Yarnbombing and other Urban Oddities

I was intrigued when I heard that Hull based knitting group Knitwits had just decorated a phone box for Red Nose Day. They knitted a giant cover for it. Do you enjoy knitting? You may enjoy making sweaters and scarves but this is altogether more ambitious.Ever heard of Yarnbombing? Knitta? Guerrilla knitting? It has been a trend for some time now. Recently the news has been full of about trees and lamposts wearing colorful striped sweaters, but yarnbombing (or knitta) has actually been around for some time.

Here I share a few stories and links about yarnbombing and other urban oddities. This is meant to be a fun lens, it is a bright and cheerful subject - BUT please remember guerrilla knitting can be illegal when applied to public property. If you must "yarnbomb" please do it in your own yard to avoid upsetting the authorities or those of a sensitive disposition with allergies to wool!

For my part I am off to the yarn shop so I can knit or crochet my way down the street.... Knit one, purl one psso.....

...and my Auntie Nellie.

In recent years I have not knitted much. I used to be able to knit freestyle, Arran style and Fair Isle and produce some credible results. However, I was always a slow knitter. I was taught knitting by by mum who is left handed and my Nanna who was right handed. I myself (like all good guitarists) am pretty well ambidextrous and it was Auntie Nellie (Nanna's older sister) who commented with some amusement that I knitted left handed with a right handed grip!

I watched my orthodox knitting buddies with a fair degree of envy, but never could quite hold the needles the way they did or knit so quickly. Nevertheless, my tension was immaculate!

Do you enjoy Urban Art and Graffiti, or do you disapprove of it?

Whether you wish to yarnbomb or create nice fluffy socks for winter, here is a great place to start!

Ainsworth Hot Springs and its Little Secret

In the Kootenay Wilderness in British Columbia, between Balfour and Kaslo, you will find the tiny village of Ainsworth Hot Springs. One claim to fame is the tiny horseshoe shaped lake in a cave that gives the village is name and reason for being. The other is the festive streamers on Highway 31. These streamers are in fact men's neckties decorating the telegraph poles!

Some claim they were hung up as a tribute to John Lennon's last album, others say they were the fruits of the BC Hydro Ugly Tie Auction and hung up to direct people to a retirement party. They stretched all the way to Toad Rock at one time, but many of the original ties have gone and graduate students replace them each year by stealing Dad's ugliest tie.

Sounds like a worthy piece of urban graffiti to me! Now if all the ties were only knitted

Here you see the book featured in the Telegraph article. The book tells you all about this latest form of urban graffiti.

The Well Dressed Black China Cat

This is the nearest I got to yarnbombing .... I actually knitted a sweater for a cat who was poorly and yarnbombed a large black china cat statue to take a picture for Mommy....

Whether you need wool, needles or knowhow, you can start here....

If you have been moved to laughter or to tears by your yarn adventures, please share them here!