Photo Gallery Germany's Knitting Guerillas
Ute Lennartz-Lembeck knit this rainbow sweater for a weeping willow in the German town of Velbert. She is one of many Germans caught up in the global craze of "knitting graffiti," installing colorful yarn creations in urban spaces.
Lennartz-Lembeck, who lives in Remscheid, packed her trunk full of essential supplies before setting off for Velbert.
It took approximately 200 hours of labor and 400,000 stitches to complete the project.
The tree shows off its stripes at night.
Lennartz-Lembeck founded the knitting graffiti group B-Arbeiten, a play on the German word "bearbeiten," meaning to revise. Hers is one of several knitting guerilla groups in the country.
The work of knitting guerillas "Strick & Liesel" has an activist focus. The Dortmund-based duo, who maintain their anonymity, have created the "Fluffy Throw-up" knitting project to protest nuclear power, a hot-button issue in Germany these days.
B-Arbeiten aims to add color to bleak city streets and spark some thought for passers-by. Here, a B-Arbeiten sign with the German word for "idea" on it graces a signpost in Cologne.
B-Arbeiten proves that knitting graffiti need not be limited to urban centers. The group has work in both urban and rural areas. Here, the German word for space, "Raum," decorates a lonely lakeside area.
Lennartz-Lembeck also sends work abroad, localizing the language accordingly. "Futuro" (future, in Spanish) found a new home in Spain. B-Arbeiten creations can be found in 8 countries and 32 cities around the world, Lennartz-Lembeck says -- even in Haiti.
The german word for "courage" dons another B-Arbeiten creation.
For the holidays, Lennartz-Lembeck also sends out post-friendly knit creations.
