New Studio and Boot Project
Exciting news I now live in Staithes and I am developing my new studio and creating a new garden. This is marks a new stage in my journey of life.
On the 29th September 2016 I started a project to knit a small boot every day for a year. I was inspired by the interest in the knitting at the Staithes Festival 2016. Encouraged by friends, I had knitted some seagulls which caused much amusement.
There was no pattern for the boots so I set about trying different ideas and different numbers of stitches. My first intention was to create an exhibition of the boots and sell them at the next Staithes Festival 2017 for charity.
I enjoyed the fact that I had set myself a task for a year that would need focus and will to carry out. As a child I always found regular tasks very difficult to follow, prayers, homework, washing up were all fine in short bursts but boring done repeatedly.
How could boot knitting be different? I soon started adding little notes to the boots to help me remember daily events and reflections and I carried my knitting into public places.
The result was amazing I had so much interest from people of all ages, fascinating conversations stories of grandparents, memories from childhoods, I felt touched by the engagement of people and this fed my work and helped me to deepen it.
Luggage labels became a part of the process. I could record the day, date, events and thoughts on these and set myself challenges of engagement with each boot. Some have prayers knitted in them some images of the land and sea. As the process continues I am now looking at how to display and develop this work.
You will be able to see this work and buy a boot at the Staithes Festival this year. All the proceeds will be donated to the Lifeboat fund the Staithes Festival and St Peters church kitchen fund.
