That's half the battle right there

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

On my way home from Davis, every day, I notice that a tree on Holland Street has something fairly elaborate knitted around the trunk, as if somebody had knitted it a sweater. I thought it unusual, but didn't think much of it. Until today, when I finally learned just what was happening:

http://www.vancouversun.com/Life/Yarn+bombers+take+Vancouver+streets/1342756/story.html

I'm not usually a huge fan of graffiti, but I have to say, I find this pretty amusing. Anybody want to admit to being the yarn-bomber, or seen any other examples around the Square?

Comments

[ron_newman]

If I saw that, I would assume it was just someone's lost and rescued scarf or hat or whatever.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

This is actually pretty hard to mistake for anything else; it's intentionally knitted around the tree, one continuous piece.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I've seen that, and figured it was some kind of art project. Personally, I think it looks ratty.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

It looked better before, well, winter. :-)

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw it then, too. Still looks foolish to me :). Also, get off my lawn!

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

How'd you know I was posting from your lawn?!

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

The knitted tree cozies appeared during ArtBeat last year (I think -- whichever year they did the Recycle/Reuse theme). I'm amazed they've lasted this long!

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Folks were working on a number of those during ArtBeat, though some have since been destroyed by the elements. I know Hapto was one of the people involved, though I'm not sure if she was in charge. I know anyone who could knit was welcome to join.

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

Yeah, its totally my fault. Other people helped... but I instigated it.

I have a crew of people who commute that way who maintain and move and adjust them periodically to keep them on the tree and keep the tree healthy -- but it is time to cut them off -- maybe someone can make a new one.

In fact, if anyone sees this, and cuts it off, and sends me the a photo of the pieces and their mailing address I will send them something arty in the mail.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Hey, if it doesn't hurt the tree, I'm all for it, it's pretty amusing.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Agreed completely (obviously :). I was just sad that my inability to knit left me unable to help.

[pensivewombat.livejournal.com]

These make me so happy - there were a bunch of pink ones on the trees in Union Square back in the fall. As a knitter, i *wish* i could take credit for these :)

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

There were a whole row of orange ones in front of SCAT, and as I was knitting the ones in Davis, one woman came up and told me that she was the one to cut them off of the ones in Union and she was mad about them...She was too busy going on her tirade that I didn't get to ask her why they couldn't just stay.... or in other words ... "what did they ever do to her?"

[pensivewombat.livejournal.com]

Ugh, that makes me so sad. With all of the eye sore billboards and crap signs everywhere, why is someone so upset about something as whimsical as a tree sweater?!?!? WTF?

Additionally, i think i just made the connection between your username and your amazing yarn that i saw at Bizarre Bazaar - i love your work! If you ever want some help with those tree sweaters, you just let me know :)

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

I wasn't able to make art beat last year, but I could be convinced to do it again this year :-) .

Some people do get legitimately upset about the 'tree's health' trapped moistures, can be an issue... which is why the crew moves the sweater up and down the trees, or some folks (like me) knit them out of wool (doesn't retain moisture for long - and it breathes) or polypropylene (doesn't hold moisture)

(and thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you like it!)

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Geez, really? Admittedly they probably don't look so great after about a month in the sun/rain, but they weren't hurting anybody.

That area seems to be a good place for gentle visual gags: recently somebody propped up a cup on the flower-seller statue's hand and put a straw in his mouth.

[jadelennox]

Maybe we need a "tree cozy" tag. :-)

Answer here; looks like it was an ArtBeat project.

From the Arts Council Proposal

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

Type: Performance Installation - ArtBeast

Description: Foliose is a type of lichen. I would like to gather a great many knitters and crocheters, who then would either sit on the ground, then chairs then stools, then stand, begin at the bottom, and knit/crochet a spiraling encasement out of scrap/surplus yarns, by each knitting a segment and passing the yarn to the next stitcher.

We would be knitting a yarn-lichen for trees, statues, fence poles, anything we see as an approved option. We would then label them and leave them for as long as possible.

The variety of textures and colors, and the sheer unusualness of this string artfully covering these daily objects will draw attention to the subtle balance of nature, people, and at the same time create our very own plant-beast.

Technical requirements: None

Number of Performers: Flexible, we hope to involve as many people as possible each working in little “pods” around different trees/poles/items in the square, this number would include spectators (who can serve as pinch knitters, to give participants a break)

Supporting Documents: None, this is the first time this sort of “performance-style” piece has been done, though it is highly inspired by the knitters of Knitta Please (http://knittaplease.com/), and the current exhibit At the Museum of Arts and Design: Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting (http://www.madmuseum.org/SEE/traveling%20exhibitions/RadicalLaceSubversiveKnitting.aspx) But we wanted the project to be more than a hit- and run knitting… we wanted something that drew attention to, and was a communal interaction, as well as something that built a final project.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Obviously a notorious gang of knitting taggers has been marking their territory. Other cities have had success reigning them in by implementing an innovative (knitting) needle exchange program. It makes them less angry and mistrustful of authority, and less likely to leave their subversive... knits all over the place.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Do they have knitting wars? Well, I guess "war" is too strong a word. They must have knitting snits.

:::ducks:::

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

This is what happens when they throw it down. (http://www.brokencitylab.org/blog/jennifer-marshs-gas-station-cozy/)

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

there are going to be some *awfully* happy birds in a month or two :)

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

I get a kick out of those. I don't even know why - they're just cool.