‘Yarn Bombing at Your Library,’ in sixth year

Has it really been six years since I embarked on my fiber-art and social-media curation project, Yarn Bombing at Your Library? The yarn-bombing “tags” I feature were either installed at a library, or a library was instrumental in creating the piece. Through showcasing these installations, I raise attention for the value of libraries and their vital place in society. And while most of the projects I feature were created by other artists, I’ve “yarn-bombed” a few libraries myself. From January 2012, here’s a nighttime installation of a “Support Libraries” tag at the Central Santa Rosa Library in the Sonoma County Library system.

Yarn Bombing: Library Elf discovers a certain book

“Check This Out,” In a newspaper column, Anne DeGrace with the Nelson Public Library (Nelson in British Columbia) describes what happens when a Library Elf discovers the book about yarn bombing.

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

Yarn bombing commemorates library anniversary

Image credit: Manchester Community Library on Facebook

In Manchester, Vermont: Artist Trish Weill and Youth Services Librarian Janet Kleinberg spearheaded a yarn-bombing by community members of the Manchester Community Library (MCL).
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Yarn Bombing at Your Library: Centereach, N.Y.

Credit: MCPL on Facebook

At Middle Country Public Library in Centereach, N.Y., volunteers are yarn-bombing trees with thousands of crocheted circles created earlier in the year through the “Crochet It!” community project.
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Yarn Bombing: ‘Maker Day’ at Bill Library

Artisans, crafters and hobbyists demostrated their skills during a Maker Day event at the Bill Library, Saturday, July 22, in Ledyard, Conn. The library started its maker program about two years ago and holds monthly hands-on classes.
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Yarn-storm commemorates ‘Friends’ group anniversary

In Orange, Conn.: Case Memorial Library was “yarn stormed” with a colorful, hands-on, knitted and crocheted exhibit depicting the four seasons, in the library’s second-floor rotunda.

As reported and photographed by Pam McLoughlin for the New Haven Register, the exhibit — created by Friends of the Case Memorial Library — “has visitors talking, touching, teaching and marveling at the uniqueness and detail.”

The Friends group installed the exhibit in May, to celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary. “The exhibit was originally slated to stay up through June, but Library Director Meryl Farber loved it so much she requested to keep it up at least until November. Farber said, in her book, it can stay up forever.”

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

Yarn-bombing project at Beaconsfield Public Library

As reported Aug. 9 by the Montreal Gazette: In Beaconsfield Public Library, Beaconsfield, Quebec, chief librarian Elizabeth Lemyre has organized a summer yarn-bombing project that welcomes both youngsters and adults. The knitting circle will create squares to cover a "nondescript public bench." On a recent afternoon, three young ballplayers used knitting looms to create pieces.

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

Yarn bombing at Dover Public Library

Image credit:Dover Public Library

In Dover, Ohio: Crafters of all ages and creative ideas are invited, beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, to celebrate International Yarn Bombing Day by decorating the front entrance of the Dover Public Library. In a news release submitted to the (New Philadelphia) Times Reporter, writer Jim Gill advised that people attending are asked to bring at least one full skein or several partial skeins of acrylic yarn to participate in a yarn swap. Crafters are welcome to knit, crochet, wrap yarn or make pom poms for the project.

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

Timaru Library, NZ: Yarn bombing planned

At the Timaru Library in New Zealand, crafters are creating artwork for International Yarn Bombing Day on Saturday, June 11. Via a news account published by the Timaru Herald: the exhibition is part of a “Now we’re talking” project to raise awareness of family domestic violence. It will be on display from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

Yarn bombing highlights children’s books

Photo by Matthew Parslow

Added to the timeline for Yarn Bombing at Your Library, my ongoing project to showcase yarn-bomb installations at or involving libraries: Outside the Ferntree Gully library and community art center in Melbourne, Australia, this yarn-bombed tree duplicates the covers of classic children’s books including Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Matthew Parslow posted photos of his wife Kim’s work to Imgur and GoodHousekeeping.com published an article about the project, which was part of a commissioned installation organized by the group Yarn Corner.

Library yarn bombers distribute scarves

Source of image: Fairfield Public Library

In Fairfield, Conn., the Purls of Wisdom Knitting Group and Fairfield Public Library staff knit, crocheted and sewed nearly 100 scarves and attached them to trees and light posts. As related in an essay published by the Fairfield Sun, each scarf had a removable tag that said, “Need a scarf, Please take a scarf. Hand made with love.” The scarves were attached on Sunday and by Monday morning according to the article, only 12 scarves remained.

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

Yarnbombing at Gonville Cafe and Library

Photo credit: The Inked Librarian on Facebook

Readers of my blog may be familiar with Yarn Bombing at Your Library, a project on Facebook where I curate images and articles about yarn-bomb installations involving libraries. The project’s scope is international and in the latest post to its timeline: the Gonville Knitting Group brought holiday color to the Gonville Cafe and Library in Wanganui, New Zealand. The Inked Librarian (Kelly Scarrow) wrote about the yarnbombing in her column for the Wanganui Midweek newspaper.

Library work: My first 1,000 hours

Wearing my Hogwarts robes in Bellview library

With the completion of my contract-year in Bellview Elementary School library, I have amassed more than 1,000 hours in my library service career.

‘Truffula Tree Yarnbomb’

I rely on Google alerts tied to “Library” and “yarn bomb” to help me locate many of the links and images that I post to Yarn Bombing at Your Library.

But I really appreciate it when artists contact me to let me know about their projects, as happened with a Lorax-inspired Truffula Tree Yarnbomb created by Jenny Brown.

Blogging at Hi, Jenny Brown, Brown writes that this was the biggest yarnbomb she’d done by herself with opportunities to learn lessons. Her adventure installing the Truffula Tree Yarnbomb makes an entertaining read and as a fellow cyclist (who rides a yarn-bombed bicycle), I also appreciate Brown’s crocheted seat-cover.

Yarn-bomb tribute to words and libraries

Posted to Yelp by “Tami S.” circa April 17, 2015, a yarnbombing of bicycle racks at the San Mateo Public Library for National Library Week 2015. Knitted black letters against a yellow background read, “Words are,/In My/Not-So-Humble Opinion/Our Most/Inexhaustible/Source of Magic.”

Cross-posted from Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

Yarn-bombed bicycle

On Facebook, I accepted an artist’s invitation to post photos of my own art (in a sort of art-sharing chain called the “Facebook Art Challenge”). Today I shared an image about “yarn bombing.”

Library yarn-bombing, aided by fire-engine lift

The profile picture at Yarn Bombing @ Your Library features a yarn-storming installation by Common Threads of Richmond Hill.

I had the luxury of knowing about this project ahead of time, thanks to a Google Alert that is tied to the words “Library” and “yarn bomb.” On Jan. 29, Google Alerts sent me a link to an opinion piece written by Maike George, in which she outlined the group’s plans to yarn-bomb a large pine tree in front of the Richmond Hill Public Library.

Yarn Bombing at Your Library: Book cart with knitting books

Image credit: Robyn Wade

I like to feature other crafters’ projects in “cover” and “profile” pictures at Yarn Bombing at Your Library. Among recent activity: Robyn Wade contributed this photo of yarn bombing a book cart at the Lexington Public Library, circa Jan. 6, 2015. Check out (literally) the knitting books on the cart and Yarn Bombing by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain being read by one of the knitters. The books have got library barcodes on them, and are available through the library.

Library yarn bombing promotes ‘common read’

Image source: Lawrence Public Library on Facebook

An image added to the timeline this week at Yarn Bombing @ Your Library has extra significance for me, as the installation served to draw attention to a community’s “common read.”

Yarn Bombing: ‘Support Libraries’ at library in Israel

“Support Libraries.” My first international yarn-bombing tag was installed by an emissary at a community library in Israel. The image has also been added to the timeline at Yarn Bombing at Your Library.