knitting guy toronto sam barsky

Beloved TikTok artist The Knitting Guy finally visits Toronto with matching sweater

It's finally happened. Sam Barsky has sewn a sweater with the Toronto skyline! The beloved knitting artist who is known for his eclectic medium and hundreds of beautiful sweater was in the city this week.

If you're a TikTok regular, there's a good chance you've seen some of Barsky's videos or work.

The joyous knitter is known for filming himself in front of landmark backgrounds that also happen to be captured on the sweater he is wearing.

He starts each video with "this is my (mallard duck, dolphin, castle..etc) sweater," and goes on to show a couple details about his jumper.

And finally, after many, many skyline sweaters, Toronto has finally made the cut.

A few days ago, Barksey filmed himself on the Toronto Island ferry with the skyline in the background, wearing the skyline sweater. 

"This is my latest sweater of the Toronto skyline. This is not a green screen, I'm actually in Toronto now on a ferry with the Toronto skyline in the background," he says before flashing a huge smile.

Barsky acutally started knitting this sweater two weeks ago and gave his followers a secret peak into the process.

He shows how he introduces a new colour into the sweater, to represent a building, by draping it into his already-completed stitch.

"With my last sweater, which was of Assateague Island, having been finished in late August, I had only 3 weeks to get a Toronto sweater done on time for my visit. I had to work really hard and fast. Fortunately I had the right yarn and it was a pretty easy design," he tells blogTO. 

Working as fast as his fingers could knit, Barsky said he was completeing some 80 stiching rows in a single-day. 

"I got the two sleeves attached just in time for the hotel checkout and was able to wear it with sleeves for a photo op in front of the Toronto Skyline on September 19, thereby successfully producing my signature picture wearing a sweater in front of the scene depicted. "

This is Barsky's and his wife's fourth time visiting our city. They are no stranger to Canada and even honey-mooned in Niagara Falls back in 2003.

Knitting for over 20 years now, Barsky has a very large collection and actually sells them.

His website offers sweaters of ants, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, ice skating, mermaids, playing cards and pumpkin patches.

We hope you enjoyed your visit, Sam! 

Lead photo by

Sam Barsky Knitter


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