Socks: knitted bliss

I am primarily a designer and quilt-maker, but I can’t resist adding in a knitting post because I am interested in all things textile-y and I have some lovely things to share this week.

In June, we were at a charity fund-raiser which took place in the evening and centred around strawberry desserts (what a great idea) and at the event there was a raffle. One of the prizes was a set of knitted socks from Latvia which were themselves strawberry-themed! We left before the draw was done and I was delighted to learn later in the week that the socks were mine.  They are a joy to behold.

These hand-made items give me pleasure every day. Behind our house is a cricket-ground which is well used by the community for cricket, football as well as dog-walking. It is part of my routine to walk twice round the field each morning before starting work. I’ve found this really helpful for my work practice: I often spend the whole day sitting at either a lap-top or a sewing machine, so the exercise and the fresh air kick-starts my day. In the winter the field is muddy and in the summer there a lot of mown grass to walk through, so I wear wellington boots most days, along with my strawberry socks. I like the fact that a hand-made textile item can give pleasure day after day.

And here’s another knitted treasure which came as a gift into this house some years ago. These socks were hand-knitted in Tajikistan. The surface patterns included here are astonishing and I enjoy the sizzling mix of colours.

While writing about knitting, the knitted food competition at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Edinburgh 2016 deserves a mention, although very sadly the winner was not named. If you made this wonderful cooked breakfast, please get in touch as I would like to acknowledge your work.

And finally, I have to draw your attention to the ‘Knitted Bible’. This is an extensive piece of work made by St George’s United Reformed Church in Hartlepool.  The project began in 2008, when members of the church attempted to knit a single scene. They were joined by friends and members of other local churches and the project grew.  It now comprises more than 30 scenes, in which every character (people, animals and even plants) has been knitted. I first saw this gem in Bellingham, Northumberland and was enchanted.

A bearded Adam luxuriating in a verdant Garden of Eden was particularly noteworthy.

The Knitted Bible, copyright St Georges URC Hartlepool (photo by Amanda Ogden)

The sheep were enchanting:

The Knitted Bible, copyright St Georges URC, Hartlepool (photo by Amanda Ogden)

The exhibition is coming to my home city of Durham in September 2017 and then goes to many other towns and cities. If you live in the UK, it is worth travelling to see it. You can see a list of places and dates by clicking here.

Thank you for reading my blog. Quilt patterns are here, Fabrics are here, Classes are here

This is my ‘Leaping Sheep – Pink’ design. You can find it here.

Thank you for reading my blog. Quilt patterns are here, Fabrics are here, Classes are here