The Textiles of Tracey Emin at Tate Modern

Almost 30 years ago Tracey Emin became a household name with her provocative art and equally provocative personality. She and her contemporaries challenged the art establishment and Emin challenged patriarchal attitudes way beyond the art world and became an exemplary voice challenging the status quo. In the intervening years her art has retained that challenge, it is at once incredibly personal, totally unapologetic and totally liberating. It often feels like painful scream, but it always … More The Textiles of Tracey Emin at Tate Modern

The Long Reign of the Woollen Cycling Jersey

As I spent my Sunday afternoon standing on the side of the road waiting for the riders in Italy’s annual long distance cycling race the Giro d’Italia to come by clad in multicoloured lycra, I was reminded of a blog post I had written some years ago on knitted cycling clothes. I had started this post with a magazine pull out which contained full instructions to knit your own cycling jacket. Back then in the … More The Long Reign of the Woollen Cycling Jersey

New Knitting Pattern Release: The Valdes Houndstooth Cowl

Today, as we head into the chillier months here in the northern hemisphere, I want to share with you a new knitting pattern for a classic cowl that will see you through these colder months. The Valdes Houndstooth Cowl is a wonderfully relaxed and easy knit that will quickly become a wardrobe staple. Once a cowl sceptic I have through personal experience, become an absolute convert to this style of double wrap infinity cowl. They’re … More New Knitting Pattern Release: The Valdes Houndstooth Cowl

Mills in our Midst 2: Peter Green, Bradley & Cononley

Today, I want to share another instalment of the Mills in our Midst series. In this series I start with a ball, or in this case a scrap, of vintage ‘mystery’ yarn and use it to dig a little deeper into the industrial and social and economic histories of our craft, and reflect on our lived experience of the post industrial landscapes of our present. The identity of todays scrap of yarn only came to light when I … More Mills in our Midst 2: Peter Green, Bradley & Cononley

Litmus Cowl and Sweater

In the world before covid, last November (2019) I needed to cast on some totally mindless TV and take along public transport knitting that wasn’t a sock and I decided to knit Amy Florence’s free litmus cowl* pattern; essentially a plain stocking stitch tube joined at the ends to make an infinity cowl. A seemingly simple pattern and project, it left me plenty of head space to reflect on the relationship between mindful making and … More Litmus Cowl and Sweater