Little Free Library Sweater | Tips and Tricks Why? Why does your library need a sweater? Because you can! Wrapping public objects in knit, crochet, or other yarn craft is a form of street art called yarn bombing. If you are a yarn crafter who is lucky enough to own a little free library, you have an opportunity for an art installation! Yarn ● Use bulky or doubled up worsted weight for a quick knit. ● The perfect use for cheap acrylic yarn! ● Source it creatively: ○ Get it from the thrift shop. ○ Shop your own yarn stash for leftovers. ○ Ask your local knitting groups. ○ Put the call out to your little free library patrons. Needles Gauge If you do use bulky yarn or doubled worsted, go Usually, yarn bombs work best when they are for the big size 15 needles. This will make stretchy and they hug tight to the object they’re your knitting go super fast, and help create a wrapping. No matter which weight yarn you use, nice, stretchy fabric (see Guage). knit a little more loosely than the recommended gauge so your knitted fabric has lots of stretch. Design Installation This is the fun part! Yarn bombs work well with Wrap your library in its cozy sweater (you may need bold designs and bright colors. Keep in an assistant). Stretch the sweater tight and mind that this is a temporary object, so keep sew it together around the library. Your sweater things simple and save your intricate, time- will “wear in” and stretch out over time, so keep it intensive knitting for keepsakes. pretty tight to start with. Don’t worry if it doesn’t sit right after you finish sewing; you’re Measure the dimensions of all the surfaces going to fine tune the fit next. Once you’re done you’ll be covering. Make your sweater sewing, use a whole pile of little brass narrower than your width measurements so that it has to stretch tightly around the library Eowyn Savela | LFL#11105 www.facebook.com/jamesstreetlibrary | Ravelry ID: eowynjesse 1 of 2 Little Free Library Sweater | Tips and Tricks (and won’t sag down). Knit your library thumbtacks to secure the sweater to the library sweater flat so that you can sew it into place and make it stay put in the right places. around your library. You can make a frame around the door with narrow strips of knitting. Go all out and cover the post, too! What else? ● Make sure your library is fully finished with paint or stain before you give it a sweater. Yarn doesn’t keep the rain out (duh!). ● Your library sweater is not permanent. It will get weather-worn and start to sag and look bad - and that’s how you’ll know it’s time to take it down… and make a new one! ● You could make your library a new sweater for every season. ● Involve your library patrons by asking them to knit squares for a patchwork sweater. ● Put together a learn-to-knit kit with needles, yarn, and basic knitting instructions. Offer it up in your library to spread the knitting love. ● Have fun! Yarn Bombing Resources http://yarnunderground.com/2013/04/03/yarn-bombing-101/ http://www.ravelry.com/ http://www.magdasayeg.com/ http://twilighttaggers.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-yarn-bomb.html Eowyn Savela | LFL#11105 www.facebook.com/jamesstreetlibrary | Ravelry ID: eowynjesse 2 of 2 .