Bangarra Dance

Costume created for Designer Jenny Irwin for the Bangarra Dance Company ; 'hot wind dress' for 'Clan' performance in 2005. These images were part of the presentation I made during the artists floor talk on 12 February 2010.

Works at the Exhibition

I gave an artists floor talk on 12 February for the The Endless Garment Exhibition at RMIT Gallery. During the lecture, I got asked questions like… "so now your clothes are hanging in a gallery space; do we call it art?” Disappointingly to some, I didn’t care to make the distinction (between art and fashion); I’m not fussed about the word ‘art’ as a reference for a higher culture; or as an improvement on a culture. Art happens everyday, like fashion. Fashion is an interesting communication tool; a creative visual language. It’s a system of symbols much the same as graphics, or even music for that matter. And within that communication system there will be parameters of complexity and layers that averse, repel, delight and inspire to aspire to broad audiences with differing receptivity; it records a moment in time; an historical imprint. One must find their own meaning in it; that’s what’s interesting about fashion exhibitions.




The 3 Jumpers Project: whole garment knitting machine technology.



The 3 jumpers project I saw as an opportunity to create 2 pieces that progressed from form to thread; where thread was used to exploit or benefit the garment rather than used in the absence of stitches; this could only develop during the process of knitting. Once the first swatch was knitted it was easy to determine the forms based on the movement and integrity of the fabric. The technician was pivotal in that decision making process; and in the recommendation of structure to hold its integrity and for me to then decide where to push the disintegration of the fabric; to create movement, and to balance light and density; and then to decide on shape – where to increase and decrease stitches in the garment to determine its manouver over the body.

WORKSHOP

I will be conducting a Workshop on the knitting construction patterns on 12 February at RMIT Gallery 2-4 pm. Reserved for only a small group, so get in quick to get these new and limited edition handmade ebony knitting needles as part of the material kit; the essential TOOLS for the CONSTRUCTION KNITTING PATTERNS. It will be a hands-on workshop to guide you through the making of the pieces in the Construction No 2 pattern. The material kit will also include BESPOKE ALPACA YARN + the knitting pattern.

The New Craft of Machine Knitting

The Endless Garment Exhibition opens at RMIT Gallery on 12 February. A few of my archive pieces will be on exhibit. I feel very honored to be making a special address on the opening night 11 Feb; and being the only Australian designer amongst a line up of some very awesome internationals: Issey Miyake, Sandra Backlund,
Walter Van Beirendonck, Cooperative Designs, Mark Fast, Yoshiki Hishinuma, Saverio Palatella, Freddie Robins, Sibling.... WOW!! Don't miss lecture by Dai Fujiwara Creative Director of Issey Miyake, Wed 17 March, part of the Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program. I will be conducting an artists floor talk on 12 February from 12 - 1 at RMIT Gallery.

Melbourne Magazine

The coveted editorial squeeze in the quarterly Age mag. The copy is a bit misleading in the article, so please note.... The knitting patterns and wools are available on my WEBSHOP. In Melbourne the patterns are also available at Craft Victoria,
Greville St Bookstore
and Metropolis Bookstore.
The fashion collections however; will be available at RPM in Carlton; first Winter deliveries early February.

more early work

polaroids have a beautiful ageing quality....
photos by Chris Kapa
Summer 2002: machine knitted cotton viscose boucle yarn

construction no 2 knitting pattern poster....

Illustrated knitting instructions are on the reverse of poster.

early work...

machine knitted cotton viscose boucle yarn.
photograph by Chris Kapa

A thought to share

for the new year......

Christmas Wishes

Christmas always eludes me as its usually my busiest time; but somehow I managed to make a few of these one year. Wish I had a few extra to send out with all those balls of Bespoke Wool heading off to New York. Must be the snowy weather that's fitting for those hoodymittenscarfs.

Back to Knitting

I've had enough time now to acclimatise to New Zealand pace and way of life; what a beautiful country; so green, air's so clean, and the light so clear. Aaahhhh!!! Anyway, back to it; its time to work again.

Off to the Land of Plenty

Well New Zealand does have plenty of sheep, water, wine,..... What more does one need!!! And it's still pretty close to Aus, but far enough to be away. And I will be away there forever I hope. I will still be stocking my favourite Melbourne stores; and I have some new interesting collaborations coming up, so will report on them soon. Of course the on-line store is still open, as I'm very busy designing more wools and patterns; - it's just now I'll be working from New Zealand.

New Knitting Kit

The Construction KIT NO1g follows the theme of the Construction No 1 Pattern, adding a new shape 'G', a mittenscarf to 'A' hood, gives you the "Hoodymittenscarf". Available to buy on the Webshop.

In the Farmers Shed...

An antique carding machine that was once used for Millinery. If this was mine, it would be polished and living in my loungeroom.

NEW SUMMER COLLECTION

The first trickle of Summer Deliveries are in store now at RPM .

Construction No 2

Alpaca fleece is a lustrous and silky fiber. Spun, it is warm, soft, luxurious and glossy. The preparing, carding, spinning,and finishing process of alpaca is very similar to the process used for wool. The black Alpaca fibre used for my production, although the loveliest of the colours, is also the rarest of breeds in Australia. They are full of character, mostly gentle and peaceful, sweet and curious.

Construction No 2 is a pattern written for the Bespoke Alpaca yarn. The shapes have a nice pliable sculptural quality when knitted up, and there’s some clever joining to construct the pieces in this pattern.

The Wool Story

So what does it mean to suggest providing an All-Australian harvested & hand-produced spun wool; in natural colours, without any chemical processing and harmful substances. Well, exactly this: A supply chain that benefits the grower, the designer, the customer, and therefore - the community. In the same fashion as the slow food movement, herein lies an opportunity to bring back a focus to yet another quality product, and a quality lifestyle, by creating a direct relationship between that which comes from the land - our farmers; and the raw material they supply to our producers and designers - our innovators; and the products we make for our customers - our community. As consumers WE make the choice, the choice based on sustaining our lifestyle and our consumption based on our needs: our need for clothes, our need for self-expression & creativity and our need to be part of the community.

So herein lies a balance. This balance has taken me years to establish, in a trade dominated by big industry and monopolised supply chains. Producing a small bespoke wool production seemed impossible; how so, in a country that boasts to be the largest wool producing nation in the world. Growers were mistrustful, mill spinners sceptical and costs for small manufacturing blown out of the market. I did reach a turning point eventually and was met with some enthusiasm and fair prices from few. A small window of opportunity presented itself, and I grasped it. I found growers looking to share a fair go, a spinning mill yearning to be creative, and customers wanting to be part of that story.

So here is the story: This wool is designed to not look mass produced; it is a bespoke product. It comes directly from small farming communities after the sheep are sheared in Spring. The wool is then washed, scoured, carded (so all the fibres run in one direction), drawn (stretched to go through the spinner), and hand controlled spun so the thread is nice and chunky, slubby and bumpy, leaving it natural, light, fluffy and handmade. All this takes many months.

My first Bespoke Wool is available to buy on my new WEB SHOP. It knits up quickly, with big needles and is the inspiration to my first knitting pattern; Construction No 1. A manual on how-to-knit basic shapes, and make many garments creatively by joining the shapes. It is a playful yarn to work with, as the pattern is designed to engage you in the creative process by building, forming, inventing and interpreting. This knitting construction pattern is the first in a series of many more patterns to come; I will keep you posted.

HandMade 2

A new edition of Handmade in Melbourne

Pop Up Shop

I was cleaned out - but glad these babies have gone to some good homes! Out of the 14 collections, some of these pieces were hard to part with; but back to the drawing board for me; and I'd say the next sample sale won't be around for a long, long while.