Knitting has enjoyed a revival over the past few years, as
stars like Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Kate Moss and, curiously
enough, Russell Crowe have all started to knit one, purl one. It
seems that after a hard day’s night and a punch up down
under, Mr Crowe likes nothing better than to snuggle up with his
knitting. It’s a 1970s craze – knitters want free love and
happiness. At the Peace Rally in February 2003, ‘Cast
Off’, the ‘Ultimate Knitting Society for Boys and
Girls’, knitted a banner that read, “Drop stitches, not
bombs. Make jumpers, not war.” That’s right, if only
George Bush had knitted his dog, Barney, a little woolly
‘Peace’ waistcoat, then the war in Iraq may have been
avoided. What Crowe and knitters everywhere have discovered are the
meditative and fashionable benefits that can be gained from
weaving wool. Rachel Matthews, the founder of “Cast
Off”, the same woman who brought you that essential
contingent to your winter wardrobe, the “Willy Warmer”
(a bestseller in Japan), claims that “knitting is guaranteed
to boost your immune system and clear your head”. The
repetition of the activity helps a person focus, with many
benefits. One of the brightest stars to have emerged this year at London
Fashion Week was the young knitwear designer, Clare Tough, who
made an incredible collection of intricately knitted tops,
skirts, ponchos, and woollen stilettos. She is currently dealing with buyers in London, while the rest
of her fellow students from the Central St Martins fashion
department are crying over broken dreams; their future career as
a stylist for Kim Marsh and the Sugar Babes stretching before
them. Wool is back and the way to wear it is loosely, wrapped around
you, like an ethereal fairy. Keep it loose and wispy over dusty
coloured, patterned dresses and skirts, or soft worn-in jeans.
It’s a good way of wearing less at night, while keeping warm
and it also takes the edge off an enormous cleavage, or lack of
one. To avoid looking like Grandma Mildred, choose your colours
carefully; try baby pink and black mixed together or rainbow
coloured. The best way to get this look is to start knitting yourself
and create a one-off, original piece, that’s just your
colour. Knitting passes the time, it’s relaxing and helps
you think – go to KnitSoc, branch out, expand your interests
and make some new 100% woollen friends. Or, if you can face it, go to Unicorn, on Ship Street and sift
through the unbelievable wasteland of clothes it has to offer.
Genuine vintage shawls, ponchos and scarves start at around £10,
and can be found somewhere in a tangled heap in this slightly
Dickensian establishment. So start knitting, for all the therapeutic and stylish
opportunities it has to offer. This summer I say wrap yourself up
in wool and look lost in a garden. All we need is Woodstock 1969, a field of comatose,
drug-addled hippies and Hendrix playing on stage. Those of you
who managed to get tickets for Glastonbury this year, don’t
forget to wear a poncho for me and shake your head wildly.ARCHIVE: 5th week TT 2004
In the Knit
