Knitting in Wonderland...

A group of knitters coming together to create projects based around certain themes, producing knitted compositions and placing them in their original habitat. Knit the City, are really quite an influential group of  mysterious and unannounced yarn corps, operating in London.

They have produced numerous projects, take a look at their website http://knitthecity.com/ it really is worth taking a look!

I particularly enjoy the Yarnstorm the Ninth: Wall of Wonderland collection. This see's the characters and significant objects from Alice in Wonderland brought to life through knitting. They are intricate and the details this group have gone to are fantastic.

The Telephone Box cosy they have also produced is a very innovative design, take a look...

Facebook Page...

My Facebook page is up and running, I am going to be uploading more project photos and the knitting I do in my spare time to this page. I thought it would be best to have use this as social networking seems to be the dominant feature of the internet at the moment. So all you on Facebook... Go and have a look at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Atkinson-Design/177359632278692

Hope you've enjoyed the festive season now its coming to an end, along with 2010, and the reality of work, exams, deadlines, etc starts kicking in! And a whole new year, a new chapter starts again!

Giant Knitting

I recently discovered Jacob Oram's, Knitwear Design pieces and found them fascinating! He uses giant needles with thick, chunky wools to create really interesting, structural pieces. As a fashion designer, he takes knitwear to new levels creating dramatic, over the top, compositions that create an instant 'wow' factor. I really do admire Jacobs work, I think this new level of chunky knit has been executed beautifully in the fashion garments he has produced. Perhaps I will purchase some of these extra chunky needles and give some chunky knitting a go for myself! I shall keep you updated with how that goes!

Jaco Oram's Menswear collection.

One of the knitted jumpers I find the most successful for the current fashion market.

Christmas Time...

Well I've come home to the North East for Christmas and have to admit I am feeling a lot more festive! Nothing beats returning home to home cooked food, ankle deep snow and the warmth of your family home :)
Its been a stressful semester to say the least! And deadlines deadlines deadlines at the end of term certainly didn't get anyone in the Christmas spirit! I've been pretty useless with this until now, but I'm pleased to tell you I have finally got round to showing you my final pieces from last semesters final project!!!

My project was solely based around the idea of Architecture in Leeds City Centre. I conducted thorough research and developed ideas and colour schemes based around this research. Architecture has always appeared very influential to me, perhaps its the geometric shaping or maybe its how abstract the forms can be simplified down to! Sandra Backlund and Harriet Woollard were of great inspiration throughout the development of the 2 collections. For this project, I aimed my collections towards the fashion market in particular menswear. I feel as collections and after researching current trends that they fit in with the market audience.

Design Collection 1- Knitted on a 7 gauge Dubied machine.

Design Collection 2 - Knitted on Domestic Machines.

Project...

Well...I think its time I gave an insight into my work and how my project has been going. From the start my ideas have constantly changed and this project I have felt a little lost...but the good news is I think i'm finally on track and know where my collections are going!
My project started by looking at historic revival...so I went into Leeds City Centre and started photographing building of historical context and developing drawings based upon these buildings. The two most influential buildings of this project would be Leeds Town Hall and The Turreted Baroque Pearl Assurance Building. These two buildings I have found particularly inspiring from their structure and textural qualities.

 This is the most influential drawing I have created for the basis of my designs...it comes from the inspiration of the textural qualities from a photograph taken from the side of Leeds Town Hall. However, development of this will be made as my tutor has advised 'steering clear from the ruler'. I sometimes get into the perfectionist state of mind and need to let this go slightly in order to free up my drawings to develop ideas further.

 This knit sample, comes from the idea of the previous image. Looking at texture was my main priority here, obviously the photograph does not show all of the textural qualities created by the different yearns and techniques. A 1X1 rib and half cardigan combination was used for this sample.

 More development drawing...

Focusing on techniques and tension.

I will be putting up a lot more photographs of all the samples I have created over the past few weeks and include some of my main inspirational drawings, so keep checking back :)

A Whole New World of Blogging...

So here it is... A new, exciting concept of my life. I am a second year student at the University of Leeds, studying Textile Design. All my life I have know I wanted to study in this field...it was the one thing that I enjoyed, putting my heart and soul into everything I did! First year came to an end and we had to make choices, choices I didn't think I was ready to make. A choice based on choosing a specialism for the final 2 years of my degree. Knitted Textiles was my final decision, I had just enjoyed it so much in the 3 week rotation in first year that when I thought about it, there was no choice at all. We're quite a way into the second semester now and I feel I have finally found my feet. So here I am, a knitter very much inspired by colour and strong textural qualities awaiting the world of work.


This blog is all about helping me to keep track of thoughts, ideas and most of all inspirations that I may find on a day to day basis. Updates of my current projects and work will be recorded on here too, so keep checking back!