 18th in and around the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, California on June 18th, 6-10pm as part of the 18th St. Artnight. The knit graffiti installations will remain in public view until July 8th, 2011.

If you have ever thought to yourself, “Hey, that tree could use a sweater”, or “I wish I could add some color to this drab environment”, or “Wouldn’t it be great to cover the riffle in that old statue with something soft & fuzzy” then we have an exhibit for you!… The act of Yarn Bombing combines the art of street installation with needlework to create colorful, unexpected, funny and sometimes political messages in a venue shared by everyone. From handmade parking meter cozys to whimsical vignettes of crocheted sparrows fighting over french-fries, knit work raising questions about technology to unraveling performances about memory or crochet that demonstrates hyperbolic geometry theories in 3-D, Yarn Bombing 18th presents the work of over 50 individuals that push the knit/crochet envelope in public art format.

Organized by Arzu Arda Kosar, an artist in residence at the 18th Street Arts Center, and Heather Hoggan, Co-president of the Arroyo Arts Collective, Yarn Bombing 18th juxtaposes “serious” artists and novice crafters, craft and fine art, high brow art and low art and also widens the contemporary description of “street art” beyond the young, male, hardcore, “the back streets of New York circa 80’s” stereotype.

The Yarn Bombing 18th participants include Dezryelle Arcieri, Tristan Tyler Blodgett, Jane Brucker, Brian Chambers, Christy Stout Chambers, Thomas C. Chung, Stephanie Clark, Maureen Cox, Jason Currie, Laura Mae deLeon, Darlene Dibona, Deb Diehl, Saeri Cho Dobson , Katelyn Dorroh, Beth Elliot, Jacque Lene Rogers Engel, Nurcan Ensari, Giovanna Forsyth, Michelle Glass, Margaret Hatfield, Christy Hernandez, Amy Caterina Hill, Heather Hoggan, Kate Jackson, Amy Inouye, Sule Kaya, Nilgun Kayirsi, Muge Kocarslan, Julie Kornblum, Arzu Arda Kosar, Leora Lutz, Mary Anne McTrowe, Margaret Michaels, Gracie Miller, Lauri Mraz, Burcu Musluoglu, Rosalyn Myles, Racquel Ormsby-Olivares, Megan O’Neill, David Orozco, Chloe Palmer, Joanna Pawlik, Jacob Riggle, Connie Rohman, Isabelle Roybal, Hasmik Seropyan, Cindy Short, Elena Siff, Jason Sober, Ann Storc, Laura Teasley , Terrilynn, Kacy Treadway, Guinevere Turner, Sibel Ucmakli, Kristy Walker, Jillian Wallis, Darlyn Susan Yee, Lori Zimmerman.

A snapshot of the stitch n bitch meetings that led to Yarn Bombing 18th can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwueVd0ljlw. For more information on the project please visit http://yarnbombing18th.weebly.com/.

Guest Post by Streetcolor

2011-06-14T05:47:27Z

International Yarn Bombing Day – Recap 5. A guest post by Streetcolor from Berkeley, California.

All images courtesy of Streetcolor.

When I heard about International Yarnbombing Day, I immediately wanted to do something better than anything I had ever done before. I believe every yarnbomber in the world had this same response exactly. After some thought I decided to yarnbomb the Bart train. I would have liked to do the whole train but settled for yarnbombing a seat . The Bart seats are becoming famous for their decrepitude and I thought it would be an artistic solution to the problem.

I knit with great determination for a month pretty solidly encountering many gaps in my understanding of how to make a slipcover. I enjoyed reading the many discussions going on in newspapers, blogs and Facebook about International Yarnbombing Day. I was delighted that one person – Joann Matvichuk had made this happen. I knit faster and faster. I also had to spin all the yarn.

I finally got the piece done at 10.00 on Sat and rushed over to the Bart to get it installed. It amused me that I was being very dramatic about the deadline – but I was part of something exciting and big!

I slid my slipcover on the seat, took pictures and heretically took the piece off the seat and took it home again. I couldn’t bear to have it thrown away. I’ll use it again in other yarnbombing adventures.

The best part of International Yarnbombing Day was coming home and looking at the pictures and posts from yarnbombers all over the world on Facebook. Having this holiday and deadline was obviously intensely energizing and inpiring for hundreds of people. The group energy really carried us along.

Here are some things I liked:

1 I liked the modest and tender small yarnbombs, the bold, raucous, bright pieces, the large, enthusiastic, collage collective pieces and the explosive feeling of energy

2. I liked the woman who kept posting more and more pieces- ” I did this and this and this and this!”

3. I liked all the new yarn bombers

5. I especially liked the really big ambitious installations, Suzanne Tidwell, Graffiti Grannys, your piece, and the growing theatricality of some of the presentations. Yarnbombing is a very rich art form.

Yarnbombing always makes me feel that I can do anything, it’s very free and freeing. It pulls us out of ourselves into a happier place.

-Streetcolor
(My account of my own entertainment is at www.streetcolor.wordpress.com)

Int. Yarn Bombing Day -Recap 4

2011-06-14T05:33:42Z

All photographs courtesy of Suzanne Tidwell

Suzanne Tidwell wrote to tell me that she has another project up in Seattle. She says:

The next time you visit Seattle you have to make a trip to Pioneer Square to see my latest creation in Occidental Park. About a month ago I applied to a call for artists to create an installation for Seattle Parks & Recreation’s summer ARTSparks program. I proposed filling the entire park with bright sunrise/sunset striped wraps for all the trees, light posts, and bollards.

I began installing last week so I could get as much up as possible before International Yarn Bombing Day…but it may take longer so I’ve given myself through the end of June The project is scheduled to stay up until September.

These colors are so yummy. Thanks for letting us know about your project Suzanne – I definitely want to check these out in person.

In the Pacific Northwest? See them for yourself at:
Spring has sprung!…April 2-June 24
Occidental Park, ARTSparks 2011, June 1-September 30
Bellevue artsfair July 29-31