I love the idea of yarnbombing - but some of the creations look way beyond me in terms of both skill, time and opportunity, for example:
I look at this and think it's fantastic. But, how did they get the measurements right?! And how long must it have taken?
A friend of mine did this one:
Fabulous, no?
But both a bit beyond me I think. But earlier this year I saw via the One Sheepish Girl blog the suggestion for a Valentine's Day global yarnbombing. And with a do-able heart pattern (that I'll have to search out later!) to hand, I made three.
So, Valentine's day I took the kids out around our village. The first one we put on the pagoda-type structure where the village yoofs hang out:
I can't remember which one says which, but they say 'You are loved', 'You are unique' and 'Happy Valentine's Day'
Next, we visited the bus stop. We had to hang around a bit waiting for the bus to come and the passengers to embark/disembark (there's only one bus an hour - typical that we of course got the time when it was due!).
Eldest daughter, my finger and a heart. Notice how the delicately crocheted heart complements the graffiti (including the classic 'X is a peado').
Close up (so, this is the one that says 'Happy Valentine's Day')
(Yes, I did have to check where the apostrophe went, as I do every year for Mother's Day.)
Next, we went to the bench that's near the Kwik-E-Mart shop. In the summer we often sit here and enjoy an ice-cream or some chocolate.
It was quite a cold day, true.
The bench as we left it:
Not only is it missing slats at the back as you can see, but the seat part is rather bowed as you sit down. One of these days I'll ask the parish council if they're going to replace it. On a related issue, I'd quite like a bench in a nice place after I die. University Parks would be nice, but I suspect you have to be related to the university in some way.
A couple of days later we went back to check what had happened to them, if anything. I was fully expecting at least one to be trodden into the ground (it was particularly muddy weather) - but they had all gone, hopefully to people whose days were slightly improved for finding them.
Yes, yes, it's crochet, not knitting, but that doesn't have the same alliterative ring. And there's a pattern for knitting one too!
Again, this was a request to the Woolly Hugs team from the breastfeeding and expressing support team at the Royal Brompton. Babies born with heart conditions often find breastfeeding more difficult as they do not have the energy required for it and, with many newborn babies being transferred to the Brompton, it is vital they are able to support mothers with this. They have decided knitted breasts are the way forward to help them teach hand expressing techniques, positioning and attachments skills to new mums and to new staff.
Here's my effort:
It was a little odd watching it take on such a familiar shape, and in hindsight I think perhaps it would have been better to do what some of the other crafters did and go for bold colours rather than 'natural' ones. But I had some pink yarn that I knew I wouldn't use, so....
Here's some of the 40-odd knockers that MN crafters made queueing to get into the delivery box:
See, fab colours! (I think that's mine third from the box.)
The knitting pattern can be found at the bottom of the Woolly Hugs website page, here and the crochet pattern can be found via DillyTante's blog, here.
Disclaimer: I'm not a so-called 'breastfeeding Nazi' (the most inaccurate use of the term 'Nazi', what, ever?!) but breastmilk is generally considered to be absolutely the best food for babies, but especially for babies who are ill or premature. So if my crocheted boob can help, so much the better.
