Today you might just see some knitted “monster feet” on a picnic table, a crocheted turtleneck on a tree, or a knitted picnic set in the park. Yes – today is International Yarn Bombing Day, which started last year.
Also called knit graffiti, yarn bombing started over 20 years ago, when artists and groups wanted to give a softer side to urban environments – and created public works using yarn and other soft fiber materials. Maternal expressions such as knitting, or wrapping up something have been used to transform the cold, concrete, and metal elements in our landscapes. Hydrants, lampposts, mailboxes, bicycles, cars, and even buses and bridges have all been yarn bombed in recent years. In 2009, the book, “Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti” was published, and yarn bombing has gone global, with the first International Yarn Bombing Day held on June 11 of last year.
The group behind International Yarn Bombing Day was started by a knitter “knitting ninja” Joann Matvichuk who lives in in Lethbridge Alberta Canada. Matvichuk was looking for a way to bring awareness of yarnbombing to her community and the world, so started to communicate with other fiber artists to create a day to yarnbomb and share images of what is done this day.
Yarn bombing is often considered littering or vandalism. Pieces are often installed at night, and sometimes are removed by city officials. Some groups, like a group in Carrboro, NC who put up some yarn pieces in a public area earlier this year will get permission from the city before making the pieces, and also follow guidelines such as making the pieces less than 8 feet tall, and on approved public spaces only.
The Facebook page for the event says, “Fiber artists of the world uniting on one day to bring color and beauty to our urban landscape.” There is a flickr page associated with the day, so check back later to see what gets posted. Also – watch closely for yarn to appear in your neighborhood today on June 11th, and if you are a knitter or crocheter – get your yarn out!
Image Source:
International Yarn Bombing Day – Facebook page
Links:
International Yarn Bombing Day – Flickr page
International Yarn Bombing Day – Facebook page