41 Extraordinary Knit Designs

Knit Graffiti?

Crafting is a great way to spend time with friends and family, and it usually doesn\'t cost much money. In fact, there are many ways to repurpose scraps, orphaned buttons and other household items into functional and creative masterpieces, especially through knitting, crocheting, needlepoint and the like. There is also a growing availability of green knitting products, such as yarns made of naturally treated wool or organic cotton, as well as recycled fibers.

Several books help point the way toward working with repurposed and organic materials, including Sewing Green and Alterknits. We also find inspiration from many crafters who are pushing the envelope, and sharing their work online.

Shown here is part of the Yarn Theory Gorilla Knitting Project at PS 122 Gallery in New York City. Read on for more examples of urban knit art, which some call \"green graffiti.\"

Yarn Theory Gorilla Knitting Project

Another view of the decorated fence in lower Manhattan. It\'s about playful colors and soft materials in the tough urban landscape.

Crafty Squirrel

The knitting family of crafts can be remarkably creative and versatile, with surprising results. New York City\'s Nicole Gastonguay makes delightful creations like this adorable squirrel with acorn.

Pickles

Nicole Gastonguay uses a combination of crochet and needlepoint, and works up her whimsical designs without formal patterns. This means each piece is unique, like this jar of pickles.

My Bologne Has a First Name: Knit

You can order Gastonguay\'s unique work from her shop -- or get inspired and start creating your own pieces.

Packed Like Sardines

The sky is the limit when it comes to unleashing your own creativity. Who\'d have thunk sardines could be so cute?

Not a Robot

This cute and cuddly robot won\'t become a totalitarian overlord. At least not yet...

A Better Mousetrap

Cheer up little mousetrap, you won\'t be breaking any tails anytime soon.

Shake it Like a Polaroid Picture

Remember these? Digital photography is actually greener than relying on toxic chemicals for processing. But that doesn\'t mean we don\'t have nostalgia for the old ways.

Life Finds a Way

We love Knitted Landscape, a collaborative site that encourages people to upload photos of their own creative projects. The community is about \"knitting, art, inspiration, landscape, beauty, humor, nature, photography, imagination, make people smile.\"

We adore the images of handmade mushrooms and other natural designs, placed in provocative spaces. It gets us thinking about humankind\'s tremendous impact on the planet, our relationship to the natural world, and our perspectives on it through art, creativity and the senses. And they\'re cute!

Shelf Fungus

This fantastic knit shelf fungus seems to be right at home in picturesque woods in the Netherlands. We wonder how it inspires hikers who come across it.

Mushroom Graffiti

Looking like a bit of guerrilla gardening, this knit \'shroom is a new type of green graffiti, taking back public spaces for the natural world. (At least in theory.)

Fruit of the Loom

An Urban Flower

Knit Cairns

Growing on Trees

Knit, Rattle and Roll

If you\'re short on time or skill, you can still bring a smile to your baby\'s face with these adorable fruit rattles from Bella Luna Toys. Handmade by artisans paid Fair Trade prices, kids love the soft toys.

Transforming a Gas Station

A thought-provoking project of the International Fiber Collaborative, dubbed World Reclamation Art Project (W.R.A.P.), brought together the work of professional artists, hobbyist crafters and students, all with the goal of highlighting society\'s harmful dependence on oil. Participants crocheted, knitted, stitched, patched or collaged 3-foot-square fiber panels, with each unique one expressing concern about the topic.

The panels were then sewed together, to completely cover an abandoned gas station in central New York. This project is an example of people remaking an ugly industrial legacy into something softer, gentler and more beautiful.

Cross Stitch Obama

Although not without controversy, Shepard Fairey\'s iconic Obama image helped energize a generation. Make your own memento of this historic time with the plans from Subversive Cross Stitch. This also got us thinking about what other messages crafty folks might want to share...

Knit Mike Bloomberg

Speaking of inspiring political figures, TDG\'s Gloria Dawson spied this cuddly caricature of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. If you\'re in town stop on by Lion Brand Studio to take some knit or crochet classes, and make your own. Or check out a local shop in your area. Crafting is good for hand-eye coordination, keeping the mind sharp, and meeting new people. And it can reduce our need for mass-produced goods.

Recycled Cotton Yarn

Lion Brand also makes yarn, including many rich colors spun from soft recycled cotton. It\'s perfect for baby clothes, lightweight garments or washcloths, and is made from fabric pieces that would otherwise be discarded. Clippings are sorted by color, minimizing the amount of dyeing needed. The cotton is blended with acrylic to enhance performance.

Recycled Plarn Hat

As Green Upgrader points out, here\'s a safe (and smart!) way to put plastic on your head. My Recycled Bags.com has detailed instructions on how to transform 20 used plastic bags into a one-of-a-kind accessory.

In fact there are many potential uses for this so-called \"plarn,\" which is plastic yarn made from plastic refuse that has been cut into loops, girth hitched together into longer strips, and woven or knitted into a coarse fabric.

Plarn Bracelet

Recycled Newspaper Yarn

Get detailed instructions on making your own yarn from recycled newspaper at Green Upgrader.

Recycled Newspaper Yarn

Believe it or not, lots of things can be made from recycled newspaper yarn, such as curtains, screens, throw rugs, even furniture coverings. The material may not be quite as durable as traditional fabrics, but it has a unique, rustic look that\'s a great conversation starter.

Knit Trees

A number of artists around the world have created stunning installations by knitting trees. Here\'s one colorful example from the Global Arts Village Delhi in India.

Knit Trees

Entitled \"tree cozy,\" this crocheted masterpiece by Carol Hummel took 500 hours to complete. The colorful installation stood for nearly three years outside Cleveland Heights City Hall.

Knit Trees

A group of women known as the jafagirls have been \"yarn bombing\" Yellow Springs, Ohio for some time, spreading crafty cheer. The group\'s \"knit graffiti\" has stayed up for months, and has been added to by the community.

Logan Square Knit Trees

Fabric helps a city block come alive at Chicago\'s Logan Square. Photo by Daniel X. O\'Neil.

Knit-Covered Tank

Protest art has taken many forms over the years — and sometimes requires people to take up their needles. In a recent project in Denmark, artists covered a tank by knitting and crocheting, turning a menacing machine into a pink plaything. A video about the making of the project — which protests Western involvement in the Iraq War — is available from the Nikolaj, Copenhagen, Contemporary Art Center.

Yarn Theory Gorilla Knitting Project

Knit Hendrix

Some of the true pioneers of the knit graffiti movement are Houston-based KnittaPlease, a group bringing color and expression to urban landscapes in a nondestructive form. Knitta \"tags\" have been seen around the world and have inspired a number of other artists. What do you think of the idea?

Knitta Rail Jam

Look how much happier things look in color! Also check out these fun videos of KnittaPlease.

Car Cozy

This old junker got a cheery spruce-up, thanks to KnittaPlease.

I Love Knitta

Spread the crafting love!

Knit Tie Graffiti

Stockholm\'s historic sculpture of Karl XIII gets a dapper update in the form of a knit tie and peace sign, courtesy of Maskerade.

Territorial Knitting

In Territorial Knittings, Lauren Marsden covered the signs of every street on which she has lived in Victoria, British Columbia (without permission from the city). Luckily, she knit replicas of the signs, so the goal wasn\'t confused motorists. She definitely made her mark!

Subversive Cross Stitch

The timeliness and playfulness of Subversive Cross Stitch reminds us how crafting need not be only for an older generation. We can take the tools of our grandparents and refashion our own styles, based on our values and sensibilities. Isn\'t that what Stephen Colbert would do?

Subversive Cross Stitch

We\'re LOLing over this anthem for net denizens and skeptical college students everywhere. We also ask WTF is up with those who hate on our planet?

Subversive Cross Stitch

You may have been hearing about bees in trouble around the world. Well now is your chance to show some support for our pollinating buddies!

Knit Bed

Get sweet dreams in this one-of-a-kind bed.