Silly String

January 22, 2009 10:16 AM

Yarn Bombing. I guess it had to happen eventually. Graffiti with yarn some say. Keeping trees, benches and what have you warm and fuzzy.
posted by Extopalopaketle (25 comments total)

Is this that thing where you spend a bunch of time making something and put it outside and take a picture and then leap up and down with childish glee and then leave it there for someone to "find" even though after just 3 days it'll be a soggy, gray mess and they'll hate it? Or am I thinking of something else?
posted by DU at 10:21 AM on January 22, 2009 [2 favorites]

That tree looks kind of stranded.
posted by 7segment at 10:26 AM on January 22, 2009

I thought this sweater tree looked happy and toasty. But seems like it'd be more rewarding to, you know, actually knit someone a sweater. I guess this is what you'd do with the leftover yarn before starting your next project. I kinda like the completely-pointless and time-consuming aspects of it, though.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 10:38 AM on January 22, 2009

Cute and whimsical, but yes, totally impractical.

I'm intending to do an FPP on things to do with leftover crafting supplies (those half balls of yarn and scraps of fabric and the like) sometime, and I'll probably refer to this post in it, but I wouldn't actually do anything like this. Generally my projects need to meet a certain utility and practicality quotient, and this doesn't.
posted by orange swan at 10:42 AM on January 22, 2009

The original tree sweater is still my favorite.
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:42 AM on January 22, 2009

DU, I think you are thinking of when you left your awesome ginormous cardboard box outside when you were young. You know, the one that your big present came in, but the box ended up being much more fun! Hence your disappointment when it became a soggy gray mess that you hated.
posted by clearly at 10:43 AM on January 22, 2009

I wish somebody would yarnbomb me a sweater out of here since cowbellmoo had to ultimately give up on doing it.
posted by cashman at 10:45 AM on January 22, 2009

I guess it had to happen eventually.

No it didn't. Whatever happened to reading a book?
posted by OmieWise at 10:46 AM on January 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

I like it. All art outdoor art fades, rusts, get spray painted, etc. On a bleak winter day I believe the yarn art adds a few smiles and wonderments to peoples lives.
posted by buzzman at 10:48 AM on January 22, 2009 [3 favorites]

Previously (it's Metroid Baby's link).
posted by box at 10:49 AM on January 22, 2009

I like it, too. I'd rather spend time knitting a sweater for a tree that some people will see and think is funny/stupid/cute than knit a sweater for a friend who will smile politely, then wear it once or tice before they decide it's really not their style.
posted by piratebowling at 11:01 AM on January 22, 2009 [2 favorites]

I guess it had to happen eventually.

Well, it's been happening since late 2005 here in Houston. KNITTA, PLEASE!
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 11:02 AM on January 22, 2009

There's a tree with a sweater outside the window of the cafe where I am hanging out right this moment, across from the Ministry of Casual Living -- pretty sure it is one of Lauren Marsden's tree cozies.
posted by Rumple at 11:10 AM on January 22, 2009

As 2or3whiskeysodas points out, this has been going on for a while in Houston. The Houston Press did a nice article about it in 2005.
posted by threeturtles at 11:35 AM on January 22, 2009

Yeah it sucks not being the dominant life form...
posted by any major dude at 11:49 AM on January 22, 2009

Man, what's with all the knitpicking?
posted by ooga_booga at 11:51 AM on January 22, 2009 [3 favorites]

It's raining and I'm cold, would somebody please yarnbomb me?
posted by cgomez at 12:03 PM on January 22, 2009

Janet Morton does this: I like the lace tree.

But her other fiber art is amazing: Christo-esque wrapped buildings, monumental work shirts and socks, plus an amazing living room and a really creepy invasion.
posted by jrochest at 12:26 PM on January 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

Just a bunch of knitwits.
posted by piratebowling at 1:00 PM on January 22, 2009

This explains the knitted sleeve I saw the other day on a parking meter. I guess the trees are too hot here in the sub-tropics, but the parking meters might get sunburn. How thoughtful.
posted by Kerasia at 2:11 PM on January 22, 2009

I can't knit, but I was excited to find a link to making plastic grocery bag pom-poms off of the first page. Now that's within my ability range! Plus its more weather proof than proper wool pom-poms.
posted by Joh at 2:33 PM on January 22, 2009

Why aren't the cops beating people at random for this? This vandalism should not go unpunished. Won't some please think of the children!!!!!!
posted by Liquidwolf at 3:28 PM on January 22, 2009

....by the way, I support yarn bombing , or whatever you call it.
posted by Liquidwolf at 3:29 PM on January 22, 2009

Ah, so this would explain all the yarn bombing related hits my Flickr feed got yesterday...
posted by BinaryApe at 4:24 AM on January 23, 2009

I call fake meme.
posted by oneironaut at 9:32 AM on January 23, 2009