Alaska knitter 'yarn-bombs' town for beauty [View all]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A knitting enthusiast in southeast Alaska is yarn-bombing her seaside community by wrapping public poles in knitted casings, sort of like a small-town Christo let loose with doilies.

Fran Hartman has just begun her personal beautification effort in picturesque Sitka. She's decorated four poles and plans at least eight more, with some knitted contributions coming from fellow knitters she's met around the world. The Sitka idea is one she's thought about for months before launching it earlier this month.

"You can only knit and crochet for so many people in your life," Hartman said. "I needed to keep my creative juices flowing."

She doesn't have the city's official permission, but her work is drawing positive reactions. Hartman, 61, is a former teacher who retired from the Everett School District in Washington state before sailing around the world with her husband, then settling in Alaska several years ago. She lives on a sailboat with her husband in Sitka, a town and borough with a regional population of about 9,000 located 90 miles south of Juneau.

More at http://www.caller.com/news/watercooler/alaska-knitter-yarn-bombs-town-for-beauty .