Celebrating ten years of the book that launched a million yarn bombs.
When Yarn Bombing was first published in 2009, the idea that knitted and crocheted objects could be used as a political act of resistance was brand new. Ten years and thousands of public acts of yarnarchy later, the art of knit and crochet graffiti has entered the public zeitgeist, a cultural phenomenon that shows no sign of slowing down.
Yarn Bombing: The Art of Knit and Crochet Graffiti
Excerpted in The National Post and Geist magazine
Featured in The New York Times on The New Yorker’s book blog
Published by Arsenal Pulp Press, 2019.
On city street corners, around telephone posts, through barbed wire fences, and over abandoned cars, a quiet revolution is brewing. Knit graffiti is an international guerrilla movement that started underground and is now embraced by crochet and knitting artists of all ages, nationalities, and genders. Its peactitioners create stunning works of art out of yarn, then “donates” them to public spaces as part of a covert plan for world yarn domination.
Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti is the definitive guidebook to covert textile street art. This full-color DIY book features 20 kick-ass patterns that range from hanging shoes and knitted picture frames to balaclavas and gauntlets, teaching readers how to create fuzzy adornments for lonely street furniture.
Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti. First edition. 2009
Along the way, it provides tips on how to be as stealthy as a ninja, demonstrates how to orchestrate a large-scale textile project, and offers revealing information necessary to design your own yarn graffiti tags. The book also includes interviews with members of the international community of textile artists and yarn bombers, and provides resources to help readers join the movement; it’s also chock full of beautiful photographs and easy step-by-step instructions for knit and crochet installations and garments.
ISBN-13: 9781551522555
Canadian distributor: Jaguar
US distributor: Consortium
Published in German by Droemer Knaur
What People Are Saying
“An inspiring and unforgettable look at the world of knit graffiti and the creative folks behind it, Yarn Bombing deserves a place on any hip crafter’s bookshelf.”
— Debbie Stoller, editor-in-chief of BUST Magazine and author of the Stitch ‘n Bitch books
“Yarn Bombing extends Stitch n Bitches approach to knitting, appealing to hipster knitters with attractive photography and irreverent patterns, reclaiming knitting as an act that is both feminist and anarchic.”
— Quill and Quire
“Yarn Bombing is not just a history of the movement, but a how-to guide for aspiring yarn bombers themselves¦. [It’s] a good reminder that craft, yarn-based or otherwise, is as legitimate a form of expression as any other medium.”
— Maisonneuve