Interview
| ErIKa KnIght
rika Knight has an impressive entice people into crochet with a basic pattern
E
collection of knitting and crochet that could be changed and adapted to suit their
books to her name, her most recent lifestyle. When you spend a lot of time and effort
book, Beads and Buttons, featured a making something, it is so precious, no matter
number of designs that combined both knitting how experienced you are at the craft. I like
and crochet with the non-fibre crafts of buttons things to look nice and be beautifully presented
and beads. and I think Simple Crochet really achieved that.
I really enjoyed experimenting in that book
IC What came first for you, knitting or crochet? – we crocheted the samples for the patterns in
EK Knitting was first – my gran taught me when I string, leather and other non-yarn type yarns.
was a child. One of my first projects was a scarf I still have the leather floor cushion from the
for a toy I had. My love of crochet came much book in my sitting room, it has work beautifully.
later, once I had been knitting for many years. Although it was the kind of project where you
had to concentrate on every stitch, it was really
IC What do you love most about crochet? made to last and I think it will be an heirloom
EK I think that it has to be the fabric that crochet that is around for a long while to come.
makes, it is just amazing, I love the medium of
crochet and the way that you can create such IC What inspires you to crochet?
beautiful pieces of work using the most simple EK I am inspired by any woman who takes up
of stitches. In many ways, crochet is even more needles, knitting or crochet, to create something
simple than knitting – with just a hook and some special of her own. I love the idea of darning
string, you can create beautiful pieces of work. I socks and make do and mend, I think that is all
love the way that by simply changing the yarn, it coming back into fashion at the moment and
totally changes the way your finished item looks. it’s great to see. I love to see women getting
I use a wide range of yarns in my work, from back in touch with the traditional crafts. The
fine to fat, and they are all great for crochet. new trend reports in the fashion industry are all
Don’t be confused into believing that crochet talking about rough luxury and how we are all
can only be done with the very fine yarns that are going to have to be more creative and inventive
labelled crochet yarns – grab a hook and some with our clothes and I think this is really good
”
yarn of your choice and see what you can make. news for us crafters. There was a time a few
years ago when the idea of organic and fair trade
IC What is your favourite fibre to work with?
EK I love linen but it is really hard to get hold of.
“
Rowan and Patons both have linen blend yarns
in their current ranges, but since Linen Drape
Crochet is a great way to learn
was discontinued there hasn’t been as much
about fibre crafts because you only
choice in linen yarns. A lot of people think that
linen is very rough to work with but I enjoy the
need one hook instead of two needles
feel of the yarn and the finished fabric drapes
and it is the perfect travel companion.
beautifully. The roughness of the fibre is not as
evident when you are crocheting, I would choose
to work with linen over any other fibre if I could. food and clothes was not widely accepted and
look how much that has changed! I can see the
IC Your first book, Simple Crochet, is one of our craft movement changing in the same way and
favourites. What inspired you to write it? becoming more widely accepted. It is really
EK That book is still selling unbelievably well, encouraging to see how many people are buying
especially as it has been in print for around yarn and learning to knit and crochet nowadays.
six years now. The idea behind it was to bring
people back to crochet as a craft, to encourage IC There is a general feeling that people who are
them to pick up a hook and string, and start avid knitters are not interested in crochet and
crocheting. Crochet is a great way to learn vice versa. Do you think this is so and why?
about fibre crafts because you only need one EK I think that people who are dismissive of crochet
hook instead of two needles and it is the perfect should just give it a go. How do you know you
travel companion – it doesn’t weigh much in don't like something until you try it? Crochet has
your lap and is easy to pick up and put down, as many advantages over knitting – until you try it,
long as you keep counting! Simple Crochet was you don’t know what you’ll be able to do.
supposed to teach people that crochet can be a
beautiful art form, so the patterns in the book IC Some say that crochet designs are more boxy
are palletable and not prescriptive. I wanted to than knitted ones, making it hard to find
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insidecrochet.co.uk
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