Trees hooked on crochet in Greerton

Like the suburb's residents, the trees in Greerton, Tauranga are rugged up in winter woollies.

On Thursday, avid knitters, including Auckland-based crochet designer Alia Bland, decorated trees, lamp posts and buildings in the suburb with colourful yarn designs.

Members of the group Greerton Guerillas organised the event, which has occurred every winter since 2013.

Known as yarn bombing, the practice of creating knitted street art is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, as the art of knitting makes a comeback.

This year's yarn bombers drew inspiration from the work of 20th century Austrian-born artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Many of the designs created at the event featured circular patterns reminiscent of Hundertwasser's paintings.

Hundertwasser designed and built an eco-friendly "bottle house" in the Bay of Islands in the 1970s, as well as proposing a new Kiwi flag featuring a green koru design. He was buried in New Zealand after he died at sea in the Pacific in 2000.

Greerton Guerilla Khan Maguire with one of the pieces of yarn art. Photo / Alan Gibson

Photo / Alan Gibson

One of the yarn bombed trees in the Tauranga suburb of Greerton. Photo / Alan Gibson