Yarn Bombing and Phishing

We went "Pish-ing"… well, our Bonnie Braid Macramé cord did anyway!

Celebrity “yarn bomber” Carol Hummel recently used our US made cord to cover palm trees and decorate at Phish Riviera Maya, a three night concert event at a resort in Mexico. Here are some photos of the spectacular work she does:

Carol Hummel - Yarn Bombed Palm Trees at Phish Riviera Maya 2017

Carol Hummel - Yarn Bombed Palm Tree at Phish Riviera Maya 2017

Carol Hummel - Yarn Bombed Palm Trees at Phish Riviera Maya 2017

MMmmm! Jelly Sale...

Find Jelly Cord at RexlaceClub.com

We have another $1.99 Deal this month: Jelly Cord is on sale for $1.99 for each 75 Foot Spool! We've got 15 brilliant colors to choose from. Find them at Rexlace Club HERE or on the Macrame Super Store HERE.

This Jelly Cord Sale is available online and running now through September 30, 2016.

Did you make something from the Jelly Cord you want to show off? We want to see it and so do your peers so feel free to share you creations on our Facebook Page, or email us if you'd like to see your work on our blog.

Meet Portia and Jeffrey

The Maritime Explorium. Close-up of museum entrance Portia & Jeffrey.
Photos made courtesy of Tracy Feldman.

Textile designer Tracy Feldman designed a yarn bomb for the Maritime Explorium children’s museum incorporating the museum’s bright logo colors, a nautical theme and a 4’ crochet seahorse named Portia and a 4’ octopus named Jeffrey. These crochet sea creatures were named in honor of the village of Port Jefferson, NY where they are located.

Portia The Seahorse.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

10 ladies crocheted the design from March to early June 2016. The crocheters include Tracy and her mother Lorraine who worked on Portia the seahorse, another mother and daughter team (Jean and Kelly Bodami) who crocheted Jeffrey the octopus and other expert crocheters.

Playing around with mini crochet octopi at The Maritime Explorium.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman.

The Portia and Jeffrey Yarn Bomb is made with over 10,000 yards of Bonnie Braid yarn. 6mm yarn was used on the columns. Portia uses 6mm orange, turquoise, sapphire and white yarn, and she is made with triple crochet and single crochet stitches. Jeffrey was made using 4mm orange yarn, his suctions cups are magic circles made with 2mm white yarn. It took the crocheters approximately 500 hours total to create and install the design. 

The Maritime Explorium.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

For the large white portions of the columns, 2 skeins of yarn were crocheted together to made yards of white chain stitches that create a nautical rope design element that works well on the tapered columns. The crocheters started with a size P or Q hook and quickly opted to use their fingers to crochet the white chain so it would twist less and lay flatter on the columns. 

Volunteers crochet columns.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

Finished Column at The Maritime Explorium.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

Happy visitor at The Maritime Explorium!
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

The royal, turquoise and orange color blocked pieces were made with single crochet stitches. Half double crochet stitches were used for the sunshine yellow stripes and thin white stripes between the colors. Simple stitch work maximizes the bold burst of colors visitors will see from any direction when walking in the village.

Portia the Seahorse at The Maritime Explorium.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

 
No hardware or special supplies were needed to secure the exhibit to the columns, only Bonnie Braid yarn was used for the yarn bomb. The pieces were crocheted, fitted and sewn very tightly to work with the column’s carvings and architecture, and prevent sagging. Portia is lightly stuffed with pieces of plastic bags to fill her out a bit.  

Jeffrey the Octopus at The Maritime Explorium.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

Jeffrey the Octopus at The Maritime Explorium.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

  

Jeffrey is stuffed with plastic bags filled with cut up pool noodles that were wrapped in orange plastic table cloths so orange and not the stuffing would not show through the stitches as he was molded into shape.

The Maritime Explorium Coral Reef Window Display.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman.

 
In addition to the building’s crochet pieces, this yarn bomb has 2 brightly colored covers accenting the flowers in the larger square planter boxes. The box covers are made with 6mm yarn and are half double crochet.

The Maritime Explorium.
Photos made courtesy of Tracy Feldman.

The Portia and Jeffrey Yarn Bombed was created for the June 4, 2016 Maker Faire the museum hosted and will run through summer 2016 or longer.  The Maritime Explorium is located near the ferry terminal at 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson, NY, (631) 331-3277 www.maritimeexplorium.org.

Maker Fare Helpers.
Photo made courtesy of Tracy Feldman

Visit P & J Yarn Bombers Facebook page for additional info and photos.  The yarn bombers are Celeste Anton, Debra Zodda, Dorothy Cardi, Jean Bodami, Karen Korshak, Kelly Bodami, Linda Lazuta, Lorraine Sweeney, Maureen Spanos and Tracy Feldman.

Lawn Chair Season is OPEN!

They're here at last! Lawn Chair Season can finally begin!

You asked and we listened: We've produced a stronger wooden-armed steel lawn chair frame to really hold-up to wear and tear. Don't like the natural look of the wood? Easy to re-finish!

We're selling the chairs in pairs to help alleviate some of the shipping costs. Visit MacrameSuperStore.com for more details on the lawn chair frames.

NEW! Bonnie Braid Flavors

NEW! Bonnie Braid cord colors!

We wouls like to introduce to you some new variegated cords to our Bonnie Braid macrame cord line. These tasty "flavors" were inspired by Samantha Grenier's colorful craft book release Hello! Macrame (Fox Chapel Publishing/Design Originals, March 2014). Take a look at these yummy new combos:

These delicious cords are available now on Macrame Super Store.com. Each blend has been made available in 4mm and 6mm thicknesses from the Bonnie Braid line.

Hand-Stitched Hamlet - Oyster Bay, NY

Hand-Stitched Hamlet, Oyster Bay, NY
Photo courtesy of Carol Hummel 2014

The Hand-Stitched Hamlet was completed in June 2014 with the help of 150 wonder women who crocheted 225,000 feet of 4mm Bonnie Braid (from Pepperell Braiding Company) into 500 pieces to cover 48 trees, 34 lamp posts, and 4 kiosks in the historic downtown area of Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY.

Artist Carol Hummel with her assistant (8-month-pregnant daughter) Molly Sedensky turned the town into a living piece of contemporary art during a 6-day stitching marathon.  During the one-year-long project, relationships developed, friendships formed or were renewed, the lines of communication between people of all sorts were opened through ART. 

Molly and Carol, Oyster Bay, NY
Photo courtesy of Jon Maus 2014

Oyster Bay is now a piece of artwork for people to live within and to enjoy.  AND the project raised $1,000 for the Youth and Family Counseling Agency of Oyster Bay-EastNorwich.  Now THAT's art in action!

Check donation for Hand-Stitched Hamlet, Oyster Bay, NY
Photo courtesy of Carol Hummel 2014

The project was sponsored by Patti & David McSkane, owners of the Knitted Purl shop in Oyster Bay; the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce, and the Oyster Bay Main Street Association.

Heart on a tree, Oyster Bay, NY
Photo courtesy of Carol Hummel 2014

This post was contributed by the fabulous Carol Hummel. Visit her website to see more of her vibrant projects: carolhummel.com. Photos were contributed by the artist. Photography copyrights belong to Carol Hummel and Jon Maus.

Like what you read? Check out the article posted about the project from the New York Times. And keep an eye out on Long Island next Spring for their next venture!