Yarn Bombing is a trend taking the world by storm (or I should say string) and it has spread throughout West Chester. This isn’t your grandma’s knitting, artists “tag” pieces of property with handmade knitted or crocheted flair as a statement or unique art expression.
Yarn Bombing began in 2005 with a door handle in Houston, Texas. Magda Sayeg decided to dress it with a blue and pink knitting and people took notice. After that, she and her friend (aka PolyCotN and AKrylik) starting tagging objects around town and from there it spun into a worldwide phenomenon.
West Chester has its very own guerrilla knitter called Insomiknitac who has had a very busy four months. There are over 50 tags in West Chester thanks to her, so be sure to take a closer look at signs, mailboxes, trees, fountains and other things throughout the borough.
Insomiknitac saw yarn bombing as an alternative to the craft show circuit and something to do during the slow months when people wouldn’t need sweaters, scarves or hats. You can usually find her knitting needles, yarn, and tags in her purse. She even created a few tags during our interview.
Insomiknitac doesn’t plan out her tags, “A lot of times, I just start knitting and I am not sure what I am going to do. It just takes on a life of its own.” After her piece is complete (typically under 15 minutes), she looks for places around town that catch people’s eye. In a matter of minutes in the early morning hours with her kids, her tags are sewn onto their new homes.
The tags serve as interactive art, Insomiknitac says the tags bring out general happiness in people and many will play with the tags. She has even inspired a copycat crotchet artist to tag around town.
Insomiknitac’s personal favorites from her tags include a plunger in a public bathroom, tongues on the old courthouse fountain in honor of International Yarn Bombing Day and a piece of construction equipment. Insomiknitac’s tags have crossed state lines including California and welcome signs throughout Chester County, Maryland and Delaware.
Being an artist is in her blood, she comes from a large family that always dabbled in fiber art. Her mother taught her to knit in October 2001 and she has been knitting almost every day since. She is always willing to teach others how to knit, whether it be her kids or members of the community (contact her via Facebook).
Contest Alert!
Insomiknitac is looking to play hide and seek with the readers of this article and she is going to hide her next piece (blue with a red heart, see picture to right) somewhere around West Chester. The first three people to find it and send a picture to [email protected], will win a knitting prize pack. Happy hunting!
To stay in the loop about Insomiknitac’s tags, like her Facebook page.
