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Knitting Data: Data Visualization and CraftsMain MenuKNITTING DATA: DATA VISUALIZATION AND CRAFTSCraft as Recorded InformationKnitting DataPattern and Pattern KeyGalleryBibliographyRebecca Michelson4a4ccee9feeebed3cb8d89cff64cd7c90a95f6d5
Knitting and crocheting data has proven to be a useful tool for activists as well, particularly when it comes to displaying climate data in an accessible and engaging way.
Marine scientist Joan Sheldon made a scarf as a high impact way of demonstrating climate change from the year 1600 to 2015. When she presented it at a conference, Joan explained that "Even scientists who were familiar with the data wanted to touch the scarf, to find the year they were born. “They never would [do this] with a science graph,” she says. “It approaches you in a different way.” See Dr. Sheldon's work here.
Dr. Laura Guertin of Penn State created the above crocheted graph of temperature as a poster for a conference in 2017. Calling them "Temperature Tapestries," Dr. Guertin wrote: "I was surprised at how easy it was to talk about changes in weather and climate with people with yarn as my tool." Read more about Dr. Guertin's Tapestries here.
1media/PSU Temperature Tapestry_thumb.jpg2020-05-04T11:35:36-07:00Dr. Guertin's Poster Presentation2Dr. Guertin's Poster Presentation "Utilizing Crochet to Showcase Temporal Patterns in Temperature Records from One Location and to Spark a Climate Conversation"media/PSU Temperature Tapestry.jpgplain2020-05-04T13:23:59-07:00