Knitters flocked downtown Saturday morning to decorate the trees in yarn.
Edie Smith, director of marketing and membership for Downtown Topeka Inc., said more than 20 people had shown up to participate in “yarn bombing” around 11:30 a.m.
Smith also said the decorations were allowed to stay on the trees until they begin looking ratty and torn, but did add people were allowed to add on to the yarn decorations on the trees after Saturday. People are allowed to fix the decorations when they begin looking worn, as well.
While the knitters added their creations to the trees, curious onlookers would ask about what they were doing or comment about how they liked the idea and designs.
Some people brought unfinished projects to wrap the trees in, while others felt the creative spark and began knitting pieces right on to the tree. Donated pieces dropped off at different areas around town were also given to participants.
Michelle Hodges was one of the people who was working at S.W. 8th and Jackson. She said she got her inspiration for weaving after taking two classes at Washburn University and has been crocheting since she was young.
“I intern for Topeka Metro, and I saw it (the announcement for the event) and thought this would be a cool thing to do,” Hodges said. “I can be able to display my own work. I got to find something to do with it.”
The original idea for the event came from a Washington, D.C., neighborhood trying to increase visibility for its arts assets.
Although the city gave permission to wrap trees, participants were told they needed to ask business owners to wrap anything else. Participants at S.W. 8th and Jackson wrapped trees only, however.