Friday ProFile: Yarn Corps

Without the brave intervention of Knit The City's Yarn Corps, the city of London would be buried in skeins. According to the collective, they protected the South Bank from a fearsome wooly foe. "We were victorious," the collective reports. "We managed to push him off Waterloo Bridge into the River Thames with our yarnly powers." Thus, Yarn Corps was born and London was safe once again. Hailing from London's shadowy corners, members Deadly Knitshade, Bluestocking Stitcher, Purple Purler, The Fastener, Shorn-a the Dead, Knitting Nina, and Lady Loop create quite the yarnstorm.

While they love to travel, the group freely admits that their home base is their first love. Parliament Square phone boxes, barriers in Convent Garden, and tunnels in Waterloo Station all received snuggly accessories from the crew. Many view their activities as graffiti with yarn, but don't call it "bombing." "We live in a city where 'bomb' is possible not the best word to bandy about," they explain, "even if it is wooly. But everyone likes a yarnstorm!"
The members of Yarn Corps didn't always express themselves through knitting one and purling two. Bluestocking Stitcher scribbled on the walls at home and Deadly Knitshade "illustrated" Mum's books. Eventually, Knitshade decided to use the power of knitting for good, not evil, and recruited like-minded souls for the task. With a heady mix of yarn and pear cider, the group bonded and hit the streets together.
What sets the group apart is the stories behind their projects. "In the Leake Street tunnel, we created a 13-foot long spider web with 44 horrified handmade creatures being eaten by a spider," Deadly Knitshade reports. "Not many people would have seen it buried down there in the graffiti darkness. Perfect spider location, though." Sometimes, yarnstorms lead to rather sticky situations. "We got caught yarnstorming a phone box in Parliament Square," Deady Knitshade says. "I was so proud, I nearly wept." Shorn-a the Dead adds, "We explained sweetly to the police that it was a 'craft' project. Ah craft. It's so snuggly and innocent sounding!"
Once the knitters started yarnstorming, they quickly realized they couldn't stop. Deadly Knitshade admits, "I am subject to unexpected 'knitblasts' at random moments. Terribly embarrassing at parties. The Fastners agrees, "Yarnstorming can be scarily contagious. It would be futile to resist; there is no choice."
With their one-year anniversary quickly approaching, the members of Yarn Corps show no sign of stopping. "I think our work will just develop in the way it wants to develop," Bluestocking Stitcher says. "It has a mind of its own." Creating a wooly wonderland shows that the whole city is a canvas. Staying true to their mission, Yarn Corps wants people to "really take the time to stop and look at what is around them once in a while. And look up! Nobody ever looks up."

Brilliant, guys! Thanks so much for a lovely post. For more cuddly photos, visit their website. I'm off to work, but have a great weekend and get ready for the last three posts of 2009!

September 2009: Knitta at New York Fashion Week

Magda and her Knitta crew never fail to keep me posted. Whether they're answering questions for the Friday ProFile or shooting me updates about trips to Australia, they always keep me in the loop. This month, they're covering New York's Standard Hotel with a variety of yarn-based creations. The photos below are from the Standard's Hollywood location, but who knows what they'll knit up this time around. They write:

"Knitta Please and The Standard are pleased to present Knitta Please + The Standard, a knit graffiti installation in celebration of New York Fashion Week."
"The event takes place September 9-17, 2009 at The Standard Hotel (848 Washington Street New York, NY 10014)."
"The partnership, in celebration of NY Fashion Week, emphasizes the intersections between textile art, design, craft, street culture and the DIY movement."
"When the yarnbombing collective first began tagging in 2005, their art responded to the mass-produced. By inserting the handmade into a landscape of concrete and steel, they were cheekily adding warmth to our urban fixtures. Now Magda Sayeg, KnittaPlease founder, works to redefine a craft that has been relegated to the stuffy attic of people's brains and dismissed by a limited vision for knitting's purpose, its function, its practitioners. Sayeg's work repositions this granny pastime in public spaces, streets formerly dominated by a hard, masculine public art culture. The fuzzy tags invoke entirely different connotations than spray paint does, antagonizing expectations and initiating dialogue about community-driven art."

Thanks, loves! For more Knitta updates, visit the official web site.

July 2009: Knitta in Canberra

I love it when people follow up. Everyone I profile creates such amazing pieces that I wish I monitor their progress every day. From stickers and wheatpastes to spray paint, magnets, and tiles, we here at Illicit try to represent a wide variety of street mediums. Today, we follow up with one of my favorite quirky street teams. Welcome back, Knitta! You may remember that we profiled founder Magda Sayeg back in April. Here's what's she's been up to since then. Knitta's assistant, Karen, writes:

"Hi Meg! Thanks again for blogging about KnittaPlease - we were very excited to be featured. New and exciting things are happening, so we wanted to give you an update!"

"KnittaPlease has had an incredible year so far. Founder Magda Sayeg tagged Milan by the invitation of the Triennale in Milan in February. In May, Sayeg coordinated the efforts of over 50 knit enthusiasts, culminating in a tagging event in Brooklyn Heights's business district. I have attached some photographs of these events."
"Our current project is happening this week in Canberra, Australia in association with the National Gallery of Australia. The NGA has invited KnittaPlease to hold a festival of events in conjunction with the final week of their Soft Sculpture exhibition. You can learn more about the exhibition here."

"On Monday, July 6, Magda Sayeg, founder of KnittaPlease, will transform the Gallery's sculpture garden with knit tags. Beginning Tuesday, July 7, Sayeg and Sydney artist Denise Litchfield will tag the entrance and foyer of the Gallery with their own knit pieces as well as the submitted knitting of volunteers. This week's slate of events also features a children's knitting workshop as well as a casual 'Stitch and Bitch' knitting session with the KnittaPlease crew. Read about the events here."
"If you would like further information, please let me know. I will have pictures of this week's event soon, and would be happy to share them with you if you're interested. Thanks!"

Thanks so much, Kristen! Here's hoping the Knitta team enjoys their wooly tagging adventure.

P.S. Happy birthday to one of my best friends, Lynnese Nicole Page. This wild child turns 23 today; if you're in the state of New York, you'll probably hear her celebrating.

Friday ProFiles: Knitta

Knitta's humble beginnings stem from a lonely light pole looking for love. Founder Magda Sayeg explains, "I started knitting for my shop's door handles. I had to stare at the steel façade all day long and I really wanted to see some warm, cozy color. I did it and it instantly put a smile on my face. People passed by and loved it. That's when I thought, 'Why not other places?' For the light pole, people got out of their cars, scratched their heads, and touched it."

Magda's passion for crafting began at an early age. She tried her hand at knitting as a teen, but the results were less than favorable. "I tried making a scarf for a boyfriend," she recalls, "but it wasn't finished by the time we broke up!" While she excelled in math, the right side of her brain demanded creative stimulation. Taking up her knitting needles once again, she was more successful the second time around.
Since she first decorated Raye, her Houston, Tex., clothing boutique, Magda has recruited fellow crew members with clever monikers like P. Knitty and PolyCotN. She's traveled to New York City, London, and parts of Italy for various commissions and installations. Her brother brought a Knitta piece on a trip and placed it on the Great Wall of China. What started as a side project has now turned into Magda's full-time gig. Although she creates exclusively wooly street art, she switches up her own style to keep it interesting. "Now I'm into large scale creations," she adds. "I don't want to do one parking meter; I want to do 50!"
Law enforcement doesn't know what to make of Knitta. Magda says, "I've been approached by the authorities, but they're okay with it since I don't have a spray can in my hand. They don't really know what to do." With her crew by her side, Magda is driven by a desire to beautify her surroundings. She insists, "I felt that a stop sign would look better with yarn on it. It makes me happy and it makes other people happy. If it was negative, I probably wouldn't do it. I just feel like it's the right time for a project like this."
Knitta's projects encourage people to explore the world around them. "I think there's something very satisfying in that concept of stopping and smelling the roses," Magda says. "There are all these pieces of the urban landscape that we've grown accustomed to: fewer trees, more freeways. I think we really feel powerless in those situations; we stop complaining and looking at it. I feel like my knitting a light pole or a fire hydrant is better for me and for other people to see."
With new projects and trips in the works, Magda doesn't show any signs of stopping. This summer, she's traveling to Australia to put up some fresh pieces. The crew has a book in the works that will show readers the tricks and tools they need to start their own crews. What's Magda's advices for aspiring knitters? "Follow your dreams!" she exclaims. "I am 35 years old and a mother of three. This project has made me feel like I can do anything. I think that what's happening to me is magical. I'm watching these dreams come true."

If you're not from the Houston area, take a look at Magda's boutique, Raye. For more Knitta photos and info, check their website. Thanks so much, Magda! Good luck with going pro.

"The time has come," the walrus said, "to get on a plane and get the hell out of here." Truer words were never said. I will miss you all while I'm gone, but don't fret! With 100+ archived posts, there's more than enough material to whet your appetites until I return. Check back on Monday, April 27, for a piping hot post and all the details of my trip. Have a great week and I'll be back soon!