Fair Isle Knitting on Open Country, Radio 4

Just listened to a brilliant  edition of ‘Open Country’ on Radio 4 from Fair Isle discussing whether or  not it’s a dying art as there are plans to stop teaching knitting in schools. When I arrived in Scotland nearly 12 years ag o I was really impressed that kids were taught to knit in school. Wouldn’t it be a shame to lose that link to Scotland’s culture and heritage? Anyway, the link for the i-player if you missed it is here

Back from Knit Nation & Somerset House

I’m back in Bonnie Scotland again. I think I’ll leave it a few weeks before I go back to London, I’m knackered with all this to-ing and fro-ing plus looking after house guests from Oman, Dubai and Brunei. Anyway it was definitely worth it.

Last Friday I started the day at the Maison Martin Margiela exhibition at Somerset House with my good friend Fie Ross. Amazingly enough although I’m London born and bred I’d never been to Somerset House before but it’s a beautiful venue sitting beside the Thames on the Embankment. The exhibition which celebrates 20 years of this visionary designer is brilliantly curated with garments, video, accessories and even archive invitations to past catwalk shows all thoughfully displayed.(If you DO go, yes you are meant to walk through the trompe l’oiel at the top of the stairs.) Easily the most inspiring exhibition I’ve been to in years and the best £6 I’ve spent in ages – well it would have been if Fiona had let me pay for my ticket.

After lunch in Covent Garden and a quick squizz around the V&A shop – what’s happened there? It looks like a cross between Paperchase and the John Lewis habby department, oh dear. Anyway, we met up with Emma Kennedy from ‘Knitting’ magazine and went along for the Ravelry talk with Jess & Casey. I was a bit gobsmacked by what they’ve achieved with Ravelry, no matter how much time you spend on it you could be on it for the rest of your life and still probably not even touch the sides as they’re constantly tweaking it to make it better for everyone on it – my brain just isn’t big enough for that sort of clever jiggery pokery but hats off to you Jess & Casey, you’ve created something amazing, thank you. ( Even more amazing that there are only 4 of them working full time on it).

So I’m back from the smoke working on another design for ‘The Knitter’ and a new website . . . off to do some knitting and listen to Stevie Wonder