The Spanish coastline during the summer can have unbearable heat, especially due to rising temperatures caused by climate change. As a result, towns such as Alhaurín de la Torre are bombarded with dangerous levels of heat for residents and tourists. However, there is relief in the town’s shopping district thanks to a growing group of knitting grannies.
In 2019, Eva Pacheco partnered with the Senior Citizens’ Social Center to knit a multi-quilt awning to shade the popular Malaga Street from the sun. The heat had been a growing issue for Spain’s tourist industry, especially along the coast. It was important to protect citizens and visitors alike from sunburn, heat stroke, or worse.
A different kind of community project
Every Wednesday, 40 elderly women from the community would gather, socialize, knit, and crochet for three hours. They would then stitch all of their creations together to create a colossal quilt. In the end, they created a 500-square-foot awning so residents and tourists could shop on Malaga Street while being protected from the sun. To say it was a success would be an understatement.
The shade provided by the giant blanket lowered the temperature by as much as ten degrees. It also shielded folks underneath from harmful UV rays. Since the knitted awning was primarily made from water-resistant synthetic yarn, it wouldn’t absorb water during rainy days.
Lastly, it was reusable. The awning could be taken down after the summer months. This way, it could be washed, repaired, and reinstalled every year.
The awning that keeps giving
It not only improved the lives of the shoppers outside, but also those of the knitters and crocheters. The majority of the team that created the massive quilt were older widows who didn’t have many social outlets for making friends. Along with that, according to AARP, knitting can also help stave off Alzheimer’s, among other health benefits.
Since its initial creation, the colorful, shade-producing blanket has dramatically increased in size. It is currently over 13,000 square feet and features many more colorful designs. In 2024, the group started creating knitted blankets and quilts featuring the faces of celebrities like Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, and many others. While intended to protect tourists while shopping, the awning has become a tourist attraction itself.
Other places take notice
Their success has since inspired many other communities to create their own quilted canopies to provide shade. The residents of the nearby city of Coín have also created quilt barriers to protect against the sun’s heat. La Línea de la Concepción has a similar series of canopies, but they are made of mandalas rather than blankets. It has also inspired New Iberia, a sister city of Alhaurín de la Torre, to make its own “crochet ceilings.”
Over time, there will hopefully be other methods to cool down our streets. There is something to be said for the fact that it took creativity, community, and a little bit of fun to come up with a quality solution.
