Yarn, Data, and Community: The Big Reveal of "Knitting the Air"
In the heart of east London, a fusion of textile art, scientific data, community, and environmental activism has taken shape. Knitting the Air is a collective art project where over 130 local knitters have transformed a year’s worth of air quality data into a 12-metre-long textile installation. What began in March 2023 as a grassroots initiative in Poplar has grown into a vibrant community movement raising awareness about air pollution in Tower Hamlets.
Completed blankets. Each square is individually hand-knitted. Image courtesy of Knitting the Air.
Knitters of all ages and abilities from Poplar and beyond have been stitching squares that visualise daily readings from two Breathe London community air quality sensors. The data records two harmful pollutants: nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), represented in blue, and particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), shown in pink, both known to pose serious risks to public health. Each square represents a single day, and by the end of the year the final piece will feature 1,460 knitted squares—an extraordinary handcrafted record of the air the community breathes.
The collective effort amounts to more than 5,000 hours of knitting—a powerful act of care and a shared call for cleaner air. By transforming raw environmental data into something tactile and emotional, Knitting the Air builds understanding and sparks conversations around public health, children’s lung development, asthma, and long-term exposure to pollution. It also demonstrates how creativity can play a meaningful role in environmental activism.
A blanket representing levels of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5). Image courtesy of Knitting the Air.
The work was first shown in 2023 at the Making Space Gallery on Aberfeldy Street and unveiled in full at The Big Reveal this year at The Feldy Community Centre. Supported by EcoWorld London and Fitzrovia Noir as part of Poplar Green Futures, the project also partners with the Breathe London Community Programme, whose research-backed air quality sensors help residents better understand pollution on their streets.
A blanket representing levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). Image courtesy of Knitting the Air.
Beyond its artistic achievement, Knitting the Air has sparked meaningful conversations about environmental health. Over 400 community reflections have been collected, offering personal insights into how air quality impacts daily life. This project exemplifies the power of craft as a medium for storytelling and activism, turning abstract data into tangible, emotional narratives that resonate with the community.
The knitting might be finished, but Knitting the Air’s journey continues. Plans are afoot for a longer exhibition next year in east London, so more people can connect with the pressing issue of air quality through the universal language of knitting.
Words courtesy of Caroline Murray, Project Lead for Knitting the Air.
-
Further Information:
-
Image Credits:
Lead: Every square is hand-knitted to represent one day’s air quality. Joined together, they become a blanket for the month—a tactile record of time.
All images courtesy of Knitting the Air