I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London in October. My main reason for going to these big shows is to meet artists and see their work. I wasn’t disappointed.
I met the artist Kate Whitehead. Kate loves to work with old items, treasuring what we have. Here is an old purse, dyed, mended beautifully with hand stitch.
This piece was a year long piece, at the end of nearly every day, Kate stitched into it, reflecting on the day. Beautiful simple stitch, telling a story, like a diary.
Kate’s show was serene and calming, I revisited it twice during the afternoon that I was there. The title was Tell the Truth, a statement that resonates with most of us at the moment, as we ask the governments to tell the truth about Climate Change.
I also met the talented, enthusiastic and energetic recent graduate Alex Vincent Turner.
Alex upcycles, stitches elaborately, plant dyes, draws with thread, and more. His upcycled shirts are quite exquisite.
He follows some artists who I also love, for example Alice Fox, Debbie Lyddon.
I really hope to see both these exciting artists again, was so pleased to spend time with them and their work.
When I go to big shows, for example The Festival of Quilts and The Knitting and Stitching Show, I could easily get upset about the amount of reels of new, synthetically dyed cotton, the amount of gunk that is for sale, the crammed isles of people spending money on gadgets and the like. I guess because of these stalls, it means that artists such as Kate and Alex can have space to show their work.
