The diversity of this new, ever-expanding, internet-fuelled kntting culture is exemplified by the work of Bethany Mitchell and May Varney - both knitting but at opposite ends of the age range and working in different environments.
Bethany Mitchell is a 21 year old student on the BA (Hons) Textiles Fashion Fibre course at WSA, whose knitted installation “You and Who’s Army” is directly inspired by first hand research using the knitting collections at the University. The tongue-in-cheek work “explores the dark undertones of the collection through juxtaposition of traditional factual display techniques and fantastical creatures that acknowledge the humour in trying to rationalise, preserve and encase what was once part of a chaotic world.”
In contrast to Bethany, May Varney is a seventy six year old member of the Knitting & Crochet Guild. May learnt to knit as a young child through observation and from that young age her life could be illustrated by knitting. One of her most recent projects, and one that has garnered a great deal of positive comment, has been to create her own pattern and knit a bag constructed from Waitrose recycled plastic carrier bags. May wanted to create a better, stronger version of the bag by re-cycling the re-cycled Waitrose bag. Her inspiration for the bag came in part from her "waste not want not" family upbringing. Growing up, May worked with her brothers using potato sacking and scraps of material to make rag rugs for their home.
Aside from a handful of knitting divas, the two sides of the knitting community that Bethany and May represent share a sense of purpose, both wanting to eradicate the stereotypes and low status that surround knitting. On the whole the more traditional knitting groups, such as the Knitting & Crochet Guild, support the ‘new wave’ knitters, some even believing that pub knitting is the way forward.
Knitting, whether for home, body, charity, gifts, pleasure, therapy, or learning is accessible, flexible and portable. It can be a solitary or community activity, using the best yarns or re-cycled material, a means to create art or craft or possibly to merge both.
To explore and learn more aspects of this rich knitting culture, both new wave and traditional, the Winchester School of Art is hosting ‘In the loop’, a three day interdisciplinary and international conference from 15-17 July 2008. Speakers will include Freddie Robins, a ‘new wave’ knitter, artist and tutor at the Royal College of Art.
More
- In the loop: a fresh look at knitting
- Knitting collections at the University
- For more information or to book places at the conference visit www.intheloop.soton.ac.uk.
