Are you a keen knitter with too many unfinished and unwanted projects cluttering your space? Are you also a wannabe urban guerrilla with a desire to brighten cold, concrete arenas? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then yarn bombing could be the activity for you.
Also known as graffitti knitting or guerrilla knitting, yarn bombing is a new form of street expression that replaces the spray can and stickers with knitted or crocheted items (these are called bombs). Yarn bombers (or fibre artists) use these bombs to decorate objects in public areas (things like poles, parking meters and park benches).
Yarn bombing is believed to have originated in Texas after some crafters found a creative way to discard their leftover pieces. Since then, the fad has spread worldwide, even inspiring the I Knit Brisbane project organised by the Brisbane City Council.
To get in on this trend, all you need to do is start knitting! No previous experience is required, nor do you have to join any groups; in fact, most yarn bombers prefer to work alone. For advice and inspiration, check out the coffee table book
Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti by Mandy Moore (no, not
that one).
Yarnbombing.com and
WhoDunnKnit.com should also get the creative juices flowing.
