Spring greens

 I've been saving up for ages and ages for a new camera, and to celebrate it's arrival, I have photographed some of the knit and crochet pieces I have been working on lately. The top few are loosely based on barnacles found along the seashore, in rock pools and clinging to rocks along the tideline. 

The green pieces are inspired by moss, lichen and tree bark; I love the vibrancy of the colours the damp British springtime climate cultivates. 

These are closeups of a huge knit and crochet piece I have been making using about 6 knitting needles at once, all of different sizes, with countless teeny balls of yarn hanging from it. My plan is to keep working into it, knitting into the surface and adding more crochet forms to really add depth. 

 In these 2 pieces I decided to go to the other extreme, working on teeny needles, knitting off edges at right angles to create a patchwork effect. I had been daydreaming whilst looking out of the car window, at green fields feeling inspired by emerging shoots of freshly planted crops. The arrival of spring after grey winter gloom always makes me feel the urge to make things.

knit pieces

I love to make things, motivated by a constant curiosity which I find hard to satisfy, always wanting to learn new techniques and pick up ones I haven't used for a while. It's cyclical; flurries of creativity in one material or technique, until something else catches my eye.

These are some of my knitted neckpieces, inspired by things that always move me- faded seashore colours, textures of eroded finds washed up on the beach, smooth pebbles, lumpy seaweed, driftwood, old rope.

They are made from treasured old fabrics which remind me of precious things, times, people. The buttons I inherited from my great grandma's button box, the shredded silks were leftovers from countless wedding and bridesmaid dresses painstakingly made by my mum.

I love the idea of having these materials re-purposed, giving them new life and the chance to be enjoyed. Recycled materials, reinterpreted memories.

Making these feeds my love of texture, creating contrasting surfaces using different thicknesses of threads and fibres and different sized knitting needles to vary the stitch size. 

photoshoot

I recently had the opportunity to have some professional photographs taken of my work being worn by models. It was an amazing experience, a different way of seeing my jewellery, I am usually only really involved in making it and as I usually mainly sell through galleries I can be quite detached from seeing it worn. It was a treat to see it on people, and I loved the context of the shoot location, my work is inspired by natural forms, so the lush greens and dense trees were a perfect backdrop.

I loved the lighting the photographer used, it gave a strength to the images and a very fashion-lead styling.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped... especially to Matt Bates, my good friend, who organised everything for me.