International Yarn Bombing Day 2012

Today marks the second annual International Yarn Bombing Day! Knitters, crocheters and fiber artists from around the world celebrate knit graffiti by going out and decorating a public space. See what we did last year for IYBD.

This year we did three things, we yarn bombed the Acorn Park Little Free Library, the office of the Eugene Saturday Market and our downtown public library.

First up, Eugene is finally getting their first Little Free Library at Acorn Park. This is so exciting. I love it when neighborhoods get together and create something wonderful. Their grand opening is tomorrow so we decorated their fence with little knit and crocheted flowers.

Then we head to downtown Eugene to the office of the Saturday Market. We recently found out that the last door cozy we made for them had disappeared so it was time for a new one! I made them a bouquet of red roses.

Lastly, we had made nearly 75 little trinkets and hid them throughout the shelves and books in the downtown public library. A little like geo-caching, a little like an Easter egg hunt. We hoped that patrons searching for that perfect book would randomly stumble across our little tokens of love. Some were hidden with specific intent, some were just hidden in random areas. If you find one, please keep it but let us know! We'd love to hear what you found.

You can view more photos on our flickr page, and keep in contact with us through facebook.

Mad Hatter Tea Party

Eugene Storefront Art Project is a great organization here in Eugene and Springfield.  From their site, they're mission statement:

-To place short term exhibits in empty Lane County storefronts while beautifying downtown areas and allowing artists a unique canvas.

-To promote new art and improving the quality of life while creating an artistic environment and making vacant properties more desirable.

- To facilitate happenings and events in vacant storefronts, urban spaces and community oriented businesses featuring the work of artists in different media, such as visual art, performance and music.

-To develop ways to use empty buildings as a temporary studio space available to artists until rented.

So when ESAP asked us to be a part of a installation theme Color Hungry, we jumped at the chance.  We were inspired by the color in Alice in Wonderland and thought a tea party would look great.  We knitted and crocheted blankets, doilies, fruit, flowers, edibles, vases and chairs!  Most pieces are for sale, if interested please contact us at knittingknotty at yahoo.com

Our installation is currently up at 402 Main St., Springfield, Oregon if you have a chance to stop by and view it for yourself.

Please visit ESAP on facebook to keep up to date on more artist projects and see photos of the other Color Hungry installations.

You can view more Eugene Knotty Knitters photos on our flickr.

Woolly Walk Along

photo by Knitty Graffity

In July we told you about monsters we had knitted as part of a global yarn bombing project The Woolly Walk Along in Auckland, New Zealand.  This past weekend Knitty Graffity installed all the pieces.  It looks amazing.  It is very exciting to be a part of something so huge.  So global.  Please visit Knitty Graffitys blog to see other creative knit pieces that were included.

Our Next Yarn Bomb!

The Eugene Knotty Knitters are encouraging and welcoming anyone to participate in our next yarn bomb. Scheduled for Saturday, June 11 2011. We would also like to do a potluck picnic afterwards if enough people are interested. We haven't nailed down a specific time on Saturday that the installment and picnic will occur. Keep checking back!

We are planning on knitting some decorations for the Peter DeFazio pedestrian bridge in Alton Baker Park. Some Knotty Knitters have also shown an interest in knitting some flags in honor of Flag Day and securing them to the bridge.

Are there any guidelines? Not really! We don't have a theme so as to encourage whatever type of knitted or crocheted art you want to make. Keep in mind that the bridge gets hundreds of visitors a day including lots of families and children. Also note that while most of the knitted art is left for others to enjoy, someone may love your piece a little too much and remove it. So don't get too attached to it. And lastly, please make your yarn bomb easy to remove. Whether it needs to be removed by the city or by yourself. It is up to the the individual to remove their yarn bomb as deemed fit (is it falling apart, are pieces missing, are you wanting to take it home?)

I have taken photos and measurements of the bridge for you all to use as a guide (in our experience knitting cozies with a negative ease works best! That way it stretches and is snug on whatever you're covering.) Feel free to head down there yourself and look around. There are lots of places that need cozies. Poles, rails, benches, light posts... There are also some trees and garden area that would look great with some knitted plants and wildlife. We're trying to keep all yarn bombing up around the bridge so as not to interfere with the ducks and geese down by the pond and river.

Here's some links to get you going:

The Eugene Knotty Knitters facebook page.

The facebook event for International Yarn Bombing Day.

The Knotty Knitters flickr page with photos and measurements.

If you have any questions or would like to do the potluck, please let us know at knittyknotty@yahoo.com