Artist statement
Hand-knitted and hand-framed knitwear, individually created in lambswool and Shetland - inspired by traditional patterns and the colours of Aberdeenshire. Come along to see my range of knitwear, chat about knitting and see my vintage hand-frame machine in action. As part of Creative Cromar, I will be exhibiting with Michelle and Steve Kenyon-Roberts.
Extended Bio
I have always been a knitter – having learned from my mum, who used to keep our family cosy in colourful, chunky jumpers, hats and scarves. By the time I was eleven years old, when knitting was being taught at the school, I was already knitting myself an intricate, royal blue jumper which I remember very fondly. And, as a teenager, I used to rake through my mum’s knitting patterns and yarn, playing with colour and design.
In the 1980s I started up my knitwear business from my home in Whinnyfold. I began with a very simple, second-hand, hand-frame machine, knitting stripey Shetland wool jumpers and hats for kids. I then moved onto a more sophisticated model which allowed me to create more intricate designs for both adults and children – although, for me, it was always the colours that inspired me. Over the years, I built up Whinnyfold Knitwear by going to craft fairs throughout the country and, each year, I attended the Harrogate Trade Fair – selling my designs to shops throughout the UK. With the help of a team of dedicated knitters, my business continued to grow but, in the mid-1990s, I found that family life took over and I closed my business.
I now live in the beautiful Howe of Cromar, nestled in the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains. Over the years, I continued to hand knit for fun and for the family, but my hand-frame machine lay (semi) forgotten in the attic. Until lockdown. During 2020, I had hand-knitted more accessories than I could ever use and decided to re-start Whinnyfold Knitwear. My machine came out of the attic and I have now returned to hand-framed knitwear, to complement my hand-knitted range. Hand-framed knitwear is still quite labour intensive – but not as time consuming as hand-knitting – and it gives me the opportunity to create a wider range of beautiful, colourful knitwear.
But, whether it’s the colour of the sea and coast at Whinnyfold or the mountains and fertile farmland of the Howe, the colours of the landscapes in Aberdeenshire inspire the beautiful range of colours in my range of hand-knitted and hand-framed knitwear. Sometimes I enjoy working with vibrant, jewel colours, then I drift into subtle naturals, and every new combination of colours becomes my favourite – until the next creation comes along!
