The simple act of creating a piece of knitted or crocheted artwork for public installation - in other words, making crafty graffiti - has captured crafter's imaginations the world over. Even if you don't knit or crochet - yet! - you've probably seen a picture of a bus covered in crochet, or a knitted solar system.
This art form is known by many names - UK sneaky stitching star Deadly Knitshade calls it yarnstorming, some call it knitted graffiti, others guerrilla knitting. But whatever you call it, craft-lovers dig this woolly dark art for its power to challenge your expectations of what you'll find in the space around you.
Looking to delve into the world of the knitted graffiti artist? Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain's book, Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti (Arsenal), is a triple threat - an art book full of gorgeous photography, a pattern book, and a document of a global art scene happening under cover of night.
Left: Mandy Moore's crocheted Hoodie Vest - the pattern is included in Yarn Bombing.
What's it about? This is a comprehensive guide to knitted and crocheted embellishments to all kinds of physical environments, from the Irish seaside to a Danish city.
Mandy Moore is the technical editor of knitty.com, the world's most popular online knitting magazine - lending her a certain level of gravitas when it comes to all things knitted.
She and her blogging partner Leanne Prain have cooked up a heady mix of instruction and commentary. All things yarn-bombing related are covered, from making a swatch to assembling a massive team of charity crafters.
The projects: Again, an eclectic mix. Prain and Moore cover cool clothing patterns chosen for their yarn-bombing friendliness, as well as 'tags' designed by others which you can replicate yourself. I especially dug the knitted poster frame, equally adaptable to sneaky installation in a dark club or proud display in your living room.
What else is there? There are plenty of interviews with prominent guerrilla knitters from all over the world. There's also an amusing section on 'Stupendous Feats' in which knitting and crochet have been taken to frankly mad extremes.
Right: The Irish seaside, embellished by Knitted Landscape.
Craft type? Knitting and crochet dominate, with a teeny smattering of sewing and embroidery. Most patterns are suitable for beginners. There's a lot of inspiration to be had here.
You can purchase Yarn Bombing from the Arsenal Pulp Press website.
[Images © Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain and the respective artists.]
