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These designs are made using all natural yarns. Many are a mixture of lambswool,
silk and cotton chenille, some are made in 100% cotton. The emphasis is on the mixes
of colour and anything up to 23 colours may be used to achieve subtle shading from
one colour to the next. The garments are made in North Yorkshire, in the U.K, by a
small number of dedicated hand frame Knitters, working in their own homes.
Different people then sew the pieces together and the finished garments are then washed,
pressed, lined and buttoned (we use Italian mother of pearl buttons, which are dyed to
match the colours of the yarns) before being sent to the customer. Each item takes about
four weeks to get through the different processes.
When I first started knitting, most
of the lovely yarns we used were from Rowan Yarns, this company had a glorious selection
of colours, which Kaffe Fasset had helped them to put together in lots of different
luxury yarns. We hope to make a garment which is classic in design and will give pleasure
for many years. | |
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Sizes
We would be grateful if you could give us as much information as possible about your size.
So dress size, bust measurement, hip measurement and any special detail, for instance,
do you have problems with sleeves being too long or too short, do you have a large bust
but narrow hips or small bust and generous hips! We can make any size specifically for
you. |
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Born in Norfolk and moving at the age of two to Uganda, my earliest introduction to colour,
other than the obvious delights of the red earth, purple Bouganvilia and a multitude of
highly coloured plants and flowers, the sheer colour of the country, was the Rafia Weaving
that my ayah did. She made lovely patterned mats and containers. I was sent back to England
to Boarding School and from there I went to London where I trained as a nurse at The Middlesex
Hospital.
Later I moved to the Yorkshire Dales with the Painter Anthony Bamber, and had two
children, Pelly and Tom. Life became a time of going with the children to where Anthony
was painting, sometimes with a picnic or maybe to pick Damsons for jam making, a colour full,
creative time. I decided that whilst Anthony was painting I would like to do something which
involved using colour. I also wanted to try to earn money working from home, so I taught
myself to knit.
It had been a source of amusement that even as a poverty stricken nurse I
insisted on buying Vogue, two of my early idols were Missoni and Kay Cosserat. This then
was my training!.
I found that I particularly liked the aspect of designing that lies in the
choice of colours, which is rather like painting. I also love the sumptuous feel of the
different textures of yarns and the effect on colours, whether subtle or vibrant of mixing
silks with lambswool or cotton and chenilles with mercerized cotton, silk and wool.
The possibilities are endless and the choice special to each new design.
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Sources of inspiration include paintings in general and in particular by; Mattise, Klee,
and Rothko. The wonderful variety in ethnic and oriental textiles and ceramics, and faded
old and antique curtains make for rich sources. I may try to focus on the feel of a country
to lead me in a new direction, soak up the different light and colour, take lots of
photographs of roofs, tiled floors, churches, plants, buildings, anything that will
remind me of the feeling and the colour of a place. For instance in Greece the light
seems very clear and the colours sparkling blues, whereas in Italy the light is golden
and bathes everything in a rich glow. It may be something quite offbeat like a pair of
delicious Rainbow striped suede high heels, anything can catch the eye and lead you in a
different direction.
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I have been designing knitwear since 1980 and sold the first things I made, which was very
lucky, it seemed to be the right thing for the time and Vogue gave me my first break putting
me in their Country notebook in 1982. Subsequent editorial in Good Housekeeping, the Daily
Telegraph, Yorkshire Life, the Yorkshire Post and publicity in Harpers and Queen, Country
Living and many more together with appearances on The Clothes Show and Pebble Mill, helped
me further and I exhibited at shows in Japan, Milan, London and Edinburgh. The business
grew and enabled me to support us when Anthony and I parted, and to work from home whilst
the children were growing up.
For some nine years in the intervening period we lived with
Gordon Reece which as well as being a happy experience was again stimulating in the artistic
sense introducing me to all manner of Ethnic textiles, luscious Rugs and Kilims, which he
bought from far and wide and exhibited in his Gallery in Knaresborough.
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For some years now we have been producing fewer garments and selling direct either through
the showroom in Harrogate or Mail Order or now on the internet. This has meant that I can
use as many colours as I like and use luxury yarns, which are both softer and better
wearing. I feel very fortunate to have found some thing I enjoy doing and for which I have
received letters from people all over the world, who are happy with their knitted clothes!.
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