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Knit It, Knit It Big

Jul 052010

I was super excited when local Ottawa knitting artist Greta Grip (check out her Winterlude Urban Cozy Artist profile) invited me to assist her with her “knitting big” installation at a group show at Blink Gallery last month. The show was called “Pop Shop” and was poking fun at the National Gallery of Canada across the street and their summer blockbuster Pop Life.

Greta had created 14 ft knitting needles measuring 94 mm in diameter. She used long cardboard tubes and papier-maché that had been sanded down and then painted grey. For yarn, she ripped up large pieces of fabric and wrapped it into a ball.

A couple weeks before the show, we sat down with a needle each and whipped up a swatch of 10 stitches acrows and 10 rows down.

She added her name to the ends of the needles:

This was our finished swatch before the show:

Compare to the Guinness Book of World Records holder for largest knitting needles: Julia Hopson of Knit Wits, Penzance, Cornwall.

Julia knitted a tension square of ten stitches and ten rows in stocking stitch using knitting needles that were 6.5cm in diameter and 3.5 meters long. These were ten times the size of a standard 6.5mm and 35cm long knitting needle. The yarn was rope of 12mm in diameter. Does that mean Greta’s were a wee bit taller?

Posted by spins & needles on July 5, 2010 Connecting Creatively, Craft, Craft Show Highlights, Pop Culture 3 Responses »

Urban Cozy Project Artist Profile: Greta Grip

Feb 092010

Switch-Swatch (2007, 2010)

As part of the Winterlude Urban Cozy Project, Spins & Needles is profiling some of the makers who have contributed to this public art installation at Winterlude 2010.

First up is Greta Grip, who’s an Ottawa-based knit artist who’s known in the city for everything from knit performances (Knit-It in 2005-6) to knit installations (her piece Knit-trution was displayed at Blink Gallery on Parliament Hill in November 2009). And we’re proud to say she attended the first Spins & Needles night ever in February 2005!

Here’s what Greta had to say about her involvement in the WUCP, her other knit installations and how the city and travelling has influenced her work.

S&N: Describe your contribution the Winterlude Urban Cozy Project.

GG: I knitted giant green leaves out of some Fentax that was given to me by my Aunt Betty, many years ago. These leaves were knitted from stem to the tip of the leaf and then repeating from stem to tip. In total there are twenty-three leaves that span twenty feet long. This piece will be submitted to the Winterlude Tree Cozy Project.

I am also placing a knitted “Switch Swatch” cozy (pictured above) on our lilac bush in our front garden. This Switch Swatch (2007) was a project that some of my friends organized. They suddenly caught the knitters bug, and they wanted to have some practice mingled with fun. A number of people were interested and we all knitted swatches for each other, then met up a month later and switched the swatches. This Winterlude Urban Cozy Project inspired me to place them outside for all to see and enjoy.

Knit-It @ National Gallery of Canada (2006)

S&N: What inspired you to participate in the WUCP?

GG: I can’t say no to public display of knitting! I enjoy graffiti knitting. I organized the Ottawa/Gatineau chapter of KNIT IT and NIPPLE IT. KNIT IT was an international graffiti knitted movement that occurred four times within two years. This included knitting on Parliament Hill and the National War Memorial and under the Spider and in the National Gallery’s Great Hall.

I also organized NIPPLE-IT on October 1, 2006 for breast cancer awareness month. Crafters made knitted nipples. They were then we displayed at a popular Ottawa bar for the month of October.

Knit-tritional (2007-09)

S&N: What are some of the other knitted pieces you’ve made and exhibited?

GG: I have recently come out of my knitting closet and exposed my knitted objects. Here are a few of my items:
-“Can’t Go Wrong With A 24Hr Bra” –This item was originally made for a Breast Cancer Awareness auction. It consists of two very happy eggs, a bacon ruffle along the sides, sausage links for straps and a black plastic fork and knife across the centre.
“Positive, Negative, Colour, Ants On A Log” –This item was made for SAW Gallery Fund Raiser. It consisted of three knitted celery sticks with a knitted strip of peanut butter and knitted raisons. One is knitted in colour the others are in the positive and negative form.
-“Knitritional Value” –This item took me two years to make, among other knitted items. The core knitted item is the digestive system that is surrounded by fifty-three different foods.

Ants on a Log (2008)

S&N: You’ve travelled a lot. What’s one crafty/arty/culture-related experience that still inspires you today?

GG: People are not shy to knit and natter. I have travelled quite a bit, and even if you can’t speak the language through words everyone can speak knitting. Either they themselves have been fascinated by the concept of having two sticks and a piece of string to make something, or have been exposed through family and friends.

S&N: How does your city inspire you creatively? What would you like to see more of in your city?

Ottawa inspires me to knit in order to keep warm. This city is also a blank slate, to knit.
–

Check out Greta Grip’s 20 feet knitted Pentax leaves at Parc Jacques-Cartier during Winterlude.

Posted by spins & needles on February 9, 2010 Craft, Creative Profiles, Event Highlights, Knitting, Le Flaneur, spins & needles 2 Responses »

Knitting, Gritting and the Fourth Plinth in London

Jul 232009

Performances at Traflagar Square near the Fourth Plinth. In celebration of Antony Gormley’s One & Other Project (via Deadly Knitshade’s Flickr stream)

In line with last Thursday’s royal theme, I thought I’d share some upcoming, really innovative knit-related events happenings in London, UK this summer/early fall.

Last week, two knitters, Marian and Alix, occupied the top of the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square as part of artist Antony Gormley’s One & Other public space project (on until October 14). Gormley has called on the public to enter a draw in which they may be selected to get atop the Plinth as a “living monument” and do whatever they want. If you’re heading to London before the end of the project, you may want to enter the draw (anyone can enter!)

Space Invader at Banksy’s Cans Festival last September 2008, London

On Sunday August 1st, if you’re in London, head over to the Tunnel, hidden below the Waterloo station on Leake St, SE1 for the city’s first gritting (graffiti + knitting) event. Knitted or crocheted pieces will be used to decorate the the tunnel alongside graf artists who’ll be spraying and painting their own interpretations. Judging from the awesome work and atmosphere created in the same tunnel at the Cans Festival last year organized by Banksy (which I was lucky enough to catch when living in London last year), this fusion event looks like the place to be (via iKnit).

Pom pom table hosted by Pom Pom International at iKnit weekender, September 2007, London

Speaking of iKnit, the Vauxhall-based knitting store, check out their official iKnit 2009 weekender on September 11th and 12th with appearances by Debbie New and more special guests yet to be announced. I was able to check the 2007 edition with Debbie Stoller and 2008 edition with Stephanie Pearl-MacPhee and they were quite fun!

For all those heading over to her royal majesty’s territory in the near future, check out my upcoming post on crafty, creative and music city guide to London.

Posted by spins & needles on July 23, 2009 Craft, Exploring The World, Le Flaneur 1 Response »