Yesterday I woke up and decided "today is the day, I am finally going to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_bombing">yarn-bomb</a> something."  This is something I have been wanting to do for years, but never really had the guts to do it.  I have always been afraid that I might get arrested.  Ha!  Unfortunately I hardly ever have time for personal knitting.... so knitting for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_bombing">yarn-bombing</a> is something that wasn't a high priority.  But I looked through a box of swatches I had and found a few that would work.  These were swatches that were submitted to books and magazines that I didn't end up needing anymore.

So I drove around looking for a quiet little corner.... I didn't go very far, two blocks away (I could have walked).  So I took my little swatch a decided I was going to sew it onto this stop sign.  So I start seaming... and I want a really good and strong mattress stitch, it's gotta be perfect.  All of a sudden this quiet little street corner becomes the most popular and buzzing corner in the world.  What the hell?!  I think about 50 people walked, biked, and drove by this corner in the 5-7 minutes it took me to stitch this piece.  One lady in her car just stopped and stared at me- but I a was professional &amp; focused bomber, I wasn't going to look up.  It was pretty awesome, and I felt like such a rebel with a cause.  The cause of knitting!  Here is my little stop sign covered in love.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0002-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1548"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1548" title="DSC_0002" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_00021-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a>

If you are wondering which yarn I used, of course they have both been discontinued.  The light green is <a href="http://www.pagewoodfarm.com/">Pagewood Farm</a> Cheechako and the dark green is <a href="http://www.knittingfever.com/c/noro/yarn/">Noro</a> Cash Iroha.  That's my little bit for earth day.

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Then I went home (drove the two blocks back- happy earth day!) and felt such a rush.  I wanted to do more.  So Rory and I decided that he will be my lookout and I will bomb it up!  Woohoo!  First we decided to drive over to the historic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Mile,_Los_Angeles">Miracle Mile</a> for inspiration where there was recently a bombing incident in front of the <a href="http://www.cafam.org/education.html">Craft &amp; Folk Art Museum</a>.  Here are some photos of the bombing there.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0011-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-1550"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1550" title="DSC_0011" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_00112-e1335208182985-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a>

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0014/" rel="attachment wp-att-1551"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1551" title="DSC_0014" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_0014-e1335208229540-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a>

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0020/" rel="attachment wp-att-1552"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1552" title="DSC_0020" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_0020-e1335208292452-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a>

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After looking at these massive yarn-bombing pieces I felt empowered to bomb a big street... like Wilshire Blvd.  So I took out a huge red swatch I had made years ago and found a spot near the lamp post that was crocheted and bombed a bike rack.  At first I was thinking I might add to the original <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_bombing">yarn-bombing</a> but I didn't want to show any disrespect and start a turf war.  Here are a couple images of the bombing in progress.  What a rush!!!  Wilshire Blvd!!!

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0037-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1555"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1555" title="DSC_0037" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_00371-500x334.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></a>

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0032/" rel="attachment wp-att-1554"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1554" title="DSC_0032" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_0032-500x334.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></a>

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Remember, when yarn-bombing a good seam is very important!  This was by far one of the coolest experiences ever.  I didn't get stopped by any cops or anyone... and way less people walked by here (even though I am right across the street from the <a href="http://www.tarpits.org/">Tar Pits Museum</a>- as you can see behind me in the photo) than did on my quiet little street corner. Here is a photo of my yarn-bombing, the original bombers and <a href="http://www.lacma.org/">LACMA</a> in the background.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0063/" rel="attachment wp-att-1556"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1556" title="DSC_0063" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_0063-500x334.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></a>

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Then Rory and I were pretty hungry so we headed back in the direction of home over to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-por-favor-santa-monica">Tacos Por Favor</a> for some tacos!  After lunch I was still feeling the high of bombing and wanted to bomb just one more thing.  It just happened to workout that we were two blocks away from <a href="http://www.wildfiber.com/">Wildfiber</a>... I thought, "Lets go bomb in front of <a href="http://www.wildfiber.com/">Wildfiber</a>!"

I found the perfect place right in front of the shop- a neighborhood watch sign, how perfect is that?!  So I pulled out another swatch, this time it was <a href="http://www.knittingfever.com/c/noro/yarn/noro-silk-garden/">Noro Silk Garden</a> - with cables... reversible ones in case someone lifts up the bombing to take a peek underneath.  Here are a few photos of the bombing in progress.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0086-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1558"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1558" title="DSC_0086" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_0086-500x451.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="451" /></a>

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/my-first-yarn-bombing-experience/dsc_0072/" rel="attachment wp-att-1561"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1561" title="DSC_0072" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_0072-500x433.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="433" /></a>

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After I got the piece sewn together I had to shimmy it up the pole and sew it in place so that no one moves it (I did the same with the first one on the stop-sign with the green hearts).  This was a fun day and I think I will be doing much more of this when I can spare a little bit of time, and Rory really enjoyed it too.  I have a few swatches on the needles for a future blog post... maybe they will become bombings in the near future!

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