Yarnarchy?

If you love to knit, but have a rebellious streak, then the new trend of Yarnbombing might be for you.

Yarnbombing is defined as "a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk." So I guess since it's less permanent, it's considered more artful and less... "illegal" than graffiti.

I'm intrigued by two recent news articles on the subject. This one, about a particular Knitter At Large known as the Midnight Knitter, who sneaks out under the cover of night to yarnbomb the street signs, light poles and trees of Cape May, PA. And (on the other end of the spectrum) this story about a woman named Magda Sayeg who cooperated with the city of Austin, TX to install an art project similar to yarn bombing. Obviously the former example is more prevalent.

I wouldn't choose to do it myself. But I don't think I would mind seeing it on the streets - as long as it doesn't interfere with public works or safety, it's easy to remove, it's kept off of trees (it can lead to tree fungus) and off of private property (of course). I really don't understand why people feel the need to do it, but I find it kind of amusing in a weird way. On the other hand... if I had that much spare time, I would probably try to be knitting for preemie babies or the local shelters. It seems a little more worthwhile to me and less... "illegal." :)

What are your thoughts?

You can see more photos here and here