By Teresa Brummett
Assistant Editor
We’ve all seen street art with chalk and what about street graffiti with spray paint. Well, do you know what a yarn bombing is? Well, if you like yarn, you’re going to love this story.
There’s other names for it, such as yarn storming, guerrilla knitting or graffiti knitting. But, most know it as yarn bombing. It is an art none the less where knitters get together and cover statues or other public items in yarn.
It is believed to have been originated in Texas in 2005, when knitters were trying to get rid of their left over yarn. But now it has spread worldwide.
The oldest known street artist is Grace Brett, 104, from Scotland. She and other woman formed The Guerrilla Knitters. But she’s not the oldest knitter by far. Alfred “Alfie” Date, 109, lives in Australia and he knits sweaters for penguins.
But these knitters aren’t criminals. There are laws out there that say that yarn bombing is not a crime because nothing was damaged. Yarn can be easily cut off of whatever it is covering.
These knitters or Yarn Ninjas can knit it all. As small as a door knob, cup holder or soda bottle. To bicycles, cars and even bridges. It’s hard to believe that people do this but it is a form of art. There’s a lot of talent there.
Some of these creations are so beautiful it’s sad to think that it would be cut off soon. The yarn ninjas have been all over the country. They’ve even been here in Springfield.
Downtown at the Lincoln family statues along South Sixth Street.
The seal statue located at the lot of the recently demolished Bel Air Hotel.
Route 66 posts were decorated in yarn for the Mother Road Event back in September.
Trees at Washington Park.
And they get cooperation from businesses to do so, such as Lauterbach Tire and Auto Service. The Lauterbach man had a cape and fancy belt knitted onto him.
The knitters don’t just knit. They use their imagination, making it colorful everywhere they go.
They even have a Facebook page, and they have been spotted in the State Journal-Register and love the publicity. It just pumps their egos every time they are mentioned anywhere.
Whether these creations last a week or a day. We can all be aware that the Yarn Ninjas are out there. Knowing they are also sad to see them taken down and making you wonder. When will those Yarn Ninjas strike?
Teresa Brummett can be reached at [email protected].