Shoppers in the town of Alhaurín de la Torre in Spain have a colorful way to beat the heat! For the past three years, a crochet (kroh-SHAY) canopy has been strung over the main shopping street. Besides being beautiful, the patchwork covering provides cooling shade.

Crochet is a method of making fabric out of connected loops. About a dozen students in a local crochet class worked together to make the squares that form the canopy. Their designs replaced a large plastic tarp that used to cover the street. Crochet fabric is more eco-friendly than plastic—and much more eye-catching!