Alethea Ballard – Artist
Remember when I wrote about the great vintage fabric store in San Francisco, Urban Burp? No? Read about it here!!!
Well, Urban Burp has moved to a new location – less traffic and better parking!
I am happy to share with you the information about the new spot, hours and the $20.00 Burpbucks coupon you’ll get for being one of the first 100 customers!
I’ll be by there on Monday for the big day – see you there!
Yarn bombs that is.
It’s only 23 days to International Yarn Bombing Day – do you have your arsenal ready?
What is a yarn bomb, you ask?
It’s where a regular person (or kinda regular person) prettifies the neighborhood by adding a bit of yarn here and there!
It’s a form of urban art (AKA graffiti). It’s also referred to as guerilla knitting.
Is this the most fun you’ve ever heard of?
Yarn bombing has been slowly creeping into my life. My first experience with it was on 4th street in Berkeley last summer. I saw this pole adorned with knitting – I loved it and had a photo taken of me and the pole. Together.
I have yet to see a whole covered tree, but people are doing it – look!
I was going to just whip out a post telling y’all about the yarn bombing thing, and then I began to research and junk. Before you know it I had detectived a bunch of information about yarn bombing. (And this post is taking forever to write!)
1. Yarn Bombing has been around for more than 7 years – so I’m late to the party (again)
2. Lots of people knew about it before me (see #1)
3. Lots of people have blogged about it (see below)
4. It’s international (that makes it cool)
5. It’s illegal (that makes it cooler)
6. There is an international yarn bomb day and people cover things with yarn by knitting or crocheting something to fit over it. (Put it on your calendar – June 11th)
7. I want to do this! (see below again)
8. Don’t tell the Yarn Police (please)
Look!
So then the universe or someone invented Pintrest, and it was good.
So, there I discovered a whole world of things to look at including some yarn bombing photos. So then I had to make a Yarn Bomb board. Of course I did. Go see it!
So, while I’m a little late to the yarn party, other’s have been having a blast. Here are some blogs and articles about it:
Bay area legend: http://streetcolor.wordpress.com/
Canadian Crafty chick: http://craftzillaconquerstheworld.blogspot.com/2012/03/yarn-bombing.html
Author of the book – eponymous and definitive: http://yarnbombing.com/
Oakland Museum brings yarn bombing to the museum and asks the question, “What’s the distinction between street art and fine art? How is art different from craft? Who decides? “: http://museumca.org/theoaklandstandard/yarn-bombing-omca
There’s even a facebook page (groan): https://www.facebook.com/yarnbombing
My favorites are the parking meter covers and Heather Champ’s plant pockets – Click! here for a nice plant pocket knitting tutorial and her lovely photos – you must see them! I’m going to bomb my own yard with those little babies!
For the big day, I’m starting small. This little gem is going to cover the stop sign post for my street (I think).
And last but not least, go to this blog and read Christina Lowry’s wonderful blog post about knitting, 10 Things I Have Learnt About knitting. It will warm your tiny (guerilla knitting) heart.
OK – really last and, yes, least. Pintrest has this whole invitation thingy going. Don’t be fooled – you don’t have to have a facebook or twitter to join. Just persevere with the signup until they ask for your email address. You do have to have an invitation to join (sneaky buggers), but send me an email and I’ll invite the first ten of you who ask me. My email is maverickquilts (at) gmail (dot) com.
I’m just back from a lovely visit to North Carolina and now I’m off to teach in Bellingham, Washington. I am excited; Bellingham is the most darling little town and the surrounding area is spectacular! I am also going to finally have a chance to go to the La Connor Quilt Museum – something I’ve always wanted to do!
If you’re up north near Canada, Vancouver, or Seattle, Bellingham is a short and pretty drive away; and the weather is supposed to be nice for driving!
I want to invite you to attend the class or send your Up North friends to come to class on Saturday. I will be at wonderful Fourth Corner Quilts store and the class runs from 10:30 to 4:00. Contact the store to sign up at (360) 714-0070 – hope to see you there.
The chair class is definitely my most popular class, so if you couldn’t get into my class at The Sister’s Outdoor Quilt Show this year, snap up the chance to come!
Thank you to my students for the visual inspirations – I am always enthralled and amazed to see their creativity in action!
I will show you more of Carol’s Santa Chairs soon! She made a series in the 12″ size. They’re amazing.
Maverick Quilts 