The lovely London Kaye has been yarn-bombing her way to crafting stardom for several years, and we here at Lion Brand are thrilled to be collaborating with her in a big new way! Her work has been recognized by big brands, and by passers-by who are inspired to take selfies with her street art. We’ve played together to create a new line of yarn, crochet hooks to keep you smiling, and kits to share.
London is a Brooklyn-based fiber artist, but she’s travelled the world to spread her love of crochet and following her passion: making people smile. If you’ve had the chance to visit our Manhattan Studio, you’ve probably seen her work! She designed our current winter wonderland window display, and we’ve featured her work often since first falling for her whimsical style. Her inspirations? Christo, Picasso, and her mom.
While her methods defy ‘fine art’ traditions, like a true artist, she finds inspiration everywhere. From new & current events, to pop culture, to cultural events & traditions like holidays, to colors or people around her – no detail is too big or too small to find its way into her work. She says, “There is always something to be inspired by around every corner,” and this outlook has kept her busy, and garnering national attention.
Her work has been featured by many impressive publications (The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Elle, and more), and has crocheted pieces for some major brands (Starbucks, anyone?). But she holds true to her first passion: making people smile. Despite all this well-deserved attention, her work is born from street-art, and that’s where she always returns, hanging art in public spaces from NYC to Venice Beach, Rome to Mexico City. And this week, sunny LA!
Two new pieces will be cast on to public spaces in Los Angeles this week, to celebrate our new collaboration! Last Friday, a collection of crochet flowers bloomed onto a mural space in Silver Lake. And on Valentine’s Day, a giant crochet heart will swell in Pershing Square! This 10ft x 10ft creation will be made out of London Kaye LKYC Yarn, our new fiber created with London.
With 23 fun & funky colors, this Super Bulky yarn is durable enough to withstand the elements if you plan to yarn-bomb, but soft enough for indoor projects, as well!
We’ve also played with her to design a set of colorful crochet hooks, and some really sweet theme packs.
With 11 project possibilities, these Theme Packs include yarn & instructions to create a yarn-bomb of your own! It’s a fun intro to a totally new way of crafting, whether you plan to decorate in your neighborhood, or hang up in your home! If you’re in a lovey-dovey mood, check out Spread the Love, and gift to yourself or one of your crafty Galetine’s this week.
London’s process is one of distillation. She has a background in dance, and came to NYC to study ballet. Imagining in terms of movement helps her think outside the box. London usually begins by drawing, before ever getting
her hook in hand. Her goal is to translate her idea, the shapes, into their simplest form. From there, she figures out the scale of the piece she’ll be creating.
She shares:
“But every once in a while a piece will take on a life of its own and I go with it. Sometimes more beauty lies in places you would not expect.”
We asked, ‘Do you have any creative mantras to keep you going if you get knitter’s block?’ Her response was heart-warming: YOU CAN DO IT! She repeats it to herself when she gets discouraged, ‘You can do it, you can do it, you can do it…’ This generous self-talk has kept her crafting through some high-pressure projects, and certainly infuses her pieces with the joy they radiate.
Her favorite soundtrack for crafting? Podcasts! “It’s a great time to learn new things. My favorites are ‘How I Built This’ and ‘Almost 30’
London offers a revolutionary piece of advice to crafters struggling with a WIP: “Crocheting and knitting can take a long time, so when something is not right it is hard to part with it, you want to make it work. But I have found that even though I may have spent a long time working on something, it does not mean I have to use it and make it part of the final product.” Staying flexible is key when venturing into new crafting territory, and this mantra could be applied liberally throughout our lives: LET IT GO.
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Chris sleight
Wish your ergonomic crochet hooks came in smaller sizes
Ally Carey
Thank you for the feedback, Chris!
Sigoni Schaap
Wow! She is so creative and officially one of my yarn crushes. I’ve only heard about yarn bombing a few times but I most definitely want to find out some more about it. It sounds like a blast!
Ally Carey
She is a big yarn-crush of ours, too! Her kits are a pretty fun way to get started. 🙂
Georgia Stringert
I’ve seen a lot of yarn bombs and most were quickly taken down which makes them something of a waste of time and money for all of that yarn and crocheting.While it surprises people and gives them something to talk about, I think it’s a stretch of imagination to call it art!
Ally Carey
Hi, Georgia – in many places it’s considered graffiti, especially if you don’t have the permission of the property owner (hence, it gets taken down ASAP). It is a fun surprise if done thoughtfully in terms of location!
Sharon Katona
I’ve done yarn bombing to bring awareness to civically minded projects like Chlid abuse.
It’s a great way to be with like minded people and shine a light on a cause.
Ally Carey
Hi, Sharon – amazing to use your crafting for important causes like this one! Thank you for sharing!
Marian Mateer
my fingers don’t work well anymore & I love to crochet. this looks like a fantastic solution. I’m starting with stars.. Thank you.
Ally Carey
So happy to hear you’ve found the craft that works for you – can’t wait to hear how your stars turn out! 🙂