King Charles III Birthday Honours List 2023

Today I am very proud – and somewhat gobsmacked – to find myself on the Birthday Honours List of our new monarch, HRH King Charles III. 

As the child of Bajan parents who came to this country as part of the Windrush generation, I am hugely proud to accept a British Empire Medal in recognition of my career as a knitwear designer and my efforts to make the fibre space more inclusive, diverse and welcoming for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. (Not Fine Arts as is stated above).

There will be those who hold staunchly anti-monarchist views. Who feel the Honours System is archaic and reeks of colonialism. There will also be those for whom mention of the word ‘empire’ encapsulates nothing but negative and harmful connotations to Britain’s history. If that is you, don’t feel the need to comment, simply close this page and go about your day.

So why am I accepting this award? I’m accepting it in celebration of what my parents, Marjorie and Sam Trotman, invested into this country’s post war economy. For every day they – and many like them – worked in jobs that thousands of ‘native Brits’ wouldn’t do. Despite the racism they encountered. Often on a daily basis. And for every time they were turned away from rented accommodation, purely because they were black. 

More specifically I’m accepting this award to acknowledge the many gifts my mother, Marjorie Rita Trotman, handed down to me. 

None of what I’ve achieved, over 30 years working with fibre, would exist had Mum not taught me to knit when I was seven. Mum literally gave me life, and, by passing on her many craft skills, she unwittingly gave me a purpose that’s only revealed itself in the last few years. This award celebrates the fabulous, formidable woman she was and the other extraordinarily talented, supportive women with whom I’ve collaborated and continue to work. I also accept this award knowing how proud both Mum and my husband Sam would have been to see what I’ve achieved. How their unending love and support has empowered me to continue; particularly in the light of their passing. 

To my siblings Sandra Meadows, Wayne Trotman, Pat Simpson, Brian Simpson and my beautiful wider family, thank you for your love. 

Heartfelt thanks to those who nominated me for this award, I’m genuinely humbled. 

To those with whom I’m currently collaborating, whether design related or with BIPOC in Fiber. There is SO MUCH more to do, and this award shows we are making a difference.

Lastly to everyone who buys my knitting patterns and kits, reads my articles, follows me on Instagram and asks about Mister Jangalang. Thank you all for being here.

Martha Stewart online

Thought I’d share this very quick post with you as it cheered up my Wednesday. I’m very happy to have been included in this feature ‘Knitting Artists You Should Be Following on Instagram’ – and I’m in very esteemed company.

Written by Caroline Biggs you can read the whole article ‘Knitting Artists You Should Be Following on Instagram’here

I was up till the wee hours editing a talk for this weekend’s virtual Perth Festival of Yarn so I’m having the tomanight off. See you soon.

J x

North Point, The Knitter issue 134

 

This design takes its name comes from the cliffs of North Point which can be found in the parish of St Lucy on the island of Barbados. Sitting at the northern post tip of the island it’s renowned for the powerful Atlantic Ocean waves that pound the rugged landscape throwing columns of sea spray upwards onto the limestone cliffs above. Whilst I was swatching for this design I was intrigued that moving the initial vertical lace pattern just one stitch in either direction on successive rows created arcs of pattern that reminded me of those constantly crashing Atlantic waves, hence the name. Standing on the cliff edge at North Point in the hot Bajan sun the sea views are both dramatic and uninterrupted, in fact you could literally be teetering on the edge of the world.

Back in the slightly chillier UK I wanted this wrap to be your ‘go to’ cover up if, like me, you’re always cold. It’s a lace design but not in a traditional sense as it’s worked in Erika Knight’s Wild Wool, an Aran weight blend of 85% wool 15% nettle fibre (shown as viscose on the label). Knitted in two pieces grafted at the centre each piece begins with a provisional cast on. The main section of each piece is knitted in a broad vertical rib with single stitch decreases, slip stitches and eyelets defining where the knit columns meet the purl.

 

 

As I mentioned previously the travelling arcs of lace are created by moving the pattern one stitch to the right on the first piece and one stitch to the left on the second piece and this produces a mirrored effect when the two sections are grafted together. The edges of the wrap are slipped which gives them a rounded finish and this look continues when the provisional cast on stitches are picked up and finished with an i-cord cast off. There are lots of reasons why I love this design; the stitch pattern is completely reversible, the yarn has the most incredible drape and given the mix of knit & purl and the gauge of the yarn, I think that may be the best seam I have EVER grafted.

I really hope you like it too. 

J x

Yarn Stories podcast episode 207

 

Just before Christmas I had the pleasure of being ‘interviewed’ by Mim Felton for her Yarn Stories podcast. The reason I’ve used inverted commas is because although we hadn’t, and still haven’t ever met, chatting to her was so lovely and relaxing it was like talking to a friend I’d known for ages. In fact we talked for so long she had the mammoth task of squeezing over 2 hours of sometimes random chat into something much more sensibly structured which runs at just under an hour.

As well as covering diversity, inclusion and of course under representation of BIPOC  in the fibre community we spoke about how I started knitting, sustainable fashion, crocheting in church, the joy of making and lots lots more. It’s definitely worth a listen.

You’ll find Mim’s Yarn Stories website here

Mim, I loved talking to you. I really hope we meet in person some day – and I’ll bring the gin.

J x

May Camisole by Jenny Reid, Inside Crochet issue 55

(c) Tailor made Publishing

If you’re a big fan of crochet (in fact even if you’re not) I’m sure you’ll love this beautiful design by my lovely and talented friend Jenny Reid. She’s used my Baby Alpaca / Silk 4ply in sh Olive to create this wonderfully feminine camisole. It’s worked  in shell stitch throughout with delicate straps and pleating at both front and back which tapers the sides into a gentle A line shape.

(c) Tailor Made Publishing

You’ll find the pattern in issue 55 of the brilliant and inspiring Inside Crochet – if you’re under the impression that crochet is all woolly Granny squares just one browse through will soon put you right. Congratulations Jenny, this design is beautiful and thank you for making my yarn look so gorgeous.

You can see more of Jenny’s designs on her Ravelry page here

J x

Knit Today July issue 61

Ever wondered what inspires me? Well you can find out in the July issue of Knit Today where I come under the spotlight in their regular ‘Last Word’ feature. There’s also a chance to win a copy of ‘Collection One’ and a hank of the Knitglobal sock yarn in the Freebies competition on page 53.

Miss Galloni Shrug, The knitter Issue 16

Copyright The Knitter magazine

Remember the 80’s? All that bold colour and graphic pattern not to mention the shoulder pads, flicked hair and Duran Duran – or was that just me?! This design is a little salute to Missoni and their trademark colourful chevron knits and here’s one of my hilarious ‘fashion drawings’ that shows where the idea began – note the Nick Rhodes hairdo . My sketches are designed to get the idea ‘down’ rather than be a work of fine art and you can tell from it that I did textiles.

Knitted ( by my very good friend June )in Noro Kureyon sock yarn it’s worked from cuff to cuff in a combination of rounds and rows with columns of vertical lace holes travelling across the back whilst the deflected stitches create a zig zag effect at both cast on and cast off edges. The stripes are knitted by alternating two balls of the same shade of the Noro, each at diifferent points in the colourway, in order to make the stripe effect more obvious and I’ve emphasised these edges with Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply. Once the main body of the shrug is complete and all the ends have been sewn in, use a scrap of contrast yarn to sew a line of running stitch along the sleeve edge in order to mark where to pick up for the cuff

Marking out a line of sts to make picking up easier

the pointed edges can then be ‘set’ by pinning in place and blasting with a steam iron a few times before allowing them to cool

Once cool the stitches can be picked up for the cuff which is worked in the Rialto 4ply to pick up the contrast of the cast / cast off edge. . .

Pick up and knit for the cuffs

A very shallow rib is added to the opening neck edge to finish off which was flattened with a blast of steam to take the elasticity out of it.

Enjoy

Kitglobal, Knit Today issue 38

Well the nice people over at Knit Today have said some lovely things about our kits in the October issue which should be in the shops now. Judging from the revies’s title I think it’s officially ok to mention Christmas now.

For the love of Uma

Red magazine is great because for me it has a pretty perfect balance of fashion, food, health & beauty.

To cap it all this month they’ve not only interviewed Hollywood actress Uma Thurman who talks about the man in her life and her love of knitting but Red’s own Interiors & Food Director Mary Norden mentions she’s been knitting   ‘stylish knitting kits from Kitglobal’  in her ‘This month, Mary has been . . . ‘ item.

Kitglobal, Knitting magazine September issue 2009

 

I was chuffed to bits that the ‘Alfie’ Mock Cable Scarf made the magazine’s Product Roundup as they gave us a fantastic review. The Baby Alpaca that we use in our kits is easily the softest alpaca I’ve ever worked  with and  we’ve worked really hard to ensure every kit is really good value for money. The down side is that they’ve entitled it ‘6 of the Best: knit kits under £25.00’ when the actual price of the kit is £28.00. For that price though you do get 200g of fab yarn, a pair of lovely bamboo needles, pattern instructions and a lovely Kitglobal ‘kit’ bag to put your work in whilst you’re knitting. I’ve been assured there’ll be a correction in the next issue of ‘Knitting’