Yarn-bombed eucalyptus grove

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On Saturday, on our walk through the Australian Collection at the UC Davis Arboretum, we came upon a strange sight:

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I had no idea what this could be, but fortunately there was a sign:

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Yarn bombing? I had never heard of that before. Clearly, I must have been living under a rock because a Google search produced 400,000 results. There’s even a Wikipedia entry:

Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, yarnstorming, guerrilla knitting, urban knitting or graffiti knitting is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk.

Have you heard of yarn bombing before? 

Much to my surprise, I was quite taken by this yarn art installation. The random pops of color from looked fantastic in this small eucalyptus grove dominated by grays and greens.

I think a controlled yarn bombing of the bamboos in our garden could be quite nice…

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A few interesting links related to yarn bombing:

Comments

  1. BeckyJanuary 21, 2013 at 1:35 PM

    Wow, learn something new every day! Do they do it in place or place it on the tree after and have a seam?

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    Replies
    1. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)January 22, 2013 at 1:54 PM

      I didn't notice a seam but I'm not exactly a textile expert :-).

      Delete
  2. Mark and GazJanuary 21, 2013 at 2:20 PM

    Neither of us were aware of yarn bombing until we saw some of the newly planted trees on our town centre 'clothed' by them, which in turn saved the trees as those yarn bombed were spared from being vandalised by having their bark peeled off senselessly (which results in the eventual death of the bark peeled tree). Not to mention they looked great, colourful, and quirky.

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    Replies
    1. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)January 22, 2013 at 1:53 PM

      So it's a worldwise phenomenon! I'll get my daughters to yard bomb some of our bamboo :-).

      Delete
  3. AlisonJanuary 21, 2013 at 2:54 PM

    I have heard of yarn bombing, it happens every so often in downtown Seattle. The first time I heard of it was a couple of years ago, there were some trees near Pike Place Market and the Olympic Sculpture Park that had been yarn-bombed. I saw more yarn bombing last summer in Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula here in Washington. The ones you photographed are much more colorful than those I've seen.

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    Replies
    1. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)January 22, 2013 at 1:53 PM

      I'll definitely keep my eye out for more. Anything that gets people to take another look at something they would otherwise ignore is a good thing in my book.

      Delete
  4. AlanJanuary 21, 2013 at 7:43 PM

    Perhaps the overall effect is better in person, but I don't really "get it". What I'd really like to see is a bark-like yard pattern used on lamposts, signposts, etc. Cover the artificial with "nature", not the other way around!

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    Replies
    1. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)January 22, 2013 at 1:51 PM

      So many people today have no relationship with nature. Maybe an installation like this one gets them to look at trees or rocks they might otherwise completely ignore?

      Delete
  5. danger gardenJanuary 21, 2013 at 7:47 PM

    I love the varied designs, these students were really creative! Here's my favorite local yarn bombing: http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2012/08/things-that-make-you-smile-are-good.html

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  6. sueJanuary 22, 2013 at 10:57 AM

    You haven't been to the Coop lately, have you Gerhard.... Look at the bollards when you come in from the parking lot. Sue

    ReplyDelete

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