The Knitting & Stitching Show 2016

The Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace is such an inspiring event and I really look forward to going every year. This year's Show was on from Wednesday 5th to Sunday 9th October. For the the last few years I have been volunteering on the Knitting & Crochet Guild (KCG) Stand and I am very proud to represent the Guild at the Show. 

The entrance at Alexandra Palace

Our stand showcases items from the Guild's Collection and this year we had seasonal display boards with motifs made from stitch patterns. The stand featured the Autumn and Winter boards with their gorgeous colour palettes. We were also able to show visitors designs from the Spring and Summer boards plus all the amazing background work in an excellent display folder. 

KCG Autumn Display Board

KCG Winter Display Board

A selection of lovely sample knits were also displayed on the stand and we had some interesting discussions about stitch construction as visitors looked through them all.

KCG Collection Knitted Samples

Visitors also stopped to chat to us when they spotted us in our smart new aprons: what an excellent idea by Tricia! The aprons were in white cotton with the Guild logo at the top and had deep front pockets for our yarn and needles. It was great to be able to stand and knit while talking to visitors. I was delighted to find that lots of people were interested in my short row shaping sample. One visitor from Melbourne, Australia even came back to see me on Sunday for another demo!

Short Row Shaping sample

This year the Guild had a whole afternoon slot every day for "Crafters in Action". We were able to demonstrate all kinds of knitting and crochet techniques as our volunteers had brought along lots of exciting projects to share. The table was decorated with beautiful knit and crochet designs and we had many visitors stopping for a closer look. There were plenty of questions and comments about crochet techniques and we had some great discussions, especially about Tunisian crochet. There were several happy visitors leaving with a successful sample. 

The Guild's stand at the show relies on members volunteering their time and skills and this year we had lots of helping hands. This meant there was time for everyone to have a look around the show! I was able to attend two excellent Japanese design events. On Saturday afternoon Katie from Japan Crafts demonstrated how to put on the many layers of a kimono. Katie dressed a tailor's dummy to show us the stages involved. Kimono dressing is a much more physically demanding process that I could ever of imagined, designed to firstly turn the wearer into a cylinder shape with many layers and much padding, then to precicely fold and drape the kimono over these layers. Finally a stunning obi is arranged and folded to compete the dressing. Katie's descriptions and commentary were fascinating and the kimono and obi were very beautiful. 

Kimono and Obi
Japan Crafts

Detail from Obi
Japan Crafts

On Sunday morning, I attended Katie's Sashiko workshop in the Learning Centre. Sashiko is a traditional Japanese stitching technique and the beautiful designs are very inspiring. It was great to actually try some stitching. Katie is an excellent tutor and explained clearly how to tackle these complex patterns. I'll be looking out for more talks and workshops from Katie and Japan Crafts (although Katie is in such demand that she is fully booked through 2017!). I can't wait for next year's show already!

Sashimi Stitching Samples
Japan Crafts

The Forum: A New Norwich Wrap

From Saturday 1st until Saturday 15th October 2016, my hand knitted wrap, "The Forum: A New Norwich Wrap" will be on show to visitors at the Hostry, Norwich Cathedral. In "Norwich Shawls: Past Glory Future Inspiration", the Norwich Costume & Textile Association (C&TA) is taking a look back at the stunning shawls in the collection and then looking forward with interpretations and inspirations from the shawls. I am very proud and excited about my wrap being part of this exhibition! In this post, I would like to share some of my research and design development.

The Forum: A New Norwich Wrap
by Emma Vining

Norwich, Edinburgh and Paisley were all major British centres for Shawl production in the 19th Century and each centre had its own distinctive style. You can read more about Norwich Shawls in this Antiques Info article by Zita Thornton and more about British shawl production in Meg Andrews' article in Victoriana Magazine. A large number of original Norwich Shawls are held in the Costume & Textile Study Centre in Shirehall, Norwich. As part of my research for the Exhibition, I visited Shirehall for a Norwich Shawl Study Day. The chance to get up close to the wonderful shawls and to view the fascinating blue-prints of shawl designs from the Board of Trade Design register was not to be missed! I thoroughly enjoyed the day and appreciated all the fascinating insights shared by the curator. Sketching the delicate details on the shawls really helped me to understand the flow of the designs and patterns.

Detail from my sketchbook
Copyright Emma Vining

During my trip there was time to take a look around the beautiful city of Norwich and my visit to the Sir Michael Hopkins "Forum" building provided the present-day inspiration for my design. The seating in the public area in front of the building suggested a curved design with a smooth stepped surface to contrast with the delicate pine cone and leaf details that I had seen earlier in the day.

Seating outside the Forum Building, Norwich
Photo by Emma Vining

Further research took me to the V&A Museum's Clothworkers Centre where I spent a day surrounded by fabulous Norwich Shawls from the V&A's collection. The Clothworkers team were extremely patient with folding, unfolding and turning the shawls and I particularly appreciated being able to climb the ladder for an overview of the largest shawl! Reading books and publications in the National Art Library in the V&A Museum helped me understand how Norwich, Edinburgh and Paisley competed in the 19th Century for the market in printed and woven shawls. The wonderful books by Pamela Clabburn, The Norwich Shawl, and Helen Hoyte, The Story of the Norwich Shawl, were particularly insightful and helpful.

I spent considerable time thinking about all that I had learned and working on my own interpretations of the designs. Through drawing and sketching, then charting and knitting, I experimented with a wide range of designs. However, it was the combination of the elements of time and scale that became prominent. My final design, The Forum Wrap was inspired by details in a beautiful original 19th Century Shawl in the Shirehall Handling Collection, as well as the modern architecture of the Forum Building in the centre of the city of Norwich.

Detail from my sketchbook
Copyright Emma Vining 2016

My Forum Wrap is knitted in Rowan Silk Wool DK weight yarn that was perfect for this project. The yarn has excellent stitch definition and the elegant sheen of silk. This combination meant that the detailed twisted stitch sections stand out clearly and that the long curved lines inspired by the Forum building look smooth and ribbon-like. The wrap begins and ends with five individual knitted points. The pine cone and leaf twisted stitch design flows from these points and changes in scale as the wrap narrows. A gentle curve to enhance drape and fit around the shoulders is created by working more depth at one side of the wrap.

Detail of The Forum: A New Norwich Wrap
by Emma Vining

I hope that visitors to the Exhibition will enjoy viewing the beautiful Norwich Shawls as much as I have. There are several stunning examples displayed in their full glory in the Hostry and the new textile art that has been inspired by these stunning shawls is fascinating.

Exhibition Poster by the Norwich C&TA

Staircase Inspirations

To celebrate my staircase inspired Balustrade Sweater being in The Knitter Magazine Issue 102, I've been sharing some of my favourite staircase photos on Instagram. In case you did not get to see them, here are a selection. If you'd like to join me on Instagram, here is the link to my profile - please come and say hello!

My first staircase post is the amazing installation by Studio Glithero in the centre of a 17.5m deep stairwell at the V&A Museum in London. This installation was part of London Design Festival and was developed in collaboration with the watchmaker Panerai. Exploring the concept of time, this stunning installation is called The Green Room, after the V&A stairwell.

The Green Room by Studio Glithero at the V&A
Photo by Emma Vining

Here is the view inside the stunning Mackintosh Tower at the Lighthouse, Glasgow. The Lighthouse exhibition space always has a great selection of displays and events. Here's the link to my post about my last visit when I went to see the excellent Hello My Name is Paul Smith exhibition earlier this year.

The Mackintosh Tower, The Lighthouse, Glasgow
Photo by Emma Vining

My next stairwell is in Cornwall and is the central staircase at the Falmouth Hotel. I love the way that he beautiful circular set of curving light fixtures contrast with the angular layout of the stairs.

The Falmouth Hotel Staircase
Photo by Emma Vining

Staying in Falmouth for my next staircase inspiration and this one is inside the Lookout Tower at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. There are fantastic views from the top of the Tower, but I love these stairs too!

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall Lookout Tower Staircase
Photo by Emma Vining

This staircase view is from underneath the stunning central stairs in the Museum of Liverpool. We had a great tour of the nearby Edmund Gardener Pilot Ship led by extremely knowledgable and friendly volunteers from the Museum. Such a great place to visit!

The Liverpool Museum Staircase
Photo by Emma Vining

There are many stunning art nouveau decorative details in the buildings in Brussels, Belgium. I just happened to look up and saw an amazing view of this staircase!

Staircase in Brussels, Belgium
Photo by Emma Vining

My last staircase photo for the moment is from Tate Britain, London: another stunning curved staircase with beautiful lines and details that never fails to inspire me!

Staircase at Tate Britain, London
Photo by Emma Vining

Balustrade Sweater in The Knitter Issue 102

My Balustrade sweater is on the front cover of The Knitter Magazine! I am very proud to have my design on the front cover with a gorgeous sweater by Lisa Richardson. You can see more of all the lovely designs in Issue 102 on the Yarn Loop website and Ravelry.

The Knitter Issue 102
with Balustrade by Emma Vining & Bassey by Lisa Richardson

The stepped design on Balustrade is inspired by the way shadows can add to an extra dimension to a view. I am always fascinated by the way light shining through "things" can elongate and distort lines and stairways are particularly good for this effect. In my sweater design, the combination of lace and cables creates soft lines of steps that move across the garment and meet in the centre. Each step has a twisted stitch and eyelet shadow. A great staircase example for dramatic lighting and shadows is the stunning Nelson Stair at Somerset House, London. I really recommend a visit to Somerset house and there are free tours on Tuesday's and Thursday's that take in many of the highlights and explore the history of this wonderful building.

Balustrade by Emma Vining
Image from The Knitter Magazine

 I love the way the cable steps form a wavy edge on the front of the sweater.

Balustrade by Emma Vining
Image from The Knitter Magazine

I am always on the lookout for interesting stairways and to celebrate Balustrade being published, I will post some of my favourites on Instagram!

Many thanks to Janet T. for contacting me about some errors in the published pattern. The Knitter Magazine will add the errata to their website shortly and updates can be found on the Yarn Loop website.

More Details about The C&TA Norwich Shawls Exhibition

The  Norwich Costume & Textile Association have produced a lovely poster for the Norwich Shawls Exhibition. There are more details about opening times and I hope that lots of visitors will be able to make it along to the Exhibition at the Hostry to see the stunning Shawls.

C&TA Poster for the Norwich Shawls Exhibition

In "Norwich Shawls: Past Glory Future Inspiration", the Norwich Costume & Textile Association (C&TA) will take a look back at the stunning shawls in the collection and then a look forward with interpretations and inspirations from the shawls. I am so pleased that my hand knitted wrap, "The Forum: A New Norwich Wrap" will be in this Exhibition at the Hostry, Norwich Cathedral, from 1st to 15th October 2016. Here is a close up of part of my Wrap. More details soon!

Detail of The Forum: A New Norwich Wrap by Emma Vining

The Knitting & Crochet Guild Journal, Issue 152

The Knitting & Crochet Guild publishes an excellent journal, Skipknot, full of fascinating articles written by Guild members. The latest issue, number 152, has just been delivered and is a great read as usual!

Front Cover of Slipknot Issue 152

The content shows the diverse interests of Guild members, with articles on Hebridean Knitting, Worldwide Knit in Public Day and a Guild visit to the V&A Clothworkers Centre. There are several book reviews including a special focus on Irish Crochet. Alison Ellen's recent exhibition "Soft Engineering" is reviewed (you can visit the Exhibition in Sleaford, 12th November 2016 to 8th January 2017 - see Alison's website for details). Along with branch meeting reports and knitting event reviews, the journal reflects the busy knitting lives of the members!

I am very proud to have three articles published in this issue. My first is a review of the Guild's excellent 2016 Convention (which you can also read on my blog). A visit to Graduate Fashion Week showed that hand knitting is being used in very creative ways by students and recent graduates and you can read more about this in my second article. My third article in this issue is all about my visit to discover more about luxury cashmere garments at Barrie Knitwear in Burlington Arcade, London during this year's London Craft Week. 

If you aren't yet a member of the Guild, please do consider joining. Its a great way to keep up to date with all that is going on in the world of Knitting and Crochet. There is a wealth of information and knowledge amongst our members that is enthusiastically shared at Branch meetings and Open Days. Details of how to join are on the Guild's website. In the meantime, if you don't yet have access to Slipknot, here is my article about my visit to Barrie Knitwear.  

Barrie Cashmere at London Craft Week 2016

(Slipknot, Issue 152)

London Craft Week is an annual event that showcases luxury craft skills. It provides opportunities for highly skilled craft workers to demonstrate their skills. Anyone can attend these events and demonstrations and although some of the events charge a small fee, most of them are free. Looking through the extensive programme for this year's London Craft Week, I noticed an interesting event hosted by Barrie Cashmere at their Burlington Arcade boutique. This was a chance to find out more about the production of luxury cashmere knitted garments. 

Burlington Arcade, London

The Barrie Mill in Hawick produces beautiful cashmere garments for several luxury brands. Founded in 1903, the Mill was famously rescued from bankruptcy by Chanel's Parafection subsidiary in 2012. The Parafection subsidiary is known as the French group's "artisan division", which seeks to promote and preserve artisan skills in fashion. Although the mill is now owned by Chanel, customers continue to include many other luxury brands such as Hermes, Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. In the last few years, Barrie, a distinctive own label, has also been developed. The Burlington Arcade shop is Barrie's second stand alone retail unit. The first shop opened in Paris on the Rue Saint Honoure in June 2014.

Knitwear for the Barrie label is designed by Creative Director Odile Massuger, part of Chanel's own knitwear team. Her beautiful garments combine technical excellence with stunning luxury cashmere fibres. 

The LCW16 event at Barrie was hosted by Claire, who is the head of design. The Barrie mill in Hawick employs approximately 250 people and also runs its own training scheme to develop the specialised skills needed to work with fine cashmere fibres. To our delight, Claire had brought along two big bags of cloud-like soft cashmere fibre for us to feel.

Claire described how each garment is meticulously planned before being knitted up in pieces. Once the main parts of the garment are knitted, they are joined and then washed and pressed. Claire had brought “before and after” samples with her and the difference was amazing to feel. With all the lanolin washed out and the garment pressed, the fibres had softened and the stitches had relaxed. We all had the chance to try on this gorgeous sweater to feel it’s softness first hand!

I particularly wanted to look at some interesting textural open work knitting that I had spotted on the Barrie website. Claire took us for a close up view and explained how the design was formed by knitting each small section separately then joining up these sections and repeating. The resulting machine knit openwork fabric is lightweight and of course, has the beautiful drape of cashmere.

This LCW16 event was a fascinating insight into an own label brand working along side, but distinct from, a large world renowned brand. It was also an interesting example of a big brand nurturing creativity with a view to the long term. Preserving the skills and knowledge at the Barrie mill is a key aim for Chanel. 

For more information on next year's London Craft Week programme, that runs from Wednesday 3rd to Sunday 7th May 2017, visit http://www.londoncraftweek.com. 

Norwich Shawls: Past Glory Future Inspiration

The Norwich Costume & Textile Association (C&TA) have a fascinating Exhibition coming up at the Hostry, Norwich Cathedral. In "Norwich Shawls: Past Glory Future Inspiration", the C&TA will take a look back at the stunning shawls in their collection and then a look forward with textile art inspired by the shawls.

C&TA Exhibition Leaflet detail

I am absolutely thrilled to have had work accepted for this Exhibition! My hand knitted wrap, "The Forum: A New Norwich Wrap" will be in the Exhibition from 1st to 15th October 2016. I will be posting more details about the Exhibition and my work over the next few weeks, so please look out for updates!