The inspiring and colourful designs – pages and pages of them – are what initially draw you into Embroidery on Knitting. Swedish textile designer and 10 gruppen member Britt-Marie Christoffersson has spent much of her life researching and innovating “knitwork” and her experience and attention to detail are evident in her latest book, the printed element of the third part of a decades-long project to “explore the technique, tradition and development of hand knitting”.
“Fascinated by colour and form and in creating patterns” since her teenage years, Britt-Marie focused on the technique of knitting in part one of her project. The swatches she created were exhibited in Swedish museums in the late 1980s and early 1990s and led to Swedish Sweaters, a book of new knitting patterns based on old designs. Part two “set out to show how one idea gives birth to another” and culminated in Knitting: A Handwork to Develop, another exhibition and book in the late 2000s.
It was after a move from Stockholm to a new town, however, that she became interested in the possibilities offered by embroidery. Seeing strands of different-coloured yarn threaded under blanket stitch on the edge of a tablecloth from the needlework collection of “Alva, the chairwoman of the local secular sewing circle” sparked the idea of embroidering on knitted fabric.
The samples that fill the pages of Embroidery on Knitting are a selection of those that made up the third instalment of Britt-Marie’s project, an exhibition of squares and garments that she intends to donate eventually to the Halland Art Museum, “which has been building up an archive of handknitting”.
Each chapter of the book begins with an embroidery stitch – from simple back and blanket stitch to the more complex spider web stitch and Ghiordes knots, and on to weaving, couching and finally conceptual embroidery – followed by examples of how to use the stitch to create a multitude of different patterns.
Britt-Marie’s work is detailed and precise, and shown up-close and in full colour in Embroidery on Knitting. Her innovative approach is evident in the vast number of patterns she is able to envision from a single embroidery stitch, through colour and stitch placement. Despite providing so many visual ideas, she encourages readers to “follow your own path”.
Like any creative work, having the correct tools and supplies makes things a whole lot easier. A slouchy cardigan and various cotton yarns from my stash gave a good idea of the feel of embroidering on knitted textiles, but not a great result. Britt-Marie uses mostly 2-ply wool and stocking or garter stitch to knit her ground “fabric” and soft, pliable yarns for the embroidery.
With Covid-19 radically changing the way we live and work – and the way we dress as a result – many are questioning a return to restrictive clothing as well as the ethics of fast fashion. The pandemic has once again brought the human rights violations and environmental issues in the production of cheap, mass-produced fashion to the forefront. Taking this and how we will live and work in the future into account, “perhaps the most significant shift many experts predict, post-pandemic, is one of attitude”.
Knitted clothing is comfortable; it’s warm, soft and usually breathable. The slow knitting movement has been gaining traction and there are more and more eco-friendly yarns available nowadays. Embroidery on Knitting is also filled with ideas on how to embellish and customise your newly knitted or existing clothing, and upcycle items that may not have been made in a sustainable way to give them a second life. In this way, Britt-Marie’s collection of timeless work is not only an inspiring read but also a timely release.
This book was supplied for review by Blue Weaver, an independent book company in Cape Town, South Africa. All opinions are my own.