Rachael
Hall - 3rd Prize
“The competition has reminded me
just what can be achieved with a couple of wooden sticks and some yarn and it’s really highlighted what’s available in Britain – the different sheep breeds and the beautiful qualities found in their wool.” It also tempted Rachael to add crochet to the hand knitting skills she’d first acquired while doing her BA at Ravensbourne College. And she’s a designer that really does put the emphasis on the ‘hand’ bit.
“I may start by drawing but I’m very hands-on and I have to leave the paper, pick up the yarn and start to knit to see what it feels like. It’s the only way I can really check if it’s going to be OK.”
She’s also quite clear about her priorities: “It’s important as a
designer to take responsibility for what I do in terms of the environment, to know where my materials come from and to create that awareness.
She’s impressed by ‘Izzy Lane’, a company that employs a network of home-based hand knitters who use wool that is spun and dyed locally, and has set her sights on working for a small studio or swatching: “I don’t suppose it will ever make me rich but that’s the way I would like to work.”
“It’s more important than ever to support Britain and make the most of existing industries and resources. We have a unique heritage and set of skills and it’s up to us to make sure they’re passed on to future generations.
Lucy Hammond
At the tender age of seven, Lucy proudly presented her new-born baby brother with his first hat - also her first hand-knit. The design included plenty of ‘ventilation’ holes but was the first of many, including show pieces for Giles and Jasper Conran while an intern at Knithouse Studio.
“I’ve always knitted and take stuff with me everywhere. I had quite a bit of explaining to do when the bouncers on the door of a nightclub I went to recently started doing a bag search!”
Multi-tasking has its dangers, though, and after a lack of concentration that
was a little longer than momentary, Lucy found she’d knitted the front of a jumper – twice!
A graduate of Kingston University, Lucy now lives in a warehouse with a group of artisans who are all waving the ‘Made in the UK’ flag: “It’s really important we keep our skills going so things can be made here in England. It’s difficult at the moment to find a career path that lets you do that but, hopefully, initiatives like the Campaign for Wool will encourage traditional industries and help bring British sheep farming to the fore again and turn the tide of the import/export trend in our favour.”
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