KNITTED WORLDS – Goodbye!

By: Suzan Russeler

To everything comes an end. After three month living amidst Knitted Worlds me and my colleagues started to tear off the exhibition last Sunday evening. Fragment of a building # 1 was the last work to be deconstructed and Désirée did it herself.

We received many positive reactions on the exhibition from visitors (nearly 15.000 visitors during the exhibition) and press, but also critical comment. Art critics liked the focus on politics, feminism and identity in relation to knitting, but didn´t appreciate that much the variety of works.

While researching I was especially triggered by the richness of issues expressed in works dealing with knitting. Of course, politics and female identity play a central role in quite some art works we presented and maybe these works are most overtly intriguing. However the more poetic, silent pieces, like the dresses of Nanna van Blaaderen to me contrasted in an interesting way with f.e. the subversive, more explicit works of Jimini Hignett, bringing up issues of feminism and politics.

Visitors could make up their mind - for everybody who didn´t had the chance to see the exhibition hopefully the catalogue will be a ´substitute´. All works are wrapped up now, ready to be returned while others like the Sunflowers of Maria Roosen will dream in the depository of our museum until they will be woken up because somebody is longing for them……….

I would like to thank all participating artists, lending parties, the designers Annemarie van den Berg en Cecilia Hendrikx for the design of the exhibition and catalogue, my colleagues, visitors of exhibition and website for being part of Knitted Worlds for some moment.

Library treasure VII

By: Jantiene van Elk

This image needs no further comments by me. May be the readers of this blog want to comment?

Nomotta kousen en handschoenen. - Salach, Wtbg : Schachenmayr, Mann & Cie, [s.a.]. (Nomotta serie ; 103.

Library treasure VI

By: Jantiene van Elk

'Een zeer gewichtig punt bij het vervaardigen van kunstbreiwerk, is het afwerken der kleedjes, en de rand kan in sommige gevallen een heel eenvoudig kleedje een veel sierlijker en fraaier aanzien geven.'

It´s important to make nice trimmings to your craft work, because it will give your work a finer and more elegant look!

Kunst-breien : 73 nieuwe patronen voor gebreide kanten en kleedjes benevens een technische bescrhijving/ door J. Weinbeck. -Alkmaar : Kluitman, [192?].

Interview with an exhibition guide

By: Suzan Russeler

Lately I talked with my colleague Esther van den Borne, who is working as a designer and also as a guide in our museum. Esther was very enthusiastic about Knitted Worlds and her experience with groups.

`I´m happy with this exhibition because it challenges people and triggers them to think. Mostly I give guided tours to high school and art students, or to groups with some special interest. That means that people are reasonably well informed about the subject matter. When you enter the exhibition hall straight ahead you see the artworks of ´knit´ pioneers like Rosemarie Trockel and Elaine Reichek. Some of those works aren´t that easy to read. But, luckily right across of these works there is this very illustrative film of Dave Cole, called The Knitting Machine.

Two excavators, holding enormous knitting needles, move back and forth while the artist himself puts some XL yarn in a loop around the needles, thus knitting the American flag. People like watching this film and immediately understand the interrelation between art and knitting. So that blow up of the act of knitting by Dave Cole is a very good point of reference for other more subtle art works.
This start up of my tour also offers the opportunity to switch from the art aspect to more technical aspects of knitting, material and texture depending on the interest of the group.

The works of Jimini Hignett and Jayne Parker some visitors, mainly elderly or youngsters, experience as quite confronting.

However if you tell them that the works are an artistic reaction on social and artistic issues people can deal with it, discuss it. The funny thing is that they seem to feel relieved they aren´t expected to appreciate the works in terms of beauty.


Photo´s: Joep Vogels (Audax Textielmuseum Tilburg)

Designing a Knitwear Collection : from inspiration to finished garments

By: Jantiene van Elk

From sportswear and sweaters to lingerie and couture, knitwear accounts for most of the apparel we wear. (...) Both students and professionals will find inspiration from the gallery of work by knitwear designers on display here - from icons such as Chanel, Sonia Rykiel, and Missoni to today´s hottest practitiones such as Stella McCarthy, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen. (from the back text)

And more: history of the industry, basics of yarn selection, stitch patterns, and CAD programs, etc.

A great book for the Textile museum´s library, interesting for the knitters in the Textile Lab, especially for the textile students. It´s historical and practical!

Designing a knitwear collection : from inspiration to finished garments / Lisa Donofrio-Ferrezza ; Marilyn Hefferen. - New York : Fairchild books, 2008.

Social knitting in the UK and Belgium

By: Jantiene van Elk

As librarian, I try to keep up with lots of information for my colleagues. I follow a lot of weblogs and read magazines and journals. I found some interesting posts on art and social knitting in Belgium and in the UK:

First a guerrilla knitting project in Scotland: Luib na Lùban, a new
textile art group in Skye and Lochalsh, invites Scots, ex-pats, Scotophiles and anyone else to take part in an ambitious project to cover the Skye Bridge in knitting!! The Skye Bridge links the Isle of Skye with the mainland in the West Highlands of Scotland.

Toos van Liere wrote me an e-mail to promote her art project artPlastiquefabrique, guerilla knitting with plastic bags. Read her weblog.

The last project I found was on the BCC news: Knitted village of Mersham, a Kent village with 100 features including teenagers smoking in a bus shelter. The model of Mersham, near Ashford, has been knitted by members of the village's 40-strong Afternoon Club over the past 23 years.

Photo: from website, by Axel Claes

Knitting – For Women Only?

By: Jana Walliser

At first glance, knitting appears to be something only women do. When you think about knitting, you might have that picture of an elderly woman in her rocking chair in your mind, surrounded by her grandchildren wearing nothing but knitted clothes from head to toe.

Today, many young people do not know how to knit. Their hands are used to operating a computer mouse, to typing on a keyboard or to pressing keys. Holding two knitting needles as well as the wool in your hands feels like visiting an Asian restaurant for the first time. Starving and looking at a plate full of rice, you'll have to try and eat your food just using those two chopsticks. Too bad if you are really hungry! There are many people who do not know how to knit. Beginners, in particular, need a lot of time to create their first masterpiece. Stitch by stitch, row by row. You have got to have the right feeling, patience and concentration for this.

But where does all that knitwear which you cannot even tell it was knitted come from? A closer look reveals that there must by high-tech knitting machines capable of knitting even the most complicated patterns in no time. And that's where you find the men! They operate these giant knitters and they see to it that thousands of jumpers and gloves leave their machines ready to be sold. You see, knitting is not for women only and it is not necessarily about handcraft, either, though you might not have guessed that at first.

Kala, the cable lamp which is displayed at the exhibition KNITTED WORLDS, is surrounded by a 5 meter long, knitted tube composed of thousands of meshes. Impossible to knit all of these knitted tubes manually. It is hard to believe in what way those knitting machines are capable of knitting even the smallest meshes – that is simply fascinating!
Kala is available now in the TextielShop of the Textielmuseum.

Library treasure V

By: Jantiene van Elk

For the real knitters, two complete patterns: caterpillar lacework and 'simple stairs' border.

Editor of this book, Elisabeth Rogge, was involved in women´s craft since the end of the nineteenth century. She organised exhibitions and published and edited journals and publications on arts and crafts, interior design and clothing.

Together with Louise Thomson she edited this book. At first, they wanted to give it the title: 'Grootmoeder´s breiboek voor haar kleindochter Louise' as it is based on the patterns grandmother Thomson collected for her granddaughter.

Grandmother Thomson designed the patterns in the middle of the nineteenth century. Her granddaughter kept the patterns, and published them, as there was a revival of women´s crafts in those days.

In the book are photo´s and drawings of all kinds of knitted borders, with full instructions for knitters.

Kant-breiwerk naar oude patronen / door Louise Thomson en Elis M. Rogge. - Amsterdam : Van Holkema & Warendorf, [s.a.].

Vrouwen in vormgeving 1880-1940 / Marjan Groot. - Rotterdam :010, 2007.

You can find more on Elis. M. Rogge in the Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland

Workshop Layering in knits

By: Petra Vonk

Yes, the first day workshop layering in knits is fully booked! During the preparation of this workshop we have again discovered some wonderful effects with the laser. Using the laser I get surprises all the time, I must say. All fabrics react differently, all pictures or computer files used end up different as to be expected. For me the starting point of this workshop has been layering and the use of transparency in knits. Using several layers of really open knitted mohair and combine these with high-tech lasered lace. Punch, embroider, stitch or knit the layers together and a beautiful piece of fabric is created.

During the workshop on the 12 of may the first thing we will do is have a closer look at the knitting of the mohair panels. There will be a brief explanation about the knit machine and we can see the fabric being knit especially for us. The mohair is knitted in white, light and dark grey. To do the laser tests there will be a choice in 3 different type of fabrics; cotton look, crepe and voile. Also there are several choices in shapes. All the fabrics come in white but after lasering your own lace you can give colour to the lace. By transferring a self prepared colour on paper on the lasered lace by ironing.

In the short movie you can have an idea what lasering on textiles is all about.



See you at the workshop on Tuesday 12/5/2009!

Library treasure IV

By: Jantiene van Elk

Knitting was for centuries a professional craft for both men and women. Knitting became a useful leisure activity for women from the middle class at the end of the eighteenth century. In times of war and economic malaise knitting as a means of providing for the need for clothing always gained in importance and it was par excellence a task for women.

This pattern book is a perfect illustration of knitting as a means of providing cheap clothing. The title gives this away: 'For big boys and girls from age 8-16 with leftover yarn'. Like most of these old pattern books, number 416 from the Groote Hollandsche Beyer-serie doesn´t have a date. It does remind me of a picture of my mother and her twin brother in their Holy Communion clothes. My mother hated the stiff clothes.

Voor groote jongens en meisjes van 8-15 jaar van resten uitgehaalde wol / Beyer. - Amsterdam Wereldmode, [s.a.]. (Groote Hollandsche Beyer-serie ; H 416)

The Art of Knitting : inspirational stitches, textures and surfaces

By: Jantiene van Elk

Francoise Tellier Loumagne has taught textile and knit design for more than thirty years. With this experience, she made a series of beautiful The Art of textile books. The books are an inspiration to professional textile designers and students and to anyone working with or with an interest in textiles.

About the The Art of Knitting :

"(...) I decided to create a book that will try to change the way in which knitted textiles are perceived, and so encourage readers to personally express themselves. I hope it will be a work that builds a bridge between technicians and vice versa, and that makes communication more 'objective' and more creative; a clear source of information that allows new pathways of innovation to be discovered." (from the Introduction by Francoise Tellier-Loumagne)

In the book you can find patterns for industrial and domestic knitting machines, and for hand knitting. The techniques for each are explained. Simple knits, jacquards, fine jersey knits, interlock, open work and many other fabric types are explained. Inspiration for the author is the natural world and one´s personal surroundings. The sources of inspiration and the fabrics are presented next to each other.

The Art of Knitting : inspirational stitches, textures and surfaces / Francoise Tellier-Loumagne. - London : Thames & Hudson, 2005.

Francoise Tellier-Loumagne´s other books (The Art of Embroidery and The Art of Felt) are also available in the Textile Museum´s library.

Library treasure III

By: Jantiene van Elk

After the First World War, women´s emancipation had a huge influence on fashion. A boyish look, with flat chest and little waist, was in fashion. Paul Poiret, parisian couturier, banned the corset.

At the same time, underwear became more comfortable. In this picture you can see some examples of this comfortable underwear. A camisole with straight nekcline, knickers, a camisole with a V-neckline, and a bra, all knitted.

Unfortunately the patterns for these underwear garments are missing, because I love 1930s fashion a lot!

Nieuw gehaakte en gebreide kleeding / Otto Beyer. - [s.i.] : Beyer, [ca. 1930]. (Beyer´s handwerkboeken : serie H ; nr. 63)

Stretch knitting yarn

By: Lise Lefebvre

The museum's Yarn Library (Garenbank) has recently sourced a new stretch yarn blend, very suitable for the advanced knitting technique called Knit and Wear. This specific technique makes it possible to knit entire garments, for instance sweaters or trousers, without seams. To render this possible, the Stoll knitting machines available at the TextielLab are engineered to use only every other needle of the needle beds to allow the stitches to be transfered from the front and back bed.

While it makes knitting elaborate tubular fabrics possible, it also makes the results very open, as the yarn "skips'' every other stich. This is where the stretch yarn comes in: in the knitting process the yarn is slightly stretched as it forms the stitches, and in turn creates a fuller, denser fabric when the knitting is finished. The elasticity of the yarn is also very helpful as it prevents the yarn from breaking in the very demanding movements of the needles during this special knitting process.

This particular yarn is a comfortable blend of Viscose and Elastil, a stretchy form of polyester. It has a very soft touch with a slight shine to it.

For more information, contact Lise Lefebvre at the Audax Textielmuseum Tilburg /Textile Lab.

Knitted Worlds in the TextileShop

By: Suzan Russeler

Christien Meindertsma is one of the designers whose knitted products are sold in the TextileShop of our museum. Her well-known stool, called Urchin Pouf, is knitted from thick felted woolen yarn. This oversized, stuffed stool can be used as soft seating or object to play with. Meindertsma also developed a special do-it-yourself-knitting-set with naturally dyed yarns.

Another interior product is the KaLaKabellampe by young German designer Jana Walliser. Walliser combines craftsmanship and industrial production ´hiding´ the power cord in a plastic tube of jointed elements and a knitted cover. The flexible tube plays the main part in the design. You can bend it in every shape you want. A knitted tube Walliser also used for a set of necklaces, available in different measurements and colours.

From knitting designer Petra Vonk beautiful, light scarfs from cotton or mohair combined with lace are available.

Do you feel inspired to knit yourself? In the shop you´ll find selected yarns like bamboo yarn, glow-in-the-dark-yarn or knitted linen ribbon.

Photo: Urchin Pouf and craft product by Christien Meindertsma, KaLaKabelLampe by Jana Walliser

Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting

By: Jantiene van Elk

In 2007 the exhibition Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting was held in the Museum of arts & Design in New York. It was curated by David Revere McFadden. Now, it´s a travelling exhibition (currently not on show). On the website of the exhibition you can find more information.

The exhibition was accompanied by a catalogue, which you can find in the textile museum´s library.

Photo: www.amazon.com

About the Avatar works

By: Chrystl Rijkeboer

Balaclava’s knitted from human hair & prints on Alumount 80x80 cm.
2006

Origin: Avatar
In Hindu (Sanskrit) philosophy, an avatar, avatara or avatarim most commonly refers to the incarnation.

Today: Avatar
Within the virtual world, in which people meet nowadays, one assumes a certain identity through a so-called avatar. This is an icon or photo, which accompanies the communication.

After the work ‘Stolen Identity’ it was a great pleasure for me to find the first balaclava (Avatar-Martine) in the magazine ‘Mc Call’s Needlework & Crafts’ from 1965. I was pleased to find this balaclava in an American magazine. See the post by Lise Lefebvre for pictures of the balaclavas in this magazine.

Today such a cap would be impossible in the Western world. Balaclavas are so emotionally charged, that ideas of an ordinary cap, which is funny and protects against cold, is not from this age anymore. Balaclava’s have a very different impact nowadays. The balaclava is a signal for society: ‘Watch out! Terrorism! and Danger!’

The other 'Avatar' items are made by own design. The faces on the balaclavas are very contemporary: Identity and the fear of loosing it, but also possibilities of choosing new / different identities in the digital world are nowadays issues.

The series portraits named Avatar show people wearing balaclavas made out of human hair. An estranged image in which the identity of the one becomes veiled with the hair of an other.
All models got a preference choice which Avatar to wear. Posing with their 'balaclava type' a surprising inner picture of the models arise.

Photo: Stolen Identity-family
Photo: Cover Mc Call’s Needlework & Crafts 1965
Photo: Avatar –Martine

Grannittin

By: Harco Rutgers

Grannittin is originally a live performance by Robert Witt in collaboration with ‘Mevrouw de Vries’, a knitted art project initiated by visual artist Anne Reijse. Witt's performance consisted of the live manipulation of sounds emitted from contact microphones attached to the knitting needles of the knitting ladies present at the opening of a ‘Mevrouw de Vries’ exhibition.
Robert Witt decided to release his recorded performance through esc.rec., a small record label and platform for adventurous music. Together they figured it could also be interesting to see what other artists would do with the same source material; the sound of knitting needles. Thus esc.rec. selected and invited artists to remix knitting sound as recorded by Robert Witt. 15 different artists (seasoned electronica pioneers and relative newcomers alike) came up with their own interpretations, enough to fill two cd's!

Some artists use the sounds of knitting needles as sole audio source for their piece, others incorporate them in their music. Some artists also recorded additional sources, like Gluid who recorded an elderly lady explaining the simple mechanics of knitting to all of us (in Dutch dialect).

All results are superb listening experiences. The remixes vary from abstract experiments and (complex) structures to warm electronics, (minimal) techno and tasty rhythms.

Grannittin was released as a double cd-r in a unique package, handmade with recycled knitted fabrics. You can listen to Grannittin in the Knitted Worlds exhibition. You can order Grannittin here.

Robert Witt - Grannittin (live in Het Langhuis) (mp3)
http://www.escrec.com/robertwitt/grannittin.mp3

"GAME ON" deel 2

By: Anne Reijse

Last (museum)weekend there were many knitters at the project "GAME ON" in the Textielmuseum. All kinds of people were knitting like crazy, as if they never did anything else before. There was a very nice atmosphere among the knitters.

Talented women were knitting like a fast train. How they did it , I don’t know. They were very, very fast. All kinds of people who never knitted before were trying to knit.

One game is ready now. Three must yet be finished, but soon you can see the small pieces and parts that are knitted. These small pieces and parts must be joined. Then you can see the games coming together.

"GAME ON" is growing in the right direction. We still need knitters!

Library treasure II

By: Jantiene van Elk

`Craft joy` is the title of a book by Everlasting, a yarn company in the Netherlands. The company organised a contest for women. A selection of the patterns by women from all over the Netherlands was published in this book. The book was published in the 1930s. It has beautiful full colour pictures. In the book are patterns for babies and children, women, and interior decoration, for example a carpet and a bed throw. Two pictures are really special: on the beach and in the bath room. Children and women all wear knitted or crocheted clothing. Even the bath mat and the beach towel are knitted. An additional picture, with all the craft pieces, is on another page.

Blogger Berthi wrote a blogpost on this book.

Handwerkvreugd : samengesteld door Nederlandsche huisvrouwen daartoe uitgenoodigd door de Everlasting-fabrieken. - 's-Hertogenbosch : Malmberg, [ca 1930]. -2e druk. 1e dr. : 1920.

Finger knitting

Children visiting the Textielmuseum can now learn how to finger knit. In our brand new Textile Academy children can learn this easy technique. And you can practise at home: just watch the video, get some yarn and start knitting.

Rebellious knitting

By: Jimini Hignett

Odd that knitting has such a persistent association with staidness and primness. For me it’s always been something to associate with rebellion. But I notice that if you’re obviously not one of those prim, staid knitters, then people tend to react as if it’s some sort of threat. To their dignity if nothing else.

My mother knitted in the car – this way she didn’t have to get wound up if there was a red light. Whoever sat next to her had the job of warning her just before the light turned green. Other drivers always looked on in disgust and irritation, presuming that she was going to hold up the traffic, so we made a sport of shooting off the minute the light changed – neah neah!

At school we got knitting – with pink wool – yuk, girls’ colour! An oven-cloth. An oven-cloth for Chris sake, we were 7 years old - ridiculous. An oven-cloth from wool. I sabotaged as much as I could, and despite being a perfectly good knitter I managed to produce the lumpiest, squintest, least attractive oven-cloth of the whole class. At home, I made sure it was used to pick up a too-hot pan so that it scorched and the wool turned brown and slowly unravelled.

At secondary school we had uniforms, awful, even your socks had to be regulation colour – grey, fawn, navy-blue, white or maroon. I hated it. And it was dead boring, so I knitted socks, under my desk. But I’d get caught all the time and my knitting would be confiscated. At one point every teacher had a half-finished sock of mine in their drawer. But still I finished them – striped, in the colours grey, fawn, navy-blue, white and maroon. The English teacher sent me out to the corridor – for being an eyesore.

Knitting was a way to take control of your own appearance, to escape from the dreadful fashion of the time – I knitted jumpers from pictures of everything I loved.

Once in New York, in that famous jazz café where Woody Allen was said to play, I was knitting a plate of macaroni with sauce for the owner of an Italian restaurant whose birthday it was. The maître d’ told me I had to stop – no knitting at the bar. But the jazz singer whose band it was, lied to him that I was Britain’s foremost soft sculptress, so I got to keep knitting – neah neah!

Stitch ’n Bitch

By: Carla Meijsen

Google ‘knitting’…… almost 30 million hits. Did you expect that? Via internet knitters communicate with each other on their passion for knitting. There are sites with information, videos, weblogs, web shops, forums, and communities. But: personal contact and knee to knee knitting is irreplaceable.

Stitch ‘n Bitch (in Dutch: Breien en Beppen) started in the Netherlands in 2004. Knitters of all ages and backgrounds gather in a cafe. With a latte, a glass of wine or a beer they knit, discuss and exchange patterns and inspire each other. Knitting in progress, knitting books, new yarns and completed knits are proudly showed and admired. There are now nearly 90 knitting groups in the Netherlands.


Knitting at a Stitch ’n Bitch group is without any obligations and free of charge. You only pay for your own drinks. There´s always a experienced knitter to help the novice knitter with technical difficulties. Learn about new materials and tools, such as bamboo needles, Japanese knitting books and soy, milk protein or stainless steel yarns!

Do you want to start knitting with Stitch ’n Bitch? You´re most welcome. Find all information on Dutch Stitch ´n Bitch groups on www.stitchnbitch.nl

Photo´s: logo Stitch ´n Bitch the Netherlands and First Knit by Carla Meijsen

Library treasure I

By: Jantiene van Elk

In the library of the Textile museum lots of beautiful old pattern book are kept. Actually, craft isn´t in our collection profile, but many people donate these beautiful books to us and luckily some were accepted in the past. I love to see what intricate designs women could make, what styles were in fashion and how the patterns are presented.

These pictures are from Beyers Handwerkboeken / serie H No. 62 : Kunstbreiwerk. Kunstbreiwerk translates as Art knitwork. Art knitwork could be used as rims and borders on lingerie, as you see on the picture. The book is undated. The patterns are on a seperate sheet.


The book is available in the library (only on show, not for lending). Library openings hours: tuesday till friday, 10:00 till 13:00.

Kunstbreiwerk / Otto Beyer. -Zeist : Van Wees & Weiss, [s.a.]. (Beyers Handwerkboeken / serie H No. 62)

Human identity, or how we see ourselves, forms a central theme in Chrystl Rijkeboer’s work.

By: Chrystl Rijkeboer

I am trained as an autonomous visual artist. Techniques are subordinate to the work. I try to learn skills, which I need to give my work the expressiveness it needs.
Ive been working with the material 'human hair' for many years. With this material I learned crafts like: felting, spinning, crocheting and knitting. Each time I try to find the limits in possibilities between the material and my ‘story’.

Striking is after years of incomprehension about my way of work, nowadays my work and craft-work in generally is very contemporary. I do believe that by our Western consumer society, products which are made with love, attention and craft skills, are highly appreciated.

The 3 dimensional works, which I spin, knit or crochet, are also processed into photographic- or video works and performances. I feel that works are "finished" after they are linked to the human again. For me it is of great importance to reunite the work on the human level again.

Foto’s: ‘She only wanted a boy’ & Twins_brown’

KNIT KNIT : profiles + projects from knitting´s new wave

By: Jantiene van Elk

All over North America and Europe, a brand-new generation has taken up knitting - and is transforming the venerable needlecraft by blurring the boundary between craft and art. (...)

Five years ago, Sabina Gschwandter founded a zine to tackle the blurry edge between craft and fine art to chroncile the trend. Now, her book KnitKnit brings together profiles of 27 of the most talented artist-crafters knitting today. But KnitKnit does more than just document their ingenious creations. Each of the profiled knitters has contributed a project - a kimono-style sweater, a pair of high-heeled boots, a hobo-style shoulder bag, geodesic-patterned cap, even a teddy bear knit from fiberglass insulation - meant to inspire you and follow your creative path (text from book jacket)

The weblog we-make-money-not-art wrote a review.

Knit knit : profiles + projects from knitting´s new wave / Sabina Gschwandtner. - New York : Craft / a Melanie Falick Book, 2007. 173 p. : ill.
ISBN: 978-1-58479-631-2

Opening KNITTED WORLDS

By Suzan Rüsseler, curator KNITTED WORLDS

Friday, 13th of March to me was a very lucky day. More than a year of work with several colleagues culminated in the opening of the exhibition KNITTED WORLDS. The first two weeks of March we set up the exhibition with our technical staff, the graphic designers Annemarie van den Berg en Cecilia Hendrikx and some artists who came to install their work. One of them was Désirée de Baar who built a construction for her Fragment of a building # 1 (see her post in this blog) which she covered with knitted pieces, connecting them stitch by stitch. A work of passion and patience. The same is true for two knitted pieces by Norwegian artist Heidi Kennedy Skjerve. Her husband Stein Rønning and their daughter Magnhild installed Kennedy Skjerve´s two monochrome knittings of several square meters directly on the wall with amazing concentration and precision. - Subtle works with a very strong physical presence.

Friday, 13th. Approximately 200 visitors were present at the opening. Unfortunately it was so crowded we couldn´t offer a seat to everybody. For those who couldn´t attend the opening I review what happened. After words of welcome by our director Ton Wagemakers, I gave a short introduction to the themes of the exhibition, followed by a splendid and humorous speech by British artist Kelly Jenkins (soon to be read on this blog), who came over from London. Kelly is one of the participants of the exhibition and also took the chance to work in the Textile Lab.

Part of the opening was the start-up of a participation project by Anne Reijse, titled Game On. Visitors of the exhibition are invited to knit several objects inspired by computer games. Of course during the opening much attention has been drawn to the exhibited works but I´m sure Game On will grow very soon.

People I spoke during the opening were very positive about the exhibition but of course I´m the curator, so critical comments maybe not reach me so easily. However I love criticism, so feel free to react in this blog.

Photos: Joep Vogels

“GAME ON”

By Anne Reijse, artist



The knitting project “GAME ON” started!

Visitors are knitting the elements of a set, that finally will end up in a knitted computergame.

Do you remember the computer heroes from a while ago…..Pacman, Donkey Kong, Space invader an Mario? These heroes have to be knit before you can play the game.

There is a lot of work to be done…. Everyone is welcome to knit the game. The more is knitted the sooner you can play the GAME. We need all hands, even when you have never knitted in your live before…this project gives you an opportunity to be a great knitter!! If you are already a knitter, you are also very welcome to enjoy this knitting project! When all the pieces of the project are knitted you can start playing the GAME.

The hole set up of this project consists of four different games children (or adults) can play. Imagine playing with a knitted Maria hero in a computergame!!

Let the GAME start to grow!!

Stitch versus Pixel - Digital knitting projects

By Lise Lefebvre, product developper TextielLab

When using digital knitting machines, each knitted stitch takes the same shape as pixel to create the pattern or motif. A lot of designers have been working with this parallel in their textile work, with examples ranging from Lendorff-Kaywa’s scarves with a scannable QR code embeded in them to entire music videos made frame by frame with hundreds of jacquard knitting, from the aptly named band Tricot Machine ( Machine knitting in French), which you can watch here:






Ebru Kurbak and Mahir Yavuz’project Newsknitter goes a step further, using not only pixel, but the constant flow of incoming digital headlines from around the world, to create “snapshot sweaters” of a particular day or portion of the day.




And finally a project I really like that combines knitting and blogging: Threadbared.com is a great and hilarious collection of vintage knitting patterns and garments from various knitting magazines, with witty comments to describe them. From the bizarre to the scary, with a lot of strange or unfortunate layouts, who knew the knitting world was so entertaining?

Images: from websites designers

Desiree de Baar - Fragment of a building #1

By Desiree de Baar, participant KNITTED WORLDS exhibition, written the week before the opening

The work is nearly finished, I just have to sew the hinges on. I’m quite thrilled. The size and monumental character of the work is a new step in my work. It was hard work.

This new work is a mockup of the building where I have my studio. It is in an old school from the beginning of the last century in Rotterdam. According to Wikipedia a mockup is a “full-size non-functional model of a structure or device, used for teaching, demonstration, testing a design and promotion”. I did it the other way around. I made it as a reconstruction of an everyday-life site. These three doors used to enclose toilets. Now two of them serve as closets. I love the repetition of the form by the three doors. By isolating them into one image, I put the emphasis on the sculptural qualities of my daily environment. The monochrome colour and material amplify this.

A fragment of a hallway, that I have passed through so many times. Often without paying thís much attention. Instead of using a method like casting, I reconstructed it by knitting. It is a slow and intense technique. This technique, with its repetitive movements, fits the way I want to pay attention to ordinary things. To make a pattern for the knitting I have to measure every detail and listel and calculate the stitches. I like this mathematical aspect of the knitting. Through the knitting and the process involved I put the focus on the details, showing a poetic site of ordinary things.

You are most welcome to visit me on my website to see more of my work and earlier installations involving knitting-work.

First post

A blog on the exhibition KNITTED WORLDS edited by curator Suzan Rüsseler and librarian Jantiene van Elk.