French knitters...

I like france and knitting, and you know what I really like...French knitters!!! Also known as knitting nancies, spool knitters, tricotins and many more names worldwide. These simple wooden dolls that allow you to knit a continuous tube strike a chord in many people's childhood memories. I really like them and when an exhibition opportunity came up with the brief of 'tradition and technology' I knew I wanted to do something with these knitting nancies.


Armed with lots of images of various knitting nancies, a knitting machine, some wool and some (techno) thermoform yarn I began on my 'knitted nancies', there was a lot of trial and error but I finally got the art of machine knitting with wool along with and very springy plasticy yarn down to a T. Heat setting the yarns around objects to give them the shape you see below was also a challenge, and I am happy with the end result!


Another knitting nancy related project that I am super-happy with is the tattoo I got from the lovely Sunny Buick. Here I am post tattoo in Sunny's studio in Paris!

This is my only knitting related tattoo (so far, he hee) and I am really happy with it. The word underneath is 'tricote' french for knit.

If you like knitting nancies and could look at pictures of them all day, check out this blog, dedicated too spool knitting, it's great!

State of Craft

Hello there,

It has been a while, but I have some exciting news...Knit and Destroy is going to be featured in an awesome new craft book! At the beginning of the year, the lovely Victoria Woodcock (the lady behind Making Stuff and the UK BUST craftaculars) contacted me about contributing to a new craft book her and her friend Ziggy were putting together. This would involve me creating a hand-knit pattern for them..only the exact thing that I had at the top of my to-do list this year, and this gave me the kick up the bum I needed to do it. Lots of maths, lots of knitting and a bit of writing later I had the pattern finished! You can see the paintbrush scarf on the front of the book here...

This book is full of lots of great projects from today's hottest crafters, not least Seleena Laverne Daye, artist and co-writer of Sugar Paper Zine, this lady can do some amazing things with felt...watch this space!!!

The book is out in October, you can pre-order it here. The perfect christmas gift for any crafter!