Savta Connection Takes Urban Knitting to Tel Aviv's Streets

Thanks to Tel Aviv based blog, Oh So Arty, we recently learned of a new decorating trend hitting the sometimes dirty and dreary streets of Tel Aviv.  Urban knitting.

If the term “urban knitting” makes you think of old ladies sitting in the middle of Rothschild Boulevard with needles and yarn in tow, think again.  And if it makes you think of large gatherings of women getting together in some city apartment to knit scarves and socks for their loved ones – a la 2 Knitting Needles Studio based in Haifa – then you’re a little closer but not quite there yet.

The urban knitting we’re talking about is executed by a group called Savta Connection (or, Grandma Connection) that wishes to add beauty and softness to the city by integrating knitted pieces into the urban landscape.  Knitted pieces are attached to benches, adding warmth and color to people’s days.  On an environmental level, the presence of local, handmade (and therefore low-energy) decorations are a far greener alternative to the omnipresent billboard ads and flyers that usually decorate the streets.

In Savta Connection’s own words: “We, the people of Savta Connection, wish to give something back to the city we love, and the way we see it, there is no better way than Urban Knitting.  Urban Knitting is a soft, inoffesive form of Street Art that finds its inspiration in the old feminine practice of knitting.  Like other forms of handcraft, knitting is a great way to create unique, one of a kind pieces of art which present an appealing and heart-warming alternative to our consumerism washed society and city.”

So far their knitted street art has included a love sign, oranges, and a hannukiah during the holiday.

Savta Connection extends a warm invitation to whomever wants to join their cause!

Read more about urban eco-friendly art::

Recycling Bins Take the Form of Art in Tel Aviv

ReUse: An Evening of Eco-Art in Central Jerusalem

Abu Yoyo: Closing the Loop in Banner Advertising

Karen Chernick
Karen Chernickhttps://www.greenprophet.com/
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
10 COMMENTS
  1. There have also been some “Savta Connection” type knitting on the streets of Jerusalem. Saw a bench near Bibi’s house decorated with crochet. One problem is when it rains. The knitted fabric will still be holding the water long after the bench has dried. Maybe urban knitters could knit with plastic bags instead? Or would that be less cosy for the benches and trees wearing the knitting?

    http://greenprophet.com/2008/05/09/423/recycling-plastic-bags-handbags/

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

TRENDING

Quintin Tarantino walks on a bike lane in Tel Aviv

Quentin Tarantino lives in Israel now, quietly blending into Tel Aviv life (which is pretty loud and late night!) — until Tel Aviv, of course, notices him.

How to make mushroom paper

Learn how to make sustainable paper from mushrooms using tough, fibrous fungi like artist’s conk, turkey tail, and birch polypore. This eco-friendly craft transforms woody polypores into strong, chitin-based sheets perfect for art projects, greeting cards, or handmade journals. Our step-by-step guide to mushroom papermaking covers soaking, pulping, forming sheets with a mould and deckle, and drying methods—showing how fungi can replace traditional wood pulp for unique, natural paper.

All 13 Tel Aviv Beaches Reawarded the Prestigious ‘Blue Flag’ for 2025

Reaffirming its leadership in sustainable coastal management, all 13 of Tel Aviv-Yafo’s public beaches have once again earned the prestigious Blue Flag certification for 2025. This honor, awarded by the International Blue Flag Committee and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), recognizes beaches that meet exceptional standards in water quality, safety, accessibility, and environmental education.

Japanese factory lets you knit your own socks with a bicycle

The workshop on socks provides an immersive experience, guiding participants through the complete process of sock-making. After the knitting phase, SOUKI’s skilled staff steps in to sew the toes and apply a press-finish, ensuring the socks are ready for wear.

Tel Aviv’s mayor Huldai is taking smart phones from schools – his irony in education

Waldorf schools, created by Austria's Rudolph Steiner, are the fastest-growing school system in Israel because of their focus on arts and crafts and their avoidance of technology in the classroom. It’s ironic that Huldai is being praised for pushing a tech-free school environment while his administration shattered a community that has been practicing this philosophy for over a decade.

Qatar’s climate hypocrisy rides the London Underground

Qatar remains a master of doublethink—burning gas by the megaton while selling “sustainability” to a world desperate for clean air. Wake up from your slumber people.

How Quality of Hire Shapes Modern Recruitment

A 2024 survey by Deloitte found that 76% of talent leaders now consider long-term retention and workforce contribution among their most important hiring success metrics—far surpassing time-to-fill or cost-per-hire. As the expectations for new hires deepen, companies must also confront the inherent challenges in redefining and accurately measuring hiring quality.

8 Team-Building Exercises to Start the Week Off 

Team building to change the world! The best renewable energy companies are ones that function.

Thank you, LinkedIn — and what your Jobs on the Rise report means for sustainable careers

While “green jobs” aren’t always labeled as such, many of the fastest-growing roles are directly enabling the energy transition, climate resilience, and lower-carbon systems: Number one on their list is Artificial Intelligence engineers. But what does that mean? Vibe coding Claude? 

Somali pirates steal oil tankers

The pirates often stage their heists out of Somalia, a lawless country, with a weak central government that is grappling with a violent Islamist insurgency. Using speedboats that swarm the targets, the machine-gun-toting pirates take control of merchant ships and then hold the vessels, crew and cargo for ransom.

Leopoldo Alejandro Betancourt López Turned Ocean Plastic Into Profitable Sunglasses

Few fashion accessories carry the environmental burden of sunglasses. Most frames are constructed from petroleum-based plastics and acrylic polymers that linger in landfills for centuries, shedding microplastics into soil and waterways long after they've been discarded. Leopoldo Alejandro Betancourt López, president of the Spanish eyewear brand Hawkers, saw this problem differently than most industry executives.

Why Dr. Tony Jacob Sees Texas Business Egos as Warning Signs

Everything's bigger in Texas. Except business egos.  Dr. Tony Jacob figured...

Israel and America Sign Renewable Energy Cooperation Deal

Other announcements made at the conference include the Timna Renewable Energy Park, which will be a center for R&D, and the AORA Solar Thermal Module at Kibbutz Samar, the world's first commercial hybrid solar gas-turbine power plant that is already nearing completion. Solel Solar Systems announced it was beginning construction of a 50 MW solar field in Lebrija, Spain, and Brightsource Energy made a pre-conference announcement that it had inked the world's largest solar deal to date with Southern California Edison (SCE).

Related Articles

Popular Categories