eNewsletter
July 2011

What is Yarn Bombing?

Yarn bombing is a new art form of covering street signs, tree trunks, and other items with knitted or crocheted pieces. According to Wikipedia, Yarn bombing, yarn storming, or guerilla knitting is attributed to a group of knitters in Texas who were looking for a venue to use their leftover yarn in a fancy way. Apparently, Magda Sayeg from Houston started the movement by making a knitted cozy for the door handle of her boutique in 2005. Since then, yarn bombing has gone international and is done around the world.

In case you missed it, June 11, 2011 was the first International Yarn Bombing day. People from United States, Canada, and other countries such as Iceland, Norway, Egypt, Israel, Germany, and Australia participated in the event. Although it is considered graffiti and is usually illegal, it seems that law enforcement officers find the activity amusing, and not an act of vandalism. In addition, cities around the world are warming up to the idea and use it to beautify the urban scenery. Yarn bombing is easily removed whenever necessary and the yarn can be used for other projects.

This activity has changed the concept of knitting/crochet as grandma’s pastime and has brought it fore-front as an act of artistic impressions. Yarn bombers are now commissioned to create colorful pieces to draw attention to museums, statues, and other works of art. Large companies such as Toyota have paid Magda Sayeg to make a Prius sweater for an advertising campaign!

If you are interested in participating in this activity, search for “Yarn Bombing” in the groups section of Ravelry. There are several groups dedicated to Yarn bombing. In addition, there is a Facebook page dedicated to the International Yarn Bombing Day.

For more information, check out:

http://yarnbombing.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/fashion/creating-graffiti-with-yarn.html

Nazanin S. Fard

Needlecraft University



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