Socks Kill in Knitting Tournament

Mysterious crafter decorates West Cape May park

(NEWSER) - The trees in West Cape May, New Jersey, don't have new leaves yet, but some of them do have knitted coverings that resemble scarves. The cozies appear overnight, and the guerrilla decorator—or decorators—are the talk of the town. "It doesn’t bother me," says one resident of the beach town at the southern tip of the state. "It’s better than somebody spray painting all over the place." More»

Now your grandmother can be a vandal

(NEWSER) - Graffiti’s latest trend stems from a grandmotherly tradition—and it’s more likely to prompt laughter than arrests, proponents say. Yarn bombers knit sweaters and cozies for public objects from lampposts to cars to mailboxes, the New York Times reports. Victims have included the iconic Wall Street bull and the statue of Rocky outside Philadelphia’s Museum of Art. “Street art and graffiti are usually so male dominated,” says one yarn bomber. “Yarn bombing is more feminine. It’s like graffiti with grandma sweaters.” More»

(NEWSER) - Pet lovers can always keep their hounds close with blankets spun from Fido's shed fur, a quirky new product developed by a North Carolina entrepreneur, reports the Los Angeles Times. One golden retriever owner stashed her pet's sheddings for 11 years and now has a nice afghan to show for it, even though her dog passed on to the giant fire hydrant in the sky. More»

Sales of craft supplies and handmade items shine

(NEWSER) - Although the economic downturn has nearly everyone pinching pennies, craft stores are watching theirs stack up as holiday gift-givers are saving money by making their own gifts or buying handmade items from others, the New York Times reports. While overall retail revenues in November were off 7.4% from last year, the $5.9 billion craft sector is enjoying booming sales, according to retailers. More»

Use a signature gift to cut costs, give meaningfully

(NEWSER) - Tight budgets are forcing Americans to skirt the season's traditional buying frenzy and make gifts that put "emphasis on people, not stuff," Melissa Magsaysay writes in the Los Angeles Times. She's creating "a creative signature gift" of Ugandan beads that she's turning into bracelets: The one-size-fits-all present "will make the recipient smile, think of me, and feel appreciated.” More»