According to wikipedia yarn bombing is “a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk.” It is believed to have originated with knitters in Texas.
So this morning, with high hopes and an 5.5 mm hook, I met up at CCB Plaza with other members of Off the Hook, the CGOA affiliated crochet guild I belong to, and got to the task of finishing the sweater/cozy we had made for “Major,” a bronze bull located in downtown Durham, North Carolina.
Durham is a city of many identities. While the history of tobacco can still be seen in the Lucky Strike Tower and the restored tobacco warehouses that comprise the American Tobacco Campus, Durham is also home to the Triple A Durham Bulls and Duke University Blue Devils basketball. While people outside the state are probably more familiar with the men’s basketball team led by Mike Krzyzewski (aka Coach K), it is women’s team that brought ESPN to town today (in advance of tomorrow’s first round game where the Blue Devil’s women’s team will be going up against UT Martin), and this is what the ESPN camera man saw when he came to CCB this afternoon:
While Durham’s duties as a host city for the first two rounds of the NCAA Women’s Division I tournament will be done on Monday when the second round game is over, Major will be in the CCB Plaza helping to mark National Crochet Month until March 30, 2011.
Awesome!!!
I love it!!!!
OMG He’s beautiful!!!! What an accomplishment!!! MY mind puzzles at how y’all made that garment fit so well and part two what happens to the pieces when its all taken apart? This is stunning wish the photo was larger! Stunning<3
I live right near Durham.. I am seriously going to have to get down there and see the bull… How awesome! Wish I had been in on the fun!
@Leah, you seriously are, and our guild meets the second Sunday of every month from 2:30-4:00 at the South Regional branch of the Durham library near the intersection of 54 & South Alston. @Lyn, Our guild president who guided and planned this project is going to use it as a minivan cozy after it comes off the bull, and I have volunteered to help her put it on her van when the time comes @Jenny, thank you!
a guild so close to me!!! Be still my heart! Hope to see you in the next couple of months….hook in hand….
I can hardly wait!
I’m a knitter who was visiting Durham this past weekend. My friend and I did a double take and circled the block in delight when we saw your yarn bombed bull late Saturday evening. We were hoping the gorgeous bull cozy wouldn’t get pulled off and thrown away by city workers, so I’m glad to hear it will be taken care of. Great work, and you made our night!
We hope you come back! Our fearless leader, Kate, will be using it as a minivan cozy for crochet related travel events.
I have to say…..this is one of the best things I have ever seen. Me and my wife totally love this….if there are any other photos of him with his new suit on I would love to have them for my website….thanks for doing this. Michael and Leah Foushee Waller (creators of the sculpture)
And many thanks to you for creating Major the Bull. We had a lot of fun.
Love it! Happy yarn!! Here in Utah, they ran an article about the knitters “bombing” an area in Salt Lake City (part of an art fair, I think). My hubby showed me the picture of a woman knitting a cable knit cozy onto a live tree….I said “oh, that’s called yarn bombing” – having learned that from your blog! He rolled his eyes and realized I’m way too far into knitting and crochet to ever return!