Amelia’s Magazine | Yarnbombing: Crafty Fad or Contemporary Art?

Yarn-Bombing-by-Cat-O'Neil
Illustration by Cat O’Neil

It’s a blustery day in October, autumn is well and truly here and I’ve come to Crystal Palace in search of Deadly Knitshade; stitch ‘n’ bitch guru, yarnbomber extraordinaire, cancer survivor and general good egg. She’s been giving me the slip, if you’ll excuse the knitting pun, all week, but thanks to a bit of twitter stalking and a few phone calls I’ve finally tracked her down to the children’s section of Upper Norwood Public Library. Her work is included as part of the Crystal Palace Children’s Book Festival. When I arrive, comic artists the Etherington Brothers are doing an illustration workshop with a bunch of kids, all of whom seem enthralled. As I walk in there’s some kind of question and answer session going on, and about 30 small boys are desperately trying to attract attention to themselves, arms propped-up on heads, hands waiving frantically in the air. One is bouncing up and down in his seat so hard he looks dangerously like he might burst, while another two boys sit at the back, on a child-sized table, scribbling contentedly. It’s a heart-warming scene, but I’m not here to talk about books. It was recently National Wool Week and knitting seems to be everywhere at the moment.

At the very back of the room a couple of adults are milling about, I recognize one as the woman I’m looking for: Deadly Knitshade. I wait for an appropriate break in proceedings before sidling over and introducing myself. I offer to buy her a peppermint tea and she accompanies me to a pub which is fittingly called ‘The Black Sheep’, to talk about woolly stuff. She looks a little tired, to tell you the truth. It’s been a manic six weeks, she explains, she has the flu and she’s been trying to say no to the odd interview, in favour of rest and recovery.

yarnbombing_gemmamilly
Illustration by Gemma Milly

I feel I should explain a bit about exactly what I’m doing here. It’s a year to the day since I almost died, and I have, somewhat deliberately, made sure I am up to my eyeballs in work so I don’t have to think too much about it. What made me so ill is a bit of a long story, so I won’t go there, but during my recovery I found myself knitting more fiercely than ever before. I’ve made more work in the last 12 months than in the 5 years preceding them, and I think that, for some unknown reason, knitting has helped me to put some of my demons to bed.

Deadly Knitshade, or Lauren O’Farrell, if you prefer to use her real name, comes to knitting from a similar perspective. She first picked up her needles about six months into treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. I can’t help but wonder what her views are on the healing properties of knit. When doctors finally gave her the all clear, she planned to celebrate by sneaking into Trafalgar Square and wrapping a hand-knitted scarf around the neck of one of the lions there, then running away again. ‘That was the plan’, she explains, while I sip my tea, ‘but what started as a personal act of celebration became a massive event when we (Stitch London, formerly Stitch and Bitch London) became involved with Cancer Research UK, and the thing went global. We ended up with enough scarf to wrap all four lions and each patch had a story to tell, some contributors knitted for fun, some for company and some to celebrate their own recovery, others knitted for people they’d lost. I knitted a patch for my dad, who I lost to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when I was one and a half. There were others who were actually receiving treatment, and came along on the day, it was brilliant’.

knitlondon_by rosie shephard
Illustration by Rosie Shephard

That was 2007, and since then the people at Stitch London, and it’s yarnbombing off-shoot, Knit the City, have been very busy indeed. The latter, in particular, has attracted a lot of media attention of late. Yarnbombing, in case you have never heard of it, is like graffiti but with knit instead of spray cans. Its exponents cover street furniture including stop signs, bollards, or phone boxes with knitted cosies, they ambush public art with strange woollen creatures, creating intricate and amusing stories and encouraging the viewer to interact with a space they may otherwise have taken completely for granted. It is a shame that yarnbombing has been widely interpreted in the mainstream media as little more than a cutesy fad. Don’t get me wrong, there is no doubt that it is cute, but I can’t help but think that, if they used any material other than textiles: wood, metal, ceramics even, it would all be taken far more seriously. Of course, the effect would be utterly different.

Knitting has strong nostalgic connotations, like a big snugly jumper it comforts and soothes, it is inherently non-threatening in a way no other material is, and the objects produced with it can’t help but inherit the same properties. Knitters are generally patient, meditative people (you have to be patient and meditative to learn in the first place), and they aren’t into conflict. It therefore follows that yarnbombs (the people at Knit the City prefer to call them yarnstorms) are usually about as agitating as a cashmere cardi, but does that make them ultimately pointless?

Stitch London and Knit the City have never been particularly interested in making big political statements, preferring just to spread a little joy, bring people together and draw our attention to parts of London, like the London Stone, which we may walk past everyday and fail to notice. Magda Sayeg, the Texan woman and international yarnbomber credited with beginning the movement, is a little more willing to talk about the ideas behind her work. She’s yarnbombed everywhere, from buses in Mexico City to the Great Wall of China to apartment balconies in New York but she prefers urban spaces to rural ones because ‘trees have their own beauty’.

yarnbombing_gemmamilly
Illustration by Gemma Milly

‘It can be a very subversive subject, which is I think why the mainstream press seem to treat it in a cutesy way. If a magazine treats it in a girly way then that’s all it is…They’re not interested in promoting a conversation that reflects our attitudes to gender and craft or the role of art in public spaces. Here I am taking this ages-old domestic and entirely functional craft your grandmothers have been perfecting for centuries and turning it on its head, using it for nothing necessarily useful. Knit graffiti doesn’t make sense to a lot of people. I’ve heard: ‘’Why aren’t you knitting blankets for premature babies or for homeless people? You’re wasting your time’’. But people take wood or metal sculpture seriously, even though these materials could be used to house homeless people. There’s this assumption about feminine craft – females are meant to nurture, to be productive, to be functional, and how dare you make something just for fun? Or because it looks pretty? You have to help someone with it.’

But they are helping someone with it, or at least expressing something important. Ultimately yarnbombing highlights the way contemporary society feels about the big bad world, particularly the urban environment. There’s a lot out there to frighten, injure and even kill us. Roads scare us, traffic scares us, homelessness scares us, the recession scares us, hell even other people scare us, so what better way to fight that fear than by covering everything in a thick woolly layer of snuglyness? It’s a bit like when it snows. Everything is covered in a soft and gently twinkling coat of the white stuff, and you feel better about the world because you can no longer see the shit underneath.

Is it a coincidence that national wool week happened to coincide with a wave of drastic cuts in government spending, when we all fear for the future more than at any other time in half a century? Almost certainly, but I don’t really believe in coincidences. Knitting may have healed me, but can it heal the world? That’s doubtful, but it can definitely make it a happier place. ‘When we did the phone box’ Deadly Knitshade confides ‘loads of Japanese tourists came up and hugged it, and these commuters, who would normally be so stoney-faced, smiled like big kids’. Any public art that can inspire someone to hug a London phone box has got to be doing something right.



Categories ,Cancer Research UK, ,Cat O’Neil, ,Crystal Palace Children’s Book Festival, ,Deadly Knitshade, ,Gemma Milly, ,Great Wall of China, ,Knit the City, ,Lauren O’Farrell, ,Magda Sayeg, ,National Wool Week, ,Rosie Shephard, ,Stitch London, ,The Black Sheep Pub, ,The Etherington Brothers, ,The London Stone, ,Trafalgar Square, ,Upper Norwood Public Library, ,Yarnbombing

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2011: Prints, Interiors and the very best Handmade Ideas

Lesley Barnes wrapping paper for Soma Gallery
Lesley Barnes wrapping paper for Soma Gallery.

Time for a further round up of Christmas goodies; all things print, interiors, hand made and wonderful. Don’t panic, there is still time to do a bit of Christmas shopping… for most online companies the last Christmas posting date is Monday 19th December.

Magpie Miller Knitted Bowl
First up, wonderful interior items from Magpie Miller: How about this clever ceramic bowl with knitted imprints? Perfect for that special someone who loves to craft.

Blue Magpie Miller Bird
They also stock plenty of ‘relived’ items including these wonderful decorative ceramic birds from North America.

Anissa Lee Black and White Hand Cut Paper Bow and Heart Wreath
I discovered the work of Anissa Lee on twitter, and was instantly drawn to her bold paper cutouts, particularly this amazing monochrome Christmas wreath. Very unique and eye-catching.

Cat o Neil print
Amelia’s Magazine contributor Cat O’Neil is selling some wonderful illustration prints on Etsy too. I particularly like this A3 print inspired by a story from Oliver Sacks whereby a blind lady with cerebral palsy learns the use of her hands, eventually becoming an artist who produces sculptures.

Cat o Neil print
Or how about this one: Disembodied Lady 4 illustrates the case of a lady who lost all sense of proprioception (a sense of self). A bargain at £14.99.

Tom Frost soma gallery
For the wood enthusiast in your life how about this fab piece from Tom Frost at Soma Gallery? The Dead Wrestler has been silk screened onto a chunky wooden base, making it a 3D artwork unlike any other.

Gemma Correl au revoir tote
There’s also this fab new Gemma Correll Au Revoir tote bag, featuring a cat on a bike, of course. And even better you can wrap up your Soma gifts with some bespoke Airmail Bird wrapping paper designed by none other than Lesley Barnes, ACOFI illustrator extraordinaire (see top of blog!)

Woolly Babs Christmas dog jumper
They’re completely daft but I am utterly in love with handmade Christmas jumpers from Woolly Babs, as sold at the Duckie Christmas Market by her son, shown here with a dog in a doggie jumper. I mean, what’s not to love? The nose on the reindeer even squeaks. Woolly Babs also sells festive jumpers to suit your kids… and you.

Landfill Mould Map 2
Landfill Mould Map 2 sister arrow
For art and design lovers Landfill Editions have just released their second edition of Mould Map, and it’s a technicoloured glory: just check out this beauty. Artists have been asked to imagine a distant future which is splattered across a 24 page A3 mega book with 7 feature prints. Some of my favourite illustrators are featured, including Sister Arrow and Rui Tenreiro.

Zosienka and rosie calendar cover
Zosienka and rosie calendar
I am a little bit in love with this Zosienka & Rosie Into the Woods Calendar for 2012. So pretty.

Petra Borner Thistlesnake
Illustrator Petra Borner produces the most fantastic decorative illustrations and now you have the chance to own a piece. Hop on over to her shop for a bit of the action: I particularly love this intriguingly coloured piece: Thistlesnake.

ACOFI Anthology illustration_bundle
Lastly, don’t forget to support Amelia’s Magazine and buy one of my books! Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration makes an ideal gift for the fashion/illustration lover in your life. For a real bargain buy both my books with four back issues for just £50.

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Anissa Lee, ,Au Revoir tote bag, ,Bluebirds, ,Cat O’Neil, ,ceramic, ,Christmas Wreath, ,Disembodied Lady 4, ,Duckie Christmas Market, ,etsy, ,Gemma Correll, ,gifts, ,handmade, ,illustration, ,Interiors, ,Into the Woods Calendar, ,Landfill Editions, ,Lesley Barnes, ,Magpie Miller, ,Mould Map, ,Oliver Sacks, ,Petra Borner, ,prints, ,Rui Tenreiro, ,Sister Arrow, ,Soma Gallery, ,The Dead Wrestler, ,Thistlesnake, ,Tom Frost, ,Woolly Babs, ,Wrapping paper, ,Zosienka & Rosie

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2011: Prints, Interiors and the very best Handmade Ideas

Lesley Barnes wrapping paper for Soma Gallery
Lesley Barnes wrapping paper for Soma Gallery.

Time for a further round up of Christmas goodies; all things print, interiors, hand made and wonderful. Don’t panic, there is still time to do a bit of Christmas shopping… for most online companies the last Christmas posting date is Monday 19th December.

Magpie Miller Knitted Bowl
First up, wonderful interior items from Magpie Miller: How about this clever ceramic bowl with knitted imprints? Perfect for that special someone who loves to craft.

Blue Magpie Miller Bird
They also stock plenty of ‘relived’ items including these wonderful decorative ceramic birds from North America.

Anissa Lee Black and White Hand Cut Paper Bow and Heart Wreath
I discovered the work of Anissa Lee on twitter, and was instantly drawn to her bold paper cutouts, particularly this amazing monochrome Christmas wreath. Very unique and eye-catching.

Cat o Neil print
Amelia’s Magazine contributor Cat O’Neil is selling some wonderful illustration prints on Etsy too. I particularly like this A3 print inspired by a story from Oliver Sacks whereby a blind lady with cerebral palsy learns the use of her hands, eventually becoming an artist who produces sculptures.

Cat o Neil print
Or how about this one: Disembodied Lady 4 illustrates the case of a lady who lost all sense of proprioception (a sense of self). A bargain at £14.99.

Tom Frost soma gallery
For the wood enthusiast in your life how about this fab piece from Tom Frost at Soma Gallery? The Dead Wrestler has been silk screened onto a chunky wooden base, making it a 3D artwork unlike any other.

Gemma Correl au revoir tote
There’s also this fab new Gemma Correll Au Revoir tote bag, featuring a cat on a bike, of course. And even better you can wrap up your Soma gifts with some bespoke Airmail Bird wrapping paper designed by none other than Lesley Barnes, ACOFI illustrator extraordinaire (see top of blog!)

Woolly Babs Christmas dog jumper
They’re completely daft but I am utterly in love with handmade Christmas jumpers from Woolly Babs, as sold at the Duckie Christmas Market by her son, shown here with a dog in a doggie jumper. I mean, what’s not to love? The nose on the reindeer even squeaks. Woolly Babs also sells festive jumpers to suit your kids… and you.

Landfill Mould Map 2
Landfill Mould Map 2 sister arrow
For art and design lovers Landfill Editions have just released their second edition of Mould Map, and it’s a technicoloured glory: just check out this beauty. Artists have been asked to imagine a distant future which is splattered across a 24 page A3 mega book with 7 feature prints. Some of my favourite illustrators are featured, including Sister Arrow and Rui Tenreiro.

Zosienka and rosie calendar cover
Zosienka and rosie calendar
I am a little bit in love with this Zosienka & Rosie Into the Woods Calendar for 2012. So pretty.

Petra Borner Thistlesnake
Illustrator Petra Borner produces the most fantastic decorative illustrations and now you have the chance to own a piece. Hop on over to her shop for a bit of the action: I particularly love this intriguingly coloured piece: Thistlesnake.

ACOFI Anthology illustration_bundle
Lastly, don’t forget to support Amelia’s Magazine and buy one of my books! Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration makes an ideal gift for the fashion/illustration lover in your life. For a real bargain buy both my books with four back issues for just £50.



Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Anissa Lee, ,Au Revoir tote bag, ,Bluebirds, ,Cat O’Neil, ,ceramic, ,Christmas Wreath, ,Disembodied Lady 4, ,Duckie Christmas Market, ,etsy, ,Gemma Correll, ,gifts, ,handmade, ,illustration, ,Interiors, ,Into the Woods Calendar, ,Landfill Editions, ,Lesley Barnes, ,Magpie Miller, ,Mould Map, ,Oliver Sacks, ,Petra Borner, ,prints, ,Rui Tenreiro, ,Sister Arrow, ,Soma Gallery, ,The Dead Wrestler, ,Thistlesnake, ,Tom Frost, ,Woolly Babs, ,Wrapping paper, ,Zosienka & Rosie

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Amelia’s Magazine | Truck Festival

truck_love_and_doughnuts.jpg

No two festivals are the same. Which is lucky since we would be stringing our genitals up by the linings of our straw hats if they were. Truck Festival, however, seems to hold a beautiful sense of naivety about it, pretty impressive considering its 11 year jog since its first outing in 1998. What seems to set it apart is its strong sense of community spirit. Throughout the weekend many of the acts expressed their respect and admiration towards Truck organisers, Robin and Joe Bennett. And with ice cream supplied by the vicar and food from the snowy members of the local rotary club, you can’t help feeling you’re a part of it.

truck_crazy_eyes.jpg

Following an early morning sprint from the more fresh faced end of the car queue, I managed to make it to the heavily odoured cowshed for Oxford’s pop darlings, Alphabet Backwards. Headed by the eccentric James Hitchman with his merry entourage, from appearances you may be excused for thinking you’re in for another melancholy strangling of your sanity with tales of first loves and heartbreaks. Thankfully not. Alphabet Backwards’s brand of energetic lo-fi poptro found the entire cowshed transfixed as we were taken into the rather alternative musings of Hitchman’s brain box. ‘Disco Classic’ was a particular favourite with its synth heavy, building intro. ’80’s Pop Video’ was one of the most involving tracks of the entire festival with the crowd taking over, to ad lib a bizarrely synchronised clapping solo, halfway through. Looking around found many a laughing face or tapping foot whilst the 5-piece bounced around the stage. In the words of Alphabet Backwards themselves, “pop’s not a dirty word”. Thank god for that.

After aimless wandering, I found myself back in the cowshed for the highly anticipated, Youthmovies. It’s hard to argue that they don’t know what they’re doing but amidst the thrashing guitars, flashing lights and smoke machines, it’s also hard to see much else beyond that. The proclamation that we were watching the best band in the world found me wondering whether the farm fumes had projected me to a mediocre parallel planet. If you’re into turned backs and guitar noise you’ll get on well with it but I couldn’t help feeling it was a bit like watching other people eating food when you’re hungry. Strong cheekboned lead singer, Andrew Mears, who was once involved with ‘math rock’ tyrants, Foals, is clearly a talented soul, confirmed after I later heard him deliver a rather intricate poetry reading possibly to an audience that didn’t understand. But there certainly wasn’t enough water around Youthmovies to go floating any boats. Or trucks for that matter.

These New Puritans, with skinny-framed Jack Barnett emerging in a shimmering gold roman-esque shirt, which seemed rather fitting considering the thumping drums which at times, sounded like a call to arms. As Barnett delivered his rap-esque vocals I couldn’t help think this is what Linkin Park would sound like if they were from the UK and just a bit more cool. Don’t let that put you off though. In fact don’t even use it as a comparison. ‘Numbers’ played on our human desire for repetition, perfectly wrapped up in a stupidly named parcel of electronic nu gaze. Whatever you call it though, I dare you not to be stirred at least a little.

Truck isn’t exactly spacious but preceding Noah and the Whale, it was chlaustrophobic madness. Crowd control had to make a forceful announcement that if people didn’t move, they were out. Fun fun fun indeed. After a 25 minute wait they finally arrived. Following the onslaught of skinny kids with 80’s haircuts, the cutesy summer strawberry pop was hideously refreshing. Exactly what you’d want to listen to before taking off all your clothes and dancing in long grass with a childhood friend. Naturally, ‘5 years time’ was a favourite, sending limbs all over the place although it’s a good idea to not write them off as some kind of one hit wonder hippy outfit. A lot more lies beyond the band than just a youth celebratory summer anthem. Frontman, Charlie Fink, holds faint similarities to the early Johnny Cash with his collected swagger, well groomed hair and waistcoat/tie combination. This mixed with the love heavy vibe and modern mish mash of jazz and folk rock made me wonder why I’d want to be anywhere else.

I was starkly unimpressed by all the bands named as headline acts. Lemonheads were uninspiring and I would of been equally entertained had someone just stuck a CD player containing their album, centrestage and pressed play. After seeing ‘It’s a Shame about Ray’, I had to go and flog a dead horse for a while. Camera Obscura delivered gentle sugary pop melodies to a laxidasically sprawled audience. Coming across as completely inoffensive in the good sense. But it was within the smaller acts that the most exciting, raw and breaking performances came.

truck_camera_obscura_main_stage.jpg

Pivot delivered the most lip biting, mind blowing set of the weekend. Not an attack you’d usually experience at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon. Seemingly gentle chaps turned into thrashing electronic noise warriors, pulling at the very bottom of the hairs in my neck before tearing them out. Comparisons could be made to a heavier Metronomy or a more broken Soulwax but it would be a weak attempt at pigeonholing something than shouldn’t be. Richard Pike tribally howled his way through a few sections whilst brother and drummer Laurence pounded at the quaking drum kit with such force that I thought a heart attack was only a matter of time. Definite highlight. Their album ‘O Soundtrack My Heart’ comes out August 20th although it’s hard to portray the passion and power that they play at, through a disc or music file.

Young hearts, Orphan Boy, a 3-piece from Manchester were one of the most exciting and promising of the weekend, only stumbled upon whilst I tried to find the person who had my plastic cup of warm cider, which rapidly paled into insignificance. There were few bands at Truck you could claim had any relationship with progressive post punk, but Orphan Boy more than made up for the lack of it. Thrashing their guitars into their vigorous yet half polished anthemic delights, they had the controlled arrogance of musical greats, creating a sound similar to The Fall if you stuck them in a pan and mixed them with a pinch of Arctic Monkeys. I couldn’t help feeling they weren’t getting the reaction they deserved but the few that were there shared my appreciation.

truck_orphanboy.jpg

It was then time to put away my dog eared notebook and effeminate pen and get involved in a good ol’ game of wallet fishing before jumping in a skip, picking up paralytic drum and bass kids and then passing out in someone elses shirt. Holy truck. Ouch.

truck_5am.jpg

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