The Dancing ManDuh Bonanza

As you know, I’m a knitter. What you may not know is that I’m an addict. I hit the dollar store for cheap yarn like a crack head hits the dealer after robbing a gas station. I can never have enough. But once it’s been a few days since I’ve seen the kids after they tried to climb the mountain of yarn and no one can shower because I had to start piling balls up in the tub, the question arises – What am I going to do with all of this?

I can’t be alone in this question or my addiction, as evidenced by the advent of knit or crocheted graffiti, also known as yarn bombing. For today’s Artist You Should Know I had the chance to talk to Ontario yarn bomber Nicole from Knit, Nicole, Knit.

So what makes someone take up their knitting needles and hit the streets? “The reason I started is mainly because this city, Windsor, Ontario (just south of Detroit) is in tough times. Our main industry is automobiles. At the time, our municipal workers were just starting to strike, and there was garbage everywhere. The city needed colour, and it needed it everywhere.”

And color indeed! Nicole’s tags simultaneously draw your attention and look perfectly natural. But is it art? “I have a hard time with this. I have been asked this several times before, and I am never satisfied with my answer. Knitting is an art, something that I think is important to learn. I don’t think that following a pattern is art, same as painting a paint-by-number kit isn’t art. Sure, it takes talent to be able to do it, but going without a pattern is definitely more of an art form. As far as yarn bombing, I see it on the same level as stenciling on buildings. Most of the work is done ahead of time you just go out and put it up.”

Nicole’s yarn bombing has gained her a degree of noteriaty around her city. “Since most people know it’s me doing the tagging, I am often told on twitter things like ‘the parking mete out front of a certain business looks cold…’” She has also recently been invited to sell her work in Made In Windsor. The pieces I sell are from new, higher quality yarn. I buy the yarn for the item, they aren’t made out of yarn that was given to me. The yarn bombs are made out of whatever I grab from my stash first, no real rhyme or reason to the colours or patterns.”

So what advice does this vetern yarn bomber have for the novice? “Got for it. Don’t hesitate. Pick your favourite local business, either one you frequent often, or one you know supports local artists. Put on up near there. Then expand to other businesses.” And, practically, “Use brightly coloured acrylic yarn, it’s pretty much plastic and will hold up to the weather fairly well.”

Don’t forget to check out Nicole’s knitting blog Knit, Nicole, Knit, follow her on Twitter, and read up on her process and favorite bombs in the full interview.

**Please note, I’m having a few technical diffculties right now, but I didn’t want to delay this article any longer. Pictures of Nicole’s work will be added as soon as WordPress stops hating me.