Cosy up to a tree it's a new fashion in street art | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

Yarn bombing, or knit graffiti, is a new form of street art taking the world by storm - and Hawke's Bay is jumping on board.

People are encouraged to "adopt" one of the 99 palm trees along Emerson Street in Napier and design an original "tree cosy" to adorn it.

Avid knitter and tree cosy event organiser Maree Buscke suggested the idea, after seeing what people were doing across the globe.

"It's basically a movement of knitters and crocheters using the medium to brighten inanimate objects," she said.

"It's moving graffiti from the current art statement to something new, which also has the ability to be removed. It adds colour, art and beauty without damaging anything."

Creative Napier community arts co-ordinator Christine Heaney was right behind the initiative.

"I think it's just great, we have had a lot of good feedback.

"We are not the first city in New Zealand to do it, but we are the first to create an event out of it."

Napier Inner City Marketing manager Meg Rodel said the cosies would add colour and character to the central city.

"It's a bit of colour and something to put a smile on people's faces in the middle of winter. It's offbeat, a little bit quirky."

She also hoped the event would bring people together and keep the craft of knitting alive.

"It is a way to involve everybody, from people who are just learning to knit, to old people in rest homes."

To get the ball rolling, Skeinz in Napier has donated free tree cosies starter packs, and a workshop to brainstorm ideas will take place on Tuesday at Community House in Napier from 5pm.

As far as designs are concerned, the sky is the limit - though Ms Heaney said some things should be avoided.

"We don't want any advertising, anything political, racial or offensive. It's supposed to be light hearted and fun. We don't want to turn it into a black art."

The removable art form originated in 2005 with 37-year-old Magda Sayeg from Houston, who got the idea after making a custom cosy for the door handle of her boutique.

Cosies will be put up on the palm trees in Emerson St in Napier from August 13 to 28.