Last week we introduced you to our first set of designers in our Cosy Knits project. This week it’s time to meet our next four talented women who all embraced the idea of picking up their needles and getting cosy with their knitting. Don’t forget to check out their Instagram and websites, give them a follow on Instagram (I’ve linked to their Instagram posts in this blog post below) or have a browse of their designs and maybe you might find a new-to-you designer whose work inspires you.

 

Louisa Harding

Since she was little Louisa always made clothes, she studied for a BA in Textiles for Fashion at Brighton University. During her third year she undertook a placement at Rowan Yarns who published 2 of her very early designs in Rowan Magazine no. 6. She worked as an ‘in- house’ designer for Rowan for 11 years. Since having children, she has worked alongside her husband, Stephen, a photographer. Together they created the Miss Bea series of knitting books, inspired by their children. In 2005 she was very fortunate to be given the opportunity of introducing her eponymous line of yarns and pattern publications, Louisa Harding Yarns. Returning to the textile heritage of her Yorkshire home in October 2016 Louisa and her Husband launched Yarntelier, a bespoke collection of Cashmere yarns and patterns.

Find Louisa on Instagram here and her website here.

 

Joan Forgione

As a young child, Joan spent a lot of time drawing; mostly illustrating stories she had written. She seemed to be fascinated by how artists could use pencil, paint, paper and other media to create things that made others so happy. She also embroidered and did needlepoint. A great aunt taught her to crochet. Although Joan was fortunate enough to have some wonderful art teachers in school and to get the opportunity to take art classes out of school, when it came time to make a decision about what she’d study in college, the image of the “starving artist” was not particularly appealing, so she decided to get a degree in education.

The “itch” was too strong to ignore, and so, while in college, Joan began to knit. Fifteen years later, she was designing. Her designs have appeared in major knitting publications in the United States and Great Britain and in the catalogue of some wonderful yarn companies. She also designs for her own virtual shop, Paper Moon Knits. Inspiration comes from everywhere, but particularly from nature and history. Living with her husband and children on an island less than an hour from New York City where she still teaches, she has the best of both worlds – woodlands and the ocean out East, and art and fashion in the city.

Joan considers herself lucky to have been able to take one of her very first loves – art – and to marry it with craft to create something both utilitarian and beautiful.

Find Joan on Instagram here and website here. 

 

Kate Heppell

By day, Kate works for Practical Publishing, where she is the Editor of Knit Now magazine and the Associate Publisher of Crochet Now and Your Crochet & Knitting magazines. In her eight years in the job, she has edited over a thousand patterns, which she likes to think has given her an insight into what a good pattern looks like. She enjoys the puzzle of making a stitch pattern behave and the challenge of making a garment look fantastic for a broad range of sizes. She lives in Manchester and when she’s not knitting or crocheting, she can either be found watching women’s football or sat at home wishing she was watching women’s football.

Find Kate on Instagram here and online here.

 

Rachel Coopey – CoopKnits

Rachel lives and breathes sock design, and her patterns are packed with clever stitch combinations and beautiful features. When she’s not knitting socks, she also creates amazing accessory patterns. Rachel has now published five sock pattern books, and two accessory collections, including the Coop Knits Socks and Coop Knits Toasty series.

Find her on Instagram here and her online home is www.coopknits.co.uk

 

But wait there is more…….Carol is also going to have a design in the book that tries its best, as usual, to turn garments on their side!

Have we piqued your interest?

Oh, and there is also an introduction written by me but I’m keeping that under wraps for now ;)