Explore the rich history and learn the how-to of beautiful British fisherman’s knits.

Teacher: Julia Billings

Workshop Duration: Full Day

Description: 

We’ll begin by delving into the history, regional styles and construction methods of that knitter’s hallowed ground, the fisherman’s jumper, and explore the elements that make it immensely practical and very beautiful. We’ll take a look at both traditional and contemporary materials and how contemporary taste is altering the shape, fabric and aesthetic of the original jumper.

After learning to work cables (both with a cable needle and without) and knit/ purl textures, we’ll explore some common and more unusual stitch patterns and tackle the issues and challenges involved in designing with a combination of stitch patterns, putting pencil to paper to come up with personals designs for a shoulder bag.

Materials to bring:  Because this class involves combining different stitch patterns to make your own design for a bag, yarn requirements will vary depending on the stitches you use and so can only serve as an estimate. For this reason, Jules would recommend using stash yarn that you have plenty of (or are happy to treat as a large sample for the real project if you run out!) or buying more than you may need. Just as a guide for your planning, the use of cables in your design will increase the amount of yarn you will need, while knit-purl combinations will require less.

400-500m of DK/ light worsted-weight woolly yarn sturdy enough to hold the shape of the bag and relatively plain in texture and colour in order to highlight complex stitch patterns. Suggested yarns: Cascade 220, Isager Jensen and Moeke Elena.

Please bring a 40cm and 100cmm circular needle in the size required to get 24st/ 10cm (suggested size 3.5mm), as well another needle and a crochet hook in one size smaller, a cable needle, 4 stitch markers, a few different-coloured pencils and an eraser.

Takeaway:  Students will begin knitting a shoulder bag in class and will take away an understanding of the history and the essential skills involved this style of knitting, as well as comprehensive notes on the techniques and processes and a pattern for the basic bag.

Level: Advanced Beginner/Intermediate.

Prerequisites: Casting on and off, knit and purl, increasing and decreasing, reading a knitting pattern.