What is yarn bombing? Yarn bombing is the act of knitting or crocheting a design or cozy that can be displayed somewhere publicly-a tree trunk, a park bench, a stop sign, anywhere really.
What drew you to yarn bombing in the first place? It just fascinated me the first time I saw it-the feeling of being able to go touch something. The idea that someone took enough time to create a piece of art that probably is not going to stay for a very long time just for random enjoyment really struck me. People put a lot of time into it and think about it, and it's their own little spin on how they see the world.
You coordinated with a team of about 25 people to yarn bomb West Magnolia back in the spring. What sparked you to do that? I created the Magnolia Make Believe Kids Arts Festival, and I was driving to Lily B. one morning and thought, "Wouldn't it be great if all of Magnolia was just covered with yarn?" And I just sprang from there and it happened. I got my students involved at school and, with the help of Dawn Howell, taught my third through fifth graders how to crochet. We crocheted and crocheted and crocheted. It was just a lot of fun, the idea that people would notice and wonder, "What's that? What's going on?" And that they would hopefully come out and support the arts festival for kids.
Do you have any future yarn bombs planned? Well, a big part of the enjoyment of yarn bombs is the surprise of seeing one. That unexpectedness really contributes to the joy of them. We do have several things happening though. We're always crocheting and knitting and getting ready for something more.
How long does a yarn bomb stay up typically? It really just depends, but you do want them to come down before they get all dilapidated and raggedy. So I've been going to check on the West Magnolia installation to make sure all the pieces are still fine and either fixing or removing the ones that aren't. I've noticed that some people have started adding their own installations, which has been really fun. I like that our yarn bomb has encouraged other people.
How long does it take to put a yarn bomb together? That really just depends on the scale you want to do. One of my favorite pieces that I've done happened while I was living in an apartment. There were some kids outside randomly playing with some pots and pans, and they left a little skillet out in a flowerpot. So I crocheted a fried egg real quick and threw it in the skillet. It lasted for a couple days, and that took no time at all. But it takes a long time to coordinate and plan the bigger installations, definitely.
Are there any yarn bombers you look up to or follow? I follow a couple of yarn bombers on Instagram, and HOTTEA is definitely my favorite. His style is really a play on fonts and yarn and combining graffiti and yarn. He blends those two styles together really well. He works typically on cyclone fences or just in unconventional spaces. He's my favorite because he's different. He's unique. It's not your typical yarn bomb, and I think there's something smart about that.
What would be your dream yarn installation? For some reason, the Bass Hall angels came to mind first, so I'll say that. I think I would just give them sweaters; they look like they could use some sweaters. Maybe when it was cold I could add a hat and gloves.
Yarn bombing is becoming bigger and starting to hit a more mainstream audience. Do you think the interest and knitting will grow proportionally with that? Absolutely. International Yarn Bombing Day just happened in June, which is so cool that it has a holiday now. It is growing, and I think that definitely it is something that people are finding that they can do. Something about the texture of the yarn and the repetition of the movements is relaxing and soothing. Getting into a rhythm while crocheting just instills a huge sense of calm.
Do you have a yarn bombing street name? (Laugh) No, I don't.
