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This is a work in progress. I’ve been hibernating a little this fall and winter. There’s been a lot going on in my personal life so yarnbombing has taken a back seat. But I started to get the itch for it again last weekend and started working on a crocheted chevron pattern that uses up my leftover yarn. Even though I consider crocheting to be easier than knitting, I’m much slower at it. It’s kind of nice to have my hands do a little something different though. Since its pretty cold and snowy outside right now I’m not sure if I’ll be putting this up any time soon (I should have done it a few weeks ago when it was 50 degrees out!). But we shall see. My plan is to make enough colorful yarnbombs to cover every large light pole next to the alleys on my street. The street is cut off on both ends by two more major streets and so only goes about 5 blocks. I haven’t counted all the poles but I don’t think it would be all that hard to accomplish.

This is a work in progress.

I’ve been hibernating a little this fall and winter. There’s been a lot going on in my personal life so yarnbombing has taken a back seat. But I started to get the itch for it again last weekend and started working on a crocheted chevron pattern that uses up my leftover yarn. Even though I consider crocheting to be easier than knitting, I’m much slower at it. It’s kind of nice to have my hands do a little something different though.

Since its pretty cold and snowy outside right now I’m not sure if I’ll be putting this up any time soon (I should have done it a few weeks ago when it was 50 degrees out!). But we shall see. My plan is to make enough colorful yarnbombs to cover every large light pole next to the alleys on my street. The street is cut off on both ends by two more major streets and so only goes about 5 blocks. I haven’t counted all the poles but I don’t think it would be all that hard to accomplish.
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I put more tiles up over the weekend on a curb near a park that I love. I put them up in the daylight and didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself so I decided to go back the next day and take pictures. When I went back they were gone, someone had gone to quite a bit of effort to chisel them off the concrete. It makes me sad that people want to remove beauty. Why should I be scared to install beauty in public while other people install hate in public every day? My friend just texted me to tell me a guy swore at her for sitting in the seat he wanted on the train. How many people stopped this from happening? But someone made SURE those tiles were gone, innocent silly little tiles. It is a very backwards society that we live in. Anyway, ranting aside, I didn’t want to be discouraged so today I put up 4 more tiles on Chicago Ave. in Evanston, along an abandoned stretch of buildings. As I was finishing a car pulled up but I stood my ground and took pictures. I thought they were parking but they were just pulling over. I’m hoping they were just confused where they were going and weren’t trying to snoop on me. Doing this stuff in the daylight might not be my thing, but we’ll see how I’m feeling after a few more. I like the colors of these tiles and I like how they play off of the colors in the pole. I did find new glue that isn’t runny at all (more like caulk), completely sets in 10 minutes, and is more environmentally friendly. I’m liking this project and liking the subtle love it gives these neighborhoods.

I put more tiles up over the weekend on a curb near a park that I love. I put them up in the daylight and didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself so I decided to go back the next day and take pictures. When I went back they were gone, someone had gone to quite a bit of effort to chisel them off the concrete. It makes me sad that people want to remove beauty. Why should I be scared to install beauty in public while other people install hate in public every day? My friend just texted me to tell me a guy swore at her for sitting in the seat he wanted on the train. How many people stopped this from happening? But someone made SURE those tiles were gone, innocent silly little tiles. It is a very backwards society that we live in.

Anyway, ranting aside, I didn’t want to be discouraged so today I put up 4 more tiles on Chicago Ave. in Evanston, along an abandoned stretch of buildings. As I was finishing a car pulled up but I stood my ground and took pictures. I thought they were parking but they were just pulling over. I’m hoping they were just confused where they were going and weren’t trying to snoop on me. Doing this stuff in the daylight might not be my thing, but we’ll see how I’m feeling after a few more. I like the colors of these tiles and I like how they play off of the colors in the pole. I did find new glue that isn’t runny at all (more like caulk), completely sets in 10 minutes, and is more environmentally friendly. I’m liking this project and liking the subtle love it gives these neighborhoods.
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Removed Project #4. See more here.

Removed Project #4. See more here.
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Dreaming of Yarnbombing

I had a dream last night that I yarnbombed a tree in my neighborhood (which is weird because I plan to never yarnbomb trees). The next day I walked by and someone had added about 10 other pieces to the tree in random places. I was wondering who was adding to my work and wasn’t sure if I appreciated it or felt weird about them jumping on my bandwagon. But, thinking back on the dream, I remembered this piece and the joy that I felt that someone cared enough to add to something I started. Strangely the part that was added to that piece was removed the next day, and I remembered that it was part of what was added to the tree in my dream last night.

I think this dream came about for a couple different reasons. First, I mailed a yarnbomb to Streetcolor which will be added to a collection of yarnbombs from around the world for an exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California. It sounds like they’ll begin installation this weekend, but I’ll give more updates on that. Second, I haven’t done much street art this summer and I’m totally itching to do more.

I was just thinking about how I forget to take opportunities to beautify spaces when I can. I’m working on being more spontaneous and not planning so much all the time. I think life is much more beautiful when we slow down and take the opportunity to do something on the spot instead of always waiting for “later”. I’ve only done my installations in the dark so I’m a little nervous about putting them up in the daylight, but smaller pieces like my tiles are so quick no one would ever question it.

Just a ramble… more installations and pictures soon!

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I have a large jar full of colorful tiles that I decided I was going to start gluing to the sidewalk. This was my first try but I think the glue is a little too liquidy (you can see where it oozed out the sides up close) so I’m going to keep trying different adhesives. I placed these tiles in front of a place that is very special to me: a place that I’ve spent endless hours of my time and energy over the years and where a small piece of my heart will forever remain despite closing the doors for the last time on Friday.

I have a large jar full of colorful tiles that I decided I was going to start gluing to the sidewalk. This was my first try but I think the glue is a little too liquidy (you can see where it oozed out the sides up close) so I’m going to keep trying different adhesives. I placed these tiles in front of a place that is very special to me: a place that I’ve spent endless hours of my time and energy over the years and where a small piece of my heart will forever remain despite closing the doors for the last time on Friday.
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Well these are super awkward colors to photograph for some reason, but here is a sneak peek of the new yarnbomb for Streetcolor’s installation at the Oakland Museum of California. I’m much happier with this one and like the quirky color combination!

Well these are super awkward colors to photograph for some reason, but here is a sneak peek of the new yarnbomb for Streetcolor’s installation at the Oakland Museum of California. I’m much happier with this one and like the quirky color combination!
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Yesterday I got these pretty blue thorny flowers at the market. I thought they went along well with the purple and grey entrelac yarnbomb I’ve been working on. This one will most likely end up on a smaller pole somewhere in Lincoln Square. I have a few yarnbombs saved up to put places, I just need to get out there and do it. Winter will be here before I know it!

Yesterday I got these pretty blue thorny flowers at the market. I thought they went along well with the purple and grey entrelac yarnbomb I’ve been working on. This one will most likely end up on a smaller pole somewhere in Lincoln Square. I have a few yarnbombs saved up to put places, I just need to get out there and do it. Winter will be here before I know it!
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Its been awhile since I’ve posted anything, I can’t believe the summer is almost gone. Things are slowing down a little for me and I’ve been making more time for art, both street art and “respectable” art. This is a picture of a yarnbomb I’m working on for an exhibit in Oakland, CA. Another yarnbomber I follow and respect quite a bit—who goes by Streetcolor—was asked by the Oakland Museum of California to do an installation of her work outside their building. She put a call out for other artists to send her extra yarnbombs to place around the area, on sign posts and bike racks. I jumped on the opportunity and emailed her right away. I just started putting mine together today, its a little different than usual, which I think is a good thing! I’ve noticed that the cotton yarn I’ve used in the past fades really quickly in the elements and the bike rack installation is all shredded (I’m guessing the cotton yarn is rotting a bit). So for this piece I’m using random yarn that I’ve collected over the years in addition to a bunch of odds and ends I got from a sweet elderly lady a couple weeks ago. So far I’m going from a gradation of of grays and browns (with sparkles mixed in) to pinks and purples, and then to greens. Streetcolor asked for yarnbombs 4 or 8 feet in length so I’m going to shoot for 8. I’m excited about it! If you live in California you should definitely check this out, its going up mid-October. More about that when I have more details.

Its been awhile since I’ve posted anything, I can’t believe the summer is almost gone. Things are slowing down a little for me and I’ve been making more time for art, both street art and “respectable” art. This is a picture of a yarnbomb I’m working on for an exhibit in Oakland, CA. Another yarnbomber I follow and respect quite a bit—who goes by Streetcolor—was asked by the Oakland Museum of California to do an installation of her work outside their building. She put a call out for other artists to send her extra yarnbombs to place around the area, on sign posts and bike racks. I jumped on the opportunity and emailed her right away. I just started putting mine together today, its a little different than usual, which I think is a good thing! I’ve noticed that the cotton yarn I’ve used in the past fades really quickly in the elements and the bike rack installation is all shredded (I’m guessing the cotton yarn is rotting a bit). So for this piece I’m using random yarn that I’ve collected over the years in addition to a bunch of odds and ends I got from a sweet elderly lady a couple weeks ago. So far I’m going from a gradation of of grays and browns (with sparkles mixed in) to pinks and purples, and then to greens. Streetcolor asked for yarnbombs 4 or 8 feet in length so I’m going to shoot for 8. I’m excited about it! If you live in California you should definitely check this out, its going up mid-October. More about that when I have more details.
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There has been a new addition to my little white yarnbomb… by another yarnbomber! I was pleased to walk past this today. I wonder if they are the same person that stitched this one up for me? You can see the damage in the picture, at the top of the white. I want to add something else to this pole now, maybe a small, colorful one. I like how this is creating an anonymous artistic dialog between myself and another knitter!

There has been a new addition to my little white yarnbomb… by another yarnbomber! I was pleased to walk past this today. I wonder if they are the same person that stitched this one up for me? You can see the damage in the picture, at the top of the white. I want to add something else to this pole now, maybe a small, colorful one. I like how this is creating an anonymous artistic dialog between myself and another knitter!
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Updates & Community Togetherness

I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had much time to knit or run around the city at night. I somehow always think I’ll have the summer from my childhood where days were endless and you could just run around in the sun as much as you wanted. Rarely is this the case, and especially not this summer. There are so many weddings, events, and obligations I’ve found that every weekend of my summer is packed full. I’m desperate for some time to relax! For anyone who looks at knit graffiti and thinks, “they must not have anything better to do”… you couldn’t be more wrong (but of course, without any time to create not much gets made either).

Speaking of knit graffiti, I walked past my white “organism” on Rockwell a couple of weeks ago and some asshole had decided to start cutting it off, not even on the seam but down the middle of the knitting. They only got a couple of inches into it and then stopped so the top just flopped over and hung there. I’m not sure if someone stopped them in the middle of it or what (for some reason this one in particular has been really cared for by the neighborhood so I’m guessing this is the case). I kept meaning to go fix it but just have been so busy (see paragraph 1) that it never happened. Of course, part of me also wanted to see what happened if I just left it alone… this whole thing is kind of a social experiment anyway. Yesterday I walked past it in the morning and it was still hanging all sad-like. BUT then I walked past it in the evening and someone had stitched it up! It made me feel so happy that someone cared enough to do that and really did make me realize that public art does evoke a sense of pride and togetherness in the community.

My hope is that this sense of togetherness will carry over to other areas of the community. Recently an online publication for the larger grouping of neighborhoods that includes Lincoln Square, called The Center Square Journal, reported on The Chicago Reader’s “Best Of” Poll. Lincoln Square was runner-up for best neighborhood this year, out-voted by Logan Square. They write, “Sounds like the poll was taken over by hipster, Blue Line-riding, former Art Institute students to us. They better watch themselves when they come for their African dance lessons at Old Town. They might get run over by a double-wide stroller.” What kind of message does this send out about our neighborhood? That we’re all the same and intolerant of anyone who’s not part of a straight, white, “normal”, upper-middle class family? There are ALL KINDS of people in this neighborhood, including “hipsters” and people who get discriminated against much more seriously than that. I understand this statement was probably meant in jest, but I just don’t see the point of it, especially coming from a professional online journal.

Its this sort of tug of war of emotions that I feel sometimes on a daily basis that can be overwhelming: proud of my community for its actions and then discouraged by my community for its actions. But I’m realizing that the discouragement is only a stronger reason to keep doing what I’m doing. I am planning my biggest project yet for the end of summer. Without saying too much I’ll just tell you it involves a lot of little yellow things that float. :)

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