PunnikinBombing --has this been missing from your artistic life?

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Ever heard of PunnikinBombing? I though not.

Ever heard of a Punnikin? If not, don't worry, I'll (sort of) get round to defining this below

Ever heard of YarnBombing? Perhaps, but if not, this is how Mr Wicked P Dia defines it:

Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, yarn storming, guerrilla knitting, kniffiti, urban knitting or graffiti knitting is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted of yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk.

When I was away in Holland last week, the Crocheters and Knitters of Sigean took over the local park. This is how they YarnBombed some of the trees:

Neat, eh?

I decided to get in on the act -- but I can neither knit nor crochet.

However, inspired by, helped by and encouraged by Suus in Mokkum, I started Punnikin-making last week.

What's a Punnikin? Well gthe famous Dutch Mijnheer Wicked P Dia and the infamous Google Translate came up with this (which is not very helpful, but bear with me:

Punniken (or spool knitting) is a technique of wire (usually) wool to make a hollow strand while using a punnikklosje and a crochet hook. Punniken is a simple form of circular knitting, thread forming rows of loops which the loops of the next row of hanging. Of this strand can then sew again as other consumables are made by techniques or it can be used as decoration. For example, by wrapping the cord spiral on a mold and joining things can be incurred. Hats and gloves And to present the skein in a zigzag pattern may, for example, a scarf to be made. The technique belongs to the hobbyist craft techniques.

Many of Suus' art incorporates Punnikins, and perhaps you've seen them there..or even been lucky enough to receive one.

I decided to contribute the 4 1/2 Punnikins I have made in the last 4 1/2 days (since I started Punnikin-making) to the exhibition in the park. I even took along my own little tree (as I only had little Punnikins):

Thank you, Suus.

Thank you, trees.

Thank you, Punnekins.

The End

[Heleen de Vaan]

I punniked a Butterfly! (but did not sent it to Sigean this time...)

By the way: the handmade spool has 7 pins instead of 8. Love the idea that it was an optic illusion, apparently, thank you Val! :-)

Cellotape roll is also a good idea, Gina!

[Gü]

Very good heleen, glad to see it works, I thought about saving a large celotape roll once I'm done for making even larger ropes.

[Valentine Mark Herman]

That's clever...and cheap.

And it has 8 pins.

I use a shop-bought wooden one. It only has 4 pins. I might try an 8-pin model later.

Thanks Heleen

[Heleen de Vaan]

Great work, Val! And you've a wonderful teacher, Suus! I am amazed how you managed to create these punnik threads that fast on the tiny punnik spool!

If you wouldn't have been able to do so, I would have liked to recommend the self-made wc-rol knit spool:

Easy to make, out of a toilet roll. And you should like ice cream, because the 'pins' have been created made out of ice lolly sticks. And some wrapping paper to make it sturdy and decorative.

[Suus in Mokum]

Less is more! The lonely four punnik-slierten are the best.

[Gü]

Very effective! I'm yet to see this for real, only seen acts of guerrilla knitting in pictures.

I know spool knitting as french knitting / using a french knitting dolly. I've made a few necklaces this way. I did this on a large dolly, thick rope and just used 2 pegs - et voila a square braid!