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Man Hand-Knits Sweaters of Places and Then Wears Them in Front of Their Exact Locations

Knitted Sweater by Sam Barsky

Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

Artist Sam Barsky has a unique way of commemorating the places to which he's traveled. Instead of opting for the usual tchotchke like a magnet or a coffee mug, he hand-knits his own sweater in advance, depicting imagery from the specific locale he intends to visit. He then goes to that place and poses in front of it while donning his knitted garment. The sweater doubles as a wearable postcard that is impressive in its intricacies, and this can be seen across Barsky's textile portfolio. His subject matter ranges from fields to bridges to lighthouses to rock formations, and each is instantly recognizable when worn across his chest.

The Baltimore-based artist has been knitting for two decades and produced over 140 sweaters during that time. To him, traveling and knitting go hand in hand. When he travels, he gets inspiration for his garments, and by trekking to those places, he has a purpose for wearing what he has made. “I just finished one of the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan,” Barsky tells My Modern Met, “and I traveled to get a picture there.”

Baltimore is a place that continually pops up in Barsky’s work. Right now, it’s the focus of his knitting. “I am working on finishing up one of the Baltimore Inner Harbor now for some projects there, and after that, I plan to do more Michigan themed sweaters for when I return in January.”

Scroll down for some of Barsky's travel knitting and then follow him on Instagram to see where he's off to next.

Artist Sam Barsky creates hand-knitted sweaters featuring imagery from places around the world, and then he goes to those locales and poses in front of them while wearing his custom garment.

Sam Barsky Sweaters

Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

Artistic Knitting of Sam Barsky

Yad La-Shiryon in Latrun, Israel

Hand Knit Sweater by Sam Barsky

Grand Canyon in Arizona, U.S.

Knitted Sweater by Sam Barsky

Ellis Island in New York City, New York, U.S.

Knitted Sweater by Sam Barsky

The Statue of Liberty in New York City, New York, U.S.

Artistic Knitting of Sam Barsky

Hudson River (tribute to 9/11) in New York City, New York, U.S.

Artistic Knitting of Sam Barsky

Tower Bridge in London, England

Hand Knit Sweater by Sam Barsky

Windsor Castle in Windsor, United Kingdom

Hand Knit Sweater by Sam Barsky

Creamery Covered Bridge in West Brattleboro, Vermont, U.S.

Sam Barsky Sweaters

Dinosaur Land in White Post, Virginia, U.S.

Sam Barsky Sweaters

Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Hand Knit Sweater by Sam Barsky

Sedona, Arizona, U.S.

Hand Knit Sweater by Sam Barsky

Montgomery College Globe in Germantown, Maryland, U.S.

Knitted Sweater by Sam Barsky

Portland Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, U.S.

Sam Barsky Sweaters

Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

Sam Barsky Sweaters

Boulder Creek, Colorado, U.S.

Sam Barsky: Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Sam Barsky. 

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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