Susan Crawford
Author of four books, A Stitch in Time, Vintage Knitting and crochet patterns, 1920-1949 (vol 1) co-authored with the legendary Jane Waller, A Stitch in Time, Vintage Knitting Patterns 1930-1959 (vol 2), Vintage Gifts to Knit, a collection of vintage inspired knitting patterns and Coronation Knits, a pattern collection inspired by Queen Elizabeth II.
Susan has worked in the knitting and fashion industries for many years as a knitwear designer, stylist and design consultant. Vintage fashion and collecting vintage fashion and craft magazines from the 1930s to the 1950s has long been an obsession and this fascination is very clear in her designs. Currently working on several other titles including, Vintage Shetland, in collaboration with the Shetland Museum Archives looks at knitwear made by Shetlanders during the 1920s to 1950s and donated to the museum’s archives.
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Vintage Shetland Project
Over the past three years Susan has visited the Shetland Museum Archive at every opportunity to work on the Vintage Shetland Project, which has involved studying knitwear knitted between the 1920s and the 1950s donated to the Museum. In collaboration with the museum and the Curator, Carol Christiansen, she has chosen 26 items from the archives to study, record and recreate. During the lecture she will explain her work in more detail, and show you some of the recreated garments.
WORKSHOPS
1 Scandinavian Mittens
Using a traditional Nordic Folk motif known as the spider, this workshop takes you through all the techniques you need to know to knit traditional Scandinavian Mittens whilst you knit your own pair of beautiful heirloom mittens. We will also look at the history of some of the patterns used on these mittens and I show you a simple way to make your own perfectly sized mitten blockers.
Items you will need
Set of 2.5mm double pointed needles
Safety pins/waste yarn
Stitch markers
Scissors
Tape Measure
Roll of sellotape
Provided
Comprehensive course notes. Complete pattern for Scandinavian mittens, including full colour charts and your mitten blocker to take away.
2 Knit a Shetland Lace Shawl
This workshop introduces you to a traditional method of knitting Shetland Lace shawls which has been used for over 150 years and explains the maths behind this method so that you can later knit a shawl in any size you like. I take you through the basic lace patterns and how to construct the shawl and join lace edgings. We look at a basic provisional cast on, grafting and also how to work a Herringbone join.
During this project based workshop you will knit a ‘minature’ Shetland Lace Shawl using 100% Shetland wool.
What you will need
1 pair of 4mm straight needles
1 4mm circular needle
Stitch holders
Stitch markers
Sewing up needle
Hand towel
What is included
A ball of 100% Shetland wool to knit your minature shawl with. Comprehensive workshop notes including the basic pattern for the shawl and instructions how to scale up your shawl to whatever size required. Both written and charted versions of lace pattern provided.
Skills required
Intermediate knitting skills. Some basic lace knitting skills preferable but not essential.
