News

Yarness does BearDance! Posted on 8 Mar 00:46

Yup, we're heading to Dallas for TBRU and BearDance, where on Friday March 13th we'll be having a Yarness pop-up shop upstairs! Stop by, try on a Yarness, take some pics, rub some bellies, and chill out with us!

One shot, two kitties, and three Yarnesses Posted on 1 Feb 03:00

Yarness creator, Ryan Crowder, completes a longshot lip sync in a single with Loren R. Robertson Productions. A love letter to the Mission in San Francisco.

Longshot Lipsync: I Might Survive from Loren R. Robertson Productions on Vimeo.

Not Quite Your Gay Uncle’s Fetish Harness But Not Your Grandma’s Crochet Either Posted on 30 May 02:49

For Immediate Release:

Not Quite Your Gay Uncle’s Fetish Harness But Not Your Grandma’s Crochet Either.

San Francisco-based crafter Ryan Crowder launched his line of crocheted fetish gear – Yarness – with an Indiegogo campaign (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/yarness). Yarness, the world’s first hand crocheted fetish/fashion harness, injects traditional fetish accessories with approachability and cheerfulness.

“In 2009 I crocheted a soft pink harness and wore it to San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair,” said Ryan Crowder, co-founder of Yarness. “It received a strong and positive reaction I hadn’t expected – people took pictures and asked me where they could get one. And so was born the idea for launching Yarness.”

Part fetish accessory and part fashion accessory, Yarnesses are available in a variety of styles and an endless array of colors. The garments can be worn strictly for “NSFW” fun or can be layered with clothing for a “SFW” look that provides an intriguing pop of color.

A Yarness can be purchased on www.yarness.me

Vegan – Each Yarness is entirely vegan. We work with strong plant-based fibers and acrylic yarns as opposed to wool or alpaca.
Body-positive – Yarness is for every body. Our styles can be worn as tight or loose as you want. They can be worn directly on the skin or over clothing. The styles we have chosen benefit different bodies, such as the trucker which frames a belly quite nicely.
Locally made – Each harness is locally made. We work with crafters to crochet each strip, and assemble them ourselves.

Q&A

What was the inspiration for Yarness?
I moved to San Francisco to study Human Sexuality in 2004. A big part of SF gay culture is leather and fetish street fairs such as Folsom and Dore Alley. I enjoyed the fun and sexy nature of these street fairs and liked how the leather harnesses looked on the people around me. What I also noticed was a good chunk of people just enjoyed dressing up in harnesses and fetish gear without actually intending to use the garments for sexual purposes. I saw fashion accessories and my mind started buzzing. Around this time I learned to crochet.

How did you first get started making Yarnesses?
In 2009 I crocheted a soft pink harness and wore it to Folsom. The harness got an immediate, strong and positive reaction, people took pictures, and I was hooked (crochet pun intended). Each year after, I produced another crocheted harness. I experimented with different styles and colors (including a jock strap). I amassed a good number of these harnesses, and I realized that I was designing a fashion line.

Where do you see people wearing a Yarness?
A Yarness is great for events like Folsom Street Fair, Pride, Mardi Gras, Southern Decadence or any cause for celebration. Designers like Zana Bayne have done a lot to change where and how people wear harnesses, and wearing a Yarness as a part of an outfit when going out or dressing up is also a great idea. Oh, and don’t forget they are also a fun item to play with in the sack.

Are there other ways to support Yarness?
We are offering a variety of products in addition to Yarnesses. We have DIY kits for people to make their own Yarnesses, tank tops and t-shirts, as well as mobile wallpapers. We are even selling ooprtunities to finance a local yarn bomb.