Michaels Marks First International Yarn Bombing Day On June 11

IRVING, Texas, June 07, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Michaels, North America's largest arts and crafts specialty retailer, celebrates the first ever International Yarn Bombing Day on Saturday, June 11 from 1 - 5 pm with in-store yarn bomb installations and knit-a-thons at five locations.

International Yarn Bombing Day was started to encourage yarn bombers around the world to display pieces of knitting and crochet on a single day to raise awareness of the fast growing art form.

"International Yarn Bombing Day celebrates the art forms of knitting and crocheting, and we want to recognize and support knitters and crocheters by marking the day in our stores," said Michaels CMO Paula Puleo. "We are continually impressed by the creativity of all our customers, and salute those who share their unique art with their communities."

Yarn bombing is a type of street art that features displays of knitting or crocheting on ordinary objects in the community such as street signs, trees, public buildings and monuments. Yarn bombers have also been known to cover cars, bikes, phone booths, buses and just about anything else.

Michaels will have yarn bombers displaying their craft in these five Michaels stores: Manhattan (808 Columbus Avenue); Chicago (3131 N. Clark Street); Dallas (5500 Greenville Ave.), Burbank, CA (1551 N. Victory Pl.) and Toronto (30 Billy Bishop Way.) The five in-store events will also feature a knit-a-thon where knitters can come in and create blankets and wagon liners for the Starlight Children's Foundation, which helps seriously ill children and their families cope with pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.

"We appreciate Michaels for including Starlight Children's Foundation in this fun, creative event," said Starlight CEO Jacqueline Hart-Ibrahim. "Their continued generosity, along with the knitted donations, means a lot to some very special hospitalized children."

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