Word Out 2013

Yarn bombing, as defined by Wikipedia, is “…a type of graffiti or street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk.” It is also the subject of a very interesting book that you can find at your local branch of the Toronto Public Library:  Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain.

This book starts with an excellent history of how yarn bombing got started — apparen'tly, it’s been around since 2005 when Magda Sayeg made a door handle cozy for her store, and people started asking questions about how it was made. The movement then grew to include tagging trees, street signs, benches, car radio antennas, statues, and even rocks. The first part of the book also includes the names and websites of several different fibre artists who have been involved in the yarn bombing movement since the beginning, many of whom are still creating knit and crochet installations around the world.

I recently came across the picture posted above, which shows Polish yarn bomber Olek in the process of covering an entire locomotive in crocheted yarn. More of her installation works like this one can be seen at http://oleknyc.com/home.

The rest of the Yarn Bombing book gives you advice on how to make your own knitted and crocheted tags, how to form your own yarn bombing crew, and how to go about showing off your tags in the public sphere (legally of course!). There are even instructions provided on how to make your own Knitting Kninja Threads (a knitted balaclava and a set of arm warmers), a Tagging Toolkit Cuff, a Switcheroo Sweater, and even a pair of knitted Hanging Shoes. I like the look of the patterns for the Knitted Tulip and Mushroom, which might be a neat surprise to "plant" in someone's garden at night. Besides for the patterns, there are also some great interviews with yarn bombers from around the world about how they came up with their projects, their favourite designs, and what they're planning on tagging next.

So if you're thinking of sharing your knitting and crocheting crafts with the world, I definitely recommend that you check this book out.