If you strolled down the pier on Saturday you would have found it difficult not to notice pieces of brightly coloured knitting tied along the pier railing.
Welcome to guerrilla knitting.
This is graffiti, but with yarn. It's not something new - people have been doing it for years, all over the world - but Saturday's session in Saltburn was extra special.
Last October, we reported that a knitter, or knitters, had tried to pull the wool over the eyes of hundreds of visitors and residents by tying scarves and knitted figures to various parts of the town centre - to lamp-posts, railings, buildings and outside the library. Knitted teddy bears were also to be seen having a picnic on Marine Parade.
But now the latest 50-yard long Olympic-themed creation which has suddenly appeared on Saltburn Pier has stitched up the title as one of the longest scarves in the North-east.
Scores of people have been doing a double-take at the “marathon” scarf as they walk along the historic pier.
Every few metres a different Olympic sport has been portrayed - from synchronised swimming to a cycling velodrome - each with their own little group of knitted athletes.
What's the point, though? "It's about making people smile and bringing art out of the galleries so everyone can appreciate it," is the comment of Magda Sayeg, one of the world's most revered guerrilla knitters.
Although we are not able to reveal the identity of the Saltburn yarn bombers we can confirm from a reliable source that this particular piece is the work of more than one individual and it has captivated everyone who has seen it.
Kerry Paterson: "It's big! Whoever knitted this is very talented! Absolutely fab it is! Go see."
Louise Tierney: "This is brilliant. We were down on the pier on Saturday morning and saw it, a lot of time and effort has gone into this knitting, definitely worth a visit to see it."
Rachel Armstrong: "It's fab, I like it when something simple can put a smile on your face :)"
London 2012 - Saltburn Yarn bombing as reported in the Telegraph
London 2012 - BBC video of the mystery knitting on Saltburn Pier
It's a Stitch Up - The Sun
A yarn of Olympic Proportions - Daily Mail
Who Darn it? - Darlington and Stockton Times
Saltburn Pier - Debbie Stogden Photography
Saltburn Yarn Bomber - Evening Gazette
Saltburn Yarmbombers- Kate Burton
ps Early birds visiting the Pier this (Sunday) morning would have noticed three individuals busily making sure the marathon knitting masterpiece was all shipshape and Bristol fashion! :-)
Tuesday 13th: Saltburn Yarn bombers featured on Daybreak.
Here Comes the Sun - Northern Echo
Torville and Dean make an appearance:
Fantastic! It's being facebooked here in the US (OK, I started it - proud to be a Saltburn girl, but friends in Wisconsin, Colorado & California are all admiring the pictures)
ReplyDeleteI havent stopped laughing since I saw this in the telegraph and looked on the website for further information.
ReplyDeleteHave sent it to all my "crafty friends" but they promise they havent been to Yorkshire
Fantastic, put a smile on my face. I am in South Africa at present but if I was in UK would definately come and visit. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love this!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! Does anyone know if this is still in place? I would love to see it. We are seeking creative knitters in Whitby for a project called the 'Great Sandwich Pic-Knit' - take a peep at the blog: greatsandwichpicknit.wordpress.com!
ReplyDeleteHolly, Whitby.
It was still there on Monday 4th June and may I say it looks splendid.
ReplyDeleteI am a secret knitter and would love to help put right the vandalism that I hear has happened. Is there any way I can do this?
ReplyDeleteThis is marvellous and so much work put into it. Please tell me that this "exhibition" (I can think of no other way of descibing it) will be put on show somewhere a bit safer from the elements sometime? I am not really in favour of the odd little bits that appear here and there but a display like this is really good. We spent ages looking at it. Brilliant. Well done everyone.
ReplyDelete