I learnt to knit when I was a little girl, just cast on , knit and purl and cast off, but I was only able to knit scarves and squares for a long time. I had a break from knitting for many years, then in 2018 I was having a very tough time and reached for my knitting needles for the first time in decades and found such comfort in the rhythms of the needles and stitches. I felt such a sense of achievement as my piece of knitting grew and found it kept my mind completely focused on reading the pattern and moving the yarn around my fingers and needles. As my work started to improve,I challenged myself to learn new techniques and stitches, I tried using different types and weights of yarn and different size needles to create different effects. From this my love of wool, spinning, yarn and knitting blossomed into a skill that makes my soul sing. I started getting up a 4am just so I could knit before work and I watched hundreds (i mean quite lterally hundreds ) of YouTube podcasts and videos on wool and knitting. I read books on the history of knitting and the process of turning a fleece into a ball of yarn and how to turn that yarn into art. I have made many wonderful friends and connections in the world of wool through social media and shows, the knitting community is global and very strong, supportive and active. I have always been old fashioned and have a deep love and connection with nature and my knitting makes me feel connected to that in my work with natural fibres and fleece. I can intensely feel the blood connection of this ancient craft embodying the skills of our ancestors and the fleece of our lands flocks.
In 2020 I opened an Etsy shop and sold my hand knitted gloves, baby booties and hats. In 2021 I took my first cautious steps in the world of knitting design and opened a professional account on Ravelry, the main international knitting designers platform. In 2022 I decided to start teaching as I had over a decade of teaching swimming in my own swim school and wanted to transfer that skill over to my yarn art. I now teach classes all over North Somerset and hope to expand to Devon too. As knitting has helped so much with my mental health,I am taking steps to try to see if I can teach my classes in alcohol and drug rehabilitation units and even prisons. (EDIT :I am now teaching knitting at the wonderful Bristol Drugs Project ! )
There is so much to learn in the knitting world and I really consider myself just beginning on this magical journey. I have learnt to use a spinning wheel and prepare fleece for spinning and hope to buy my own wheel and equipment soon. I also have a keen interest in hand dyeing yarn especially using natural dyes like onion skin, willow, log wood etc. I would love you to come with me on this incredible adventure and I will be starting a YouTube channel this Winter (2022) to make this possible.
Thank you so much for looking at my website and reading my story. Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of wool!
Warm Wishes Naomi & Noah