Follow Friday: Art Yarn

From Drop Box

From ArtYarn's about blurb:

ArtYarn is a collaborative knitting and crochet project coordinated by visual artist Rachael Elwell.


ArtYarn formed in 2008 and continue to collaborate with local community groups, world wide knitting and crochet networks and arts organisations to create gallery installations, public arts projects and creative craft workshops.


ArtYarn are inspired by the versatility of knitting and crochet as an artistic media, as well as the traditional technical aspects of knitting and crochet.


This supports the creation of highly crafted art works with a contemporary outcome. All ArtYarn projects reflect the artistic, social and historical contexts of knitting and crochet, and focus on the tactility of hand manipulated processes.


With this, ArtYarn explore individual creative expression and focus projects on devising ways to make knitting and crochet accessible through participatory making.


ArtYarn are currently based; At Ebor Mill Studios, Littleborough, Lancashire (UK), and from ArtYarn's home town Todmorden, West Yorkshire.

I like following Art Yarn because I like to be reminded of the art associated with my craft. I don't think of myself as an artist. I create things, but I rarely use much creativity. I think that a lot of knitters are artists, but I sometimes forget that. I've found that since I've become a knitter, the way I view knitted things has changed. My ability to recreate something dulls my awe of a lot of knitting.  This means that when I am in the store and I see a sweater I'm not as impressed.  I now weight the benefits of getting it quickly and cheaply now against waiting and customizing it to myself later.

While I generally think this is a good thing for shopping (I've stopped buying as many mass-produced, poor fitting, acrylic sweaters) it is not as good, but almost as strong when it comes to hand knits.  I have huge respect for people who create and design knit pieces. Sadly, respect does not have the same immediate emotional impact that awe does.  Art Yarn regularly posts yarn bombings and creative pieces that are fiber creations, but are different from the sock, sweater, and blanket patterns that I regularly see on Ravelry. That difference is enough to re-inspire the awe, and remind me how much more than a craft my hobby is.