Is yarn bombing the new graffiti in Lethbridge?

LETHBRIDGE – Move over graffiti artists, knitters are taking their craft to the streets. It’s called yarn bombing, and it’s a global trend that looks to soften the harsh city landscapes with wool and yarn in many different shapes and sizes.

“Yarn bombing is textile graffiti by doing stripes or squares,” said Karen Philpott, a teacher at Chinook High School.

The stitching happens every Wednesday at the high school, where a group of avid knitters as well as those who want to learn started a yarn-bombing group.

“People always make old lady jokes, especially when they find out we have a knitting club, but they also think it’s cool,” explained Brigitt Morton, a Grade 12 student.

So far the group has yarn bombed over two dozen trees in Galt Gardens park in Lethbridge. Philpott says it is legal.

“We have to get city approval to do this at the park and they would not let us do the parking meters, so we stick to the trees.”

While many may think of knitting and crocheting as grandmotherly, the club at Chinook High is becoming diverse. In fact, Philpott said a male a teacher was spotted knitting during one of his spare periods.

“It’s active and relaxing and peaceful and it calms students and staff down,” Philpott said.

Unlike paint graffiti, yarn bombing can be removed from any fixture with little trouble, using just a pair of scissors.