A Small World?

On our recent trip to Melbourne, I saw some yarnbombing as we walked up Swanston St right there in the CBD. The trunks of the trees on the footpath were wrapped up in Christmas colours. So I walked up the street taking photos of each tree. I thought that the photos would be perfect for one of my 25 Days of Christmas posts that I do each December on Facebook. So I made a collage...

Then one of my fellow members from Knitting for Brisbane’s Needy wrote a comment on my post thanking me for posting the photos. Janine went on to explain that the tree in the top left hand corner of my collage was wrapped in her corner to corner crocheted piece! 

Apparently she joined a Facebook group earlier this year and it was this group that called for volunteers to make pieces for yarnbombing. And because I’d taken the photos, Janine was able to see her work in situ so to speak!

 Here’s a closer look at that tree trunk...and I’m also including another tree trunk photo as it shows one of Melbourne’s iconic trams.

Wool on Sundays...

Once again, joining in with Janine over at the Rainbow Hare blog to write about anything which relates to yarn.https://rainbowhare.com/

 Well I haven't done much of anything with yarn in this last week, so instead I'm posting some 'old pics'. 

Over the last few years, I've found my 'niche' in K4BN...joining donated squares into blankets ready to be handed out to the needy. And sometimes I like to have a bit of fun when I take photos to share with other members of Knitting for Brisbane's Needy. ( I also like to take photos so that the donors of the squares can see how important their knitted or crocheter squares are in providing blankets for those who would otherwise be cold.) 

I call it 'yarn bombing', but by the definition of Magda Sayeg, the 'founder/inventor' of yarn bombing, strictly speaking my version isn't...but that's never stopped me! Lol. 

Magda describes yarn bombing as...'When you take knitted or crocheted material out into the urban environment, graffiti style or more specifically, without permission and unsanctioned'. 

Another definition that I once found by 'googling' was...'

A yarn bomb is form of street art where yarn in any form (knit, crochet, latch hook, cross stitch, amigurumi, or simply wrapped) is attached to an object in the public environment.' 

So, back to my attempts at yarn bombing; I drape the blankets over railings or furniture...anywhere at my house where I can display them for photos.

Over the railing on the front verandah...

Another time I draped the finished blankets over the railings on the side veranda...

And one time when it was raining and I wanted to get a photo, I arranged the blankets on the modular

 ( sectional) lounge...

I have some bags of donated squares at the moment which are just waiting to be turned into blankets, so I wonder where I can drape these when they are finished...? Hmmm...we have a long section of hedge at the eastern side of our property...now that's a possibility. 😊

A bit of Yarn bombing...

So what is yarn bombing? A definition...

A yarn bomb is form of street art where yarn in any form (knit, crochet, latch hook, cross stitch, amigurumi, or simply wrapped) is attached to an object in the public environment.

So technically my efforts aren't true to the definition as it was at my home, not a 'public environment, but I did cover something with yarn that had been crocheted or knitted. 

I had been steadily joining donated squares into blankets for Knitting for Brisbane's Needy and just as steadily I was neatening off ends. On Sunday morning, ostensibly all the blankets were finished, ready to hand over at the Scarborough Knit and Natter on Monday. 

I normally take a photo of the completed items so the donors of the squares can see their handiwork. I decided to drape all the folded blankets over the railing of our front veranda. It took a while but eventually all 16 blankets were in place.

Then I went downstairs with the camera to get some shots...DH trimmed some plants that were a bit high too...

Here is the collage I made with the photos...one photo is of the whole row and then I took a photo of each of the 3 sections of the railings.

I put the photo on K4BN's closed group page. Yesterday I got a big surprise because the owner of the yarn store Knitch, thought that the photo was worth sharing on her Knitch page, with an accompanying lovely comment directed at myself and other members of K4BN. Anissa also asked all readers of her page to consider knitting or crocheting squares for K4BN!  Anissa sent me a message just before to say that her post (of my post) had had 9 shares. 

But my biggest 'wow moment' was when Jenny King left a lovely comment about my efforts on Anissa's post. For those who don't know her, Jenny King is an Australian designer and crochet pattern writer. She has also entered the US crochet scene as well. 

So even though it was a thrill to have Jenny make a comment on my photo...the reality is that when I was folding up all those blankets I found 'ends/threads' on several of them, that I had missed. Now I think that when I handed over those blankets on Monday...all ends had been neatened off...I think! Lol

Warwick's Jumpers and Jazz festival 2014...The Knitted Kitchen...

I found out about this festival a few years ago but up until now, haven't had the chance to go to have a look. But this year we had an added incentive...a former work colleague and his wife now are living in this town, so we could catch up with D and M, as well as have them as our own personal tour guides.
They said that we MUST see the Knitted Kitchen, so after enjoying some jazz street musicians, and walking around looking at the yarnbombing, a stop for a lovely cup of coffee and homemade scone, we went to the Art Gallery to see this exhibit.

Walking towards the entry to the Art Gallery

I'm not sure whether I let out a squeal of delight when I first caught sight of the display, but I wouldn't be surprised if I did!

 And cameras were not banned like they are in so many galleries...you could not enter the 'kitchen' or touch anything but there was one chair which people were encouraged to sit on to have photos taken...

 The tiled floor was knitted...

D was the Learning Support Teacher at my last school; he's retired now too :-)

Now for a closer look at some of the items...

A box of macaroons beside the old dial phone

The fridge was covered with crocheted doilies...

The 3 level cake tin...so 1950s :-)

Ducks on the wall, the view out of the window in front of the sink unit...

I loved this chair!

There was a little knitted mouse near the kitchen bin...

 A closer look at the table...and that roast chicken...

The back of the kitchen unit...

 A closer look at the ducks!

The kitchen utensils...

 A closer view of the sink...

The dish drainer and the stove top...

For some background information on this art installation I suggest this website...lots of people were involved and the results are amazing! http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/07/21/4050199.htm

This knitted sculpture was just near the doorway of the exhibit...

If you live in SE Queensland, it's not too late to have a look at what the Jumpers and Jazz in July Festival has to offer...the festival ends on Sunday (27/07)
Program details here...http://jumpersandjazz.com/
I will write another post about the yarnbombing in the streets, so stay 'tuned' for more clever exhibits!