Since I first learnt how to use the knitting machine I have been trying to break into the third dimension and create sculpture, mainly by manipulating flat pieces of knitted fabric and making them more lumpy, by either adding items to them, such as the broken bits of china in “Why would anyone keep a broken gravy jug?” (left); or creating folds and drape as in “Discomfort Blanket” (below), two pieces I made while I was a distance learning student at Bradford College between 2007 to 2009
My work has become more sculptural. I’ve been making flat pieces to construct into three dimensional shapes.
These pieces were made for In The Making Exhibiton, a group show with Ten Obstuctions at Salford Museum and Art Gallery December 2022 to April 2023.
May Day, M’aidez (above) is a two sided piece – so technically 3D – made from two pieces of flat machine knitting stitched together.
The two handling cubes (above) Feel The Fear/ Hold Me Tight were designed to evoke emotion, by using textures developed during Arts Council England DYCP funding. They are still constructed from flat pieces of knitted material stitched together.
Not in Safekeeping: Missing (left and below) was an instalation created for Gladley Beyond, an exhibition with Ten Obstructions at Rogue Artist Studios, Manchester in June 2023.
I made 22 cuddly milk cartons, each constructed from 5 flat piece of machine knitted felt, in a black plastic bag displayed on mirrors to represent 66 children seeking asylum in the UK known to be missing from a Home Office Asylum Hotel in Brighton. At that time 200 children were missing nationally.
Knitting Machine Rescue and sculpture possibilites.
In March 2024 my friend allerted me to a facebook post that effectively said these are going to the tip tomorrow, come and get them if you want them and that by 9pm she noticed they were still there. There were some seriously good machines in that pile! My husband and I ventured out in the rain and rescued the lot! All need a lot of refurbishment. Two of them, the Brother KH260 Chunky and the Knitmaster Zippy Plus SK280 (with their ribbers and a colour changer) are the best possible machines to make sculpture on, one able to use thick, chunky wool and the other, one of the best machines to incorporate colour into sculpture.
I think I’m nearly there, just got to refurbish the machines, teach myself new techniques, practice, practice, practice and sculpture with 3D knitting here we come!