Book 3: Yarn Bombing The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti

Yarn Bombing is really graffiti with yarn.  It is an unexpected piece of happy when you discover it.  It can be about anything the artist wants it to be.  While graffiti is illegal in a lot of places, is yarn bombing really illegal although it is a type of graffiti. The great thing about yarn bombing is you can remove it and it does not damage whatever it is covering.  

  Oh look there is a 10th anniversary book out.  How fun would it be to yarn bomb the bull?

 When my Irish Center knit group found out Browne's Irish Market, just down the street, had been the victim of a hate crime, we wanted to do something.  One of the group members had been at the River Market that weekend.  Someone had yarn bombed a bus stop and the bench and a bike.  The person who did this came and talked to us about doing a yarn bomb for the Irish Market.  (Sorry I can not remember her name).  After some brain storming we decided we could do this. 

We did try to recreate the Irish Market, Redemptorist Church, the VFW, and the Irish Center and then placed some houses in between.  

NPR came one day and did an extensive online story about it.  We were not quite done but laid out all the pieces:

 

 I found my post of April 1 2019 where my previous knit group hung our yarn bomb.  Browne's Irish Market about half a mile from the Irish Center was the victim of  a hate crime.  They have a fence that runs along the side of their property and so it was the perfect place to hang it.  After literally 9 months our "baby" was born and hung.  

One of the priests from the Redemptorist Church across the street came and blessed it.  We had news crews, NPR, and some of the Irish consulate was in town so they were there as well.  Needless to say it was a great day.  It hung til October 1 when it was replaced with over 100 hats for the homeless to take.

We were all surprised it was not damaged at all, not even one of the buttons was taken, we knew the angels were guarding our piece.  The whole purpose was to show support in the Irish community.  

I have always wanted to do another one, but my knit group said no.  I have thought about doing some in my yard.  Maybe I will think harder on this one.  

 

Monday, April 01, 2019

One of Those Days

Today was one of the best days of my life.  We hung the yarn bomb.  We had a priest bless the piece after it was hung and several of the businesses in the piece came as well as we hung it to be enjoyed by the community.  For those who don't know the background.  Last June Browne's Irish Market was the victim of a hate crime but it has turned into a love crime for all the love and support they have received.  We at the Irish Center wanted to do something to show some support and love and this is what we came up with.

It took us about 9 months from conception to completion, so the baby was born today.  It was a labor of love, wondering if we could do this, and some frustration along the way, but... it is done.