Whether you know it as ‘yarnbombing,’ ‘knit tagging,’ or ‘urban fibre art’, guerilla knitting is the newest, most inoffensive form of urban graffiti yet. This delightfully post-modern pastime is taking the UK by storm. Urban knitting interventions are popping up all over the place; on statues, fences, trees, lampposts and bike racks.

Rebel knitters around the world have got it all sewn up. They’ve even woven their own definition for ‘knitivism’ ready for its entry into the dictionary.

Knittivism: (n) 1 a doctrine emphasising vigorous or militant knitting activity, e.g. the use of knitting in mass demonstrations, urban interventions, in controversial, unusual or challenging ways, esp political, causes. 2 the systematic use of knitting for political ends.

So let’s get down to the knitty gritty of this woollen rebellion. What’s brought about all this purling, crocheting and embroidery? The knitting renaissance is brightening cityscapes and opening people’s minds and eyes to alternative art. Deadly Knitshade, one of England’s best known outdoor knitters, explains she is trying to bring a little “woolly sunshine to the city”. All knitted creations are proudly tagged – quite literally with a gift label.

Join the guerilla knitting Flickr group for some inspiration.

And if you’ve spied any guerilla knitting, or have ‘knit one, purl one’ yourself, we’d love to hear your comments…