I’ve always been a fan of random acts of kindness, and random acts of art. But recently I’ve come across random several random acts of knitting, popping up all over the Dallas Fort Worth area! A kind of soft and cuddly urban graffiti -yarn bombing inspires groups of so called guerrilla knitters to meet up in the very early morning, or late at night when they are least likely to be seen, for some crafty hijinks. They work together to knit a covering for a Stop Sign, traffic signal, statue, tree or any other part of the urban landscape!
Here is an act of Guerrilla knitting I came upon this weekend in Fort Worth, Texas!
How do knitters cover something without being seen? The way I’m told most Guerrilla knitting sessions work, is that individual knitters work on their own piece of the covering ahead of time. They know what object is going to be festooned, so they can guess at the size they need to make based on its shape and how many other knitters will be working with them. Then at a pre-agreed upon time (usually the dead of night, or very early morning) – the knitters converge on the object and close up the piece of knitting they previously made. That’s how they can cover the whole object without being spotted. They are only knitting the covering up, not knitting the whole thing at the same time! After a relatively short amount of time, the object has been yarn bombed!
(Photo: Shyguy24x7 via Wikipedia/Bhavishya Goel)
What else is Guerrilla Knitting called? Other names include: Urban knitting, yarn storming, stitched stories, yarn bombing, graffiti knitting, soft urban graffiti, plush protests, and sometimes it’s just called art!
(photo: Eingestrickter Baumvia Wikipedia)
Where can I find Guerrilla knitting & other acts of Yarn Graffiti? Although the practice is believed by most to have originated in Texas, it’s a movement that has spread worldwide! One of the best ways to Google your area and then guerrilla knitting to see what comes up.You can also check out YarnPlaces.com’s – World map of Guerrilla knitting. You can also add pictures and locations that have been yarn bombed near you to that map, both past and present.
(Photo: Alvaro León via Wikipedia)
Why do people Yarn Bomb? The reasons people Yarn bomb, or whatever they may choose to call it, are as various as the people doing it. For many people it’s a chance to get others to take a look at their everyday surroundings, and see things differently. For others it’s a chance to use up scraps and odds and ends from their knitting in a fun way. Occasionally guerrilla knitting is seen as graffiti. But proponents of the art say that unlike spray paint, or other types graffiti – yarn bombing can be easily removed and doesn’t harm or ruin anything its placed on. And that in fact, in can actually help to beautify public spaces!
I couldn’t agree more. Stumbling upon the crocheted Stop Sign this weekend brought a smile to my face, and a bit of whimsy to an ordinary day. And I say – more of that please!
Have you ever stumbled across a yarn bombing?
Brenda Brown says
I have never stumbled across a yarn bombing. This is super cute and would make my day if I did!
Bhavishya Goel says
The yarn-bombed bike photo was taken by me in a small Swedish town called Lidköping. 🙂
Sandra says
Hey! I did that stop sign! It is in front of my parents’ house in Ridglea Hills in Fort Worth and I am beyond excited to see this! I no longer live in TX, but whenever I visit, I always do the sign if it needs it.
Thank you for taking a picture of it! 🙂
Shannon Schmid says
@Sandra, Seriously?!? That is SO AWESOME!!! My mother in law lives in the neighborhood, and whenever I have seen it – it puts a big smile on my face! I’ve often wondered who made it! So glad you found this – small world!! Thanks for adding some joy to the world Sandra!