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Movies & TV Movies & TV Reviews

Yarn: Doc about artisans who work in knitting and crochet lacks depth

YARN (Una Lorenzen). 76 minutes. Some subtitles. Opens Friday (October 21). See listings. Rating: NNN


Yarn is a charming if superficial look at the state of crafting around the world, as represented by four very different artists who work in knitting and crochet, connected very loosely through a voice-over by author and serious knitter Barbara Kingsolver. 

The doc is filled with bright colours and intriguing projects  – mermaid tails! yarn bombings! – and it zips between its subjects as they discuss their own stories and themes. 

But the short running time keeps director Una Lorenzen from providing much in the way of additional context, which gets a little frustrating. (Full disclosure: I’m married to a knitwear designer and author, so I was able to ask her how Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam creates her gargantuan nylon playsets. Not every viewer will be so fortunate.)

Ultimately, Yarn holds together thanks to its charming imagery and the evocative frame Lorenzen constructs from Kingsolver’s evocative reading. If you just want to see some really lovely textiles, this movie has plenty, but I wish it had gone more than stitch deep.

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