I’ve seen it in town (Cockermouth) from time to time over the years. I guess I don’t like the idea of synthetic fibres containing microplastics and who knows what around tree trunks, the post box etc.
Good point, Bee. The temporariness of these installations is part of the charm, and as much care needs to be taken to remove the 'bombing' as has been taken to make and install it. I wonder if we'll ever be able to rid ourselves of the microplastics that pepper our natural world? If the yarns used in this practice were 100% natural, it would certainly be more acceptable.
I didn't know it had its own day, June 11. Yarn bombing seems to be a fad that faded shortly before COVID. In the center of city park there is a statue in a fountain that is a circle of children holding hands and dancing. Every winter there are handknit winter hats, scarves and mittens on the children of the statue. I love yarn bombing -- adds a bit of whimsy to the neighborhood.
I'd not heard of this before. Some sounds fun - like covering statues - and I'm sure can be quite beautiful. I'd have concerns for wildlife though, depending on how and where it was done. If a bird landed on it, could it get its feet stuck? Could a buck get its antlers tangled?
Yes, Lindsay, you raise a good point here about wildlife. Everything that crawls and flys will be affected by the colourful yarns. Could be quite disorientating.
June 11 is not celebrated in any way. Yarn bombing is purely underground in Denmark🇩🇰:
In the middle of local lake on a scupture of a big and beautiful verdigris frog, sat a knitted life size woman with a handwritten sign that read, 'i've kissed all the frogs. Where's my f...... prince?'
I am all FOR yarn bombing because it is so effing creative.
Like the dressing up up naked female statues in Denmark. There are 1538 statues in Denmark. 854 depicts men. 519 depicts women. Only 43 depicts named women. 120 of the female statues are either naked or semi-naked. We are so used to the fact that women are unnamed and naked. Unknown women made knitwear to cover the women because, 'women should not be unnamed and bare-assed!'
When it is good it can be very, very good but when its not...a little like all other forms of street art I suppose. And the impermanence is a cause for celebration. If you don't like it there may be a better post-box topper or bollard bobble along in a few months.
I don't know if its 'celebrated' locally, but its quite common. Mostly postbox toppers, usually quite amusing, often themed, like Christmas. The biggest yarn bomb I've seen was in Eyemouth which included a six foot rabbit sitting on a bench. There was no one else around so it was quite unnerving.
Forgive the AI screenshot but it covers the bases. Perhaps the question is, is yarn bombing art or pollution? Perhaps it depends on material used, and duration of placement.
Couldn't attach screenshot but it said: Yarn bombing poses significant risks to wildlife, primarily through entanglement and ingestion of synthetic fibers.
Entanglement: Birds and small animals may become trapped in loose yarn, leading to restricted blood flow, severed limbs, or fatal blockages in the throat and digestive tract.
Ingestion and Microplastics: Synthetic acrylic yarns shed microplastics into the environment, which are ingested by microorganisms and animals, causing internal blockages and potential toxic effects.
Habitat Disruption: Yarn left on trees or in natural settings can attract pests, trap moisture leading to fungus, and physically obstruct animal movement or nesting sites.
While some artists use natural fibers to mitigate these risks, any yarn left in the environment long-term can degrade into harmful debris, making timely removal essential to protect local ecosystems.
Hello Yasmin.
Well, I didn’t know yarn bombing has its own day.
I’ve seen it in town (Cockermouth) from time to time over the years. I guess I don’t like the idea of synthetic fibres containing microplastics and who knows what around tree trunks, the post box etc.
Good point, Bee. The temporariness of these installations is part of the charm, and as much care needs to be taken to remove the 'bombing' as has been taken to make and install it. I wonder if we'll ever be able to rid ourselves of the microplastics that pepper our natural world? If the yarns used in this practice were 100% natural, it would certainly be more acceptable.
Crazy we’ve all these sheep but the wool industry is in crisis.
I didn't know it had its own day, June 11. Yarn bombing seems to be a fad that faded shortly before COVID. In the center of city park there is a statue in a fountain that is a circle of children holding hands and dancing. Every winter there are handknit winter hats, scarves and mittens on the children of the statue. I love yarn bombing -- adds a bit of whimsy to the neighborhood.
That’s a lovely story, Jill. The statue must attract many more viewers when the children wear their winter woollies.
I'd not heard of this before. Some sounds fun - like covering statues - and I'm sure can be quite beautiful. I'd have concerns for wildlife though, depending on how and where it was done. If a bird landed on it, could it get its feet stuck? Could a buck get its antlers tangled?
Yes, Lindsay, you raise a good point here about wildlife. Everything that crawls and flys will be affected by the colourful yarns. Could be quite disorientating.
June 11 is not celebrated in any way. Yarn bombing is purely underground in Denmark🇩🇰:
In the middle of local lake on a scupture of a big and beautiful verdigris frog, sat a knitted life size woman with a handwritten sign that read, 'i've kissed all the frogs. Where's my f...... prince?'
I am all FOR yarn bombing because it is so effing creative.
Like the dressing up up naked female statues in Denmark. There are 1538 statues in Denmark. 854 depicts men. 519 depicts women. Only 43 depicts named women. 120 of the female statues are either naked or semi-naked. We are so used to the fact that women are unnamed and naked. Unknown women made knitwear to cover the women because, 'women should not be unnamed and bare-assed!'
This is such an interesting account of yarn bombing in Denmark, Ea, and I love the idea of covering up naked women!
Yarn bombing/storming…
graffiti~art, well~knitted.
Soft artivism.
I prefer soft activism to hard activism for sure. And unlike painted graffiti, the people who place it in situ usually remove it afterwards.
When it is good it can be very, very good but when its not...a little like all other forms of street art I suppose. And the impermanence is a cause for celebration. If you don't like it there may be a better post-box topper or bollard bobble along in a few months.
I agree, the impermanence makes it more exciting.
When I see something yarn-bombed, I try to imagine who created it and how long it took them in the planning and making.
I don't know if its 'celebrated' locally, but its quite common. Mostly postbox toppers, usually quite amusing, often themed, like Christmas. The biggest yarn bomb I've seen was in Eyemouth which included a six foot rabbit sitting on a bench. There was no one else around so it was quite unnerving.
Is it art? Yes.
Eyemouth is just up the road from us. I’ll keep a look out for this year’s art work!
Forgive the AI screenshot but it covers the bases. Perhaps the question is, is yarn bombing art or pollution? Perhaps it depends on material used, and duration of placement.
Couldn't attach screenshot but it said: Yarn bombing poses significant risks to wildlife, primarily through entanglement and ingestion of synthetic fibers.
Entanglement: Birds and small animals may become trapped in loose yarn, leading to restricted blood flow, severed limbs, or fatal blockages in the throat and digestive tract.
Ingestion and Microplastics: Synthetic acrylic yarns shed microplastics into the environment, which are ingested by microorganisms and animals, causing internal blockages and potential toxic effects.
Habitat Disruption: Yarn left on trees or in natural settings can attract pests, trap moisture leading to fungus, and physically obstruct animal movement or nesting sites.
While some artists use natural fibers to mitigate these risks, any yarn left in the environment long-term can degrade into harmful debris, making timely removal essential to protect local ecosystems.
Your words are echoed by others here, Lindsay.