The Knitivity was made by the Knutty Knitters, a small group of women from Bristol.

The lifesize tableau began as a tribute to their friend Christine who had been one of their knitting group members. She was cared for at St. Peter's Hospice before she died. The Knitivity raised £156,000 for the hospice over six years.

It took a year to make the characters, and was shown for the first time at the St Peter's Hospice shop in Yate in 2012. After that it toured at Christmas for several years.

A photograph of the Knitivity in the snow at Clifton suspension bridge was turned into the charity's most popular Christmas card ever, in 2013.