Lord and Taft

My name is Tracy Lord and I am a knitwear designer based in Muswell Hill, North London. My brand is called Lord and Taft , I’m a member of Muswell Hill Creatives and I also teach and write design books sometimes!

 I make machine  and hand knitted accessories for men, women and children including ties, scarves, gloves, hats and socks. They’re all made of lovely natural fibres like alpaca, silk and cotton:

Currently my favourite products are my silk and cotton blend ties:

Being observant and in the right frame of mind to notice things is the best place to be for inspiration – sometimes I’ll see an amazing bit of lichen, or a carving on a door, or maybe just the colours of leaves against the pavement – and that’s enough to spark an idea when I get home.

I believe you can do this absolutely anywhere, it’s a state of mind rather than a location. Having said that, travelling through New Mexico was pretty damn cool for inspiration!

Lord and Taft are at Homeworks on Sunday 3 December.

Urbanknit

My name is Dolapo and I started Urbanknit in 2006 with the aim of providing unique and colourful handmade fashion accessories that give you a sense of individuality. Trained as an architect, I love to design and make pieces that are unique and unusual in bold prints, bright colours and interesting textures:

I particularly love using traditional African prints and fabrics and combining them with fabrics like denim, corduroy, and cotton to make accessories that are durable yet interesting thus mixing colours and cultures where the old tradition meets the modern world:

My favourite product is the zipper pouch. They are small and colourful but also extremely useful. They are great for keeping together little bits and bobs in your bag, like coins, receipts, makeup etc. They are bright so you can find them easily!

I love wandering somewhat aimlessly in the city and one of my favourite stops is Tate Modern for some contemporary art inspiration.

Come and see Urbanknit at Homeworks on Sunday 10 December.

Quinton Chadwick

Quinton Chadwick are knitwear designers Jess Quinton and Jane Chadwick and they have a passion for the  craftsmanship of this country’s knitting heritage.

Their vision is to blend these traditional skills with their own contemporary design aesthetic:

Jess and Jane prefer using natural fibres such as wool and cashmere and proudly make everything entirely in the UK:

“Favourite products are our rainbow coloured berets and scarves and our best selling LOVE gloves. We love the The fashion and Textile museum in Bermondsey, The Jeffrey Museum in Hackney – and of course the V&A who often sell our knits in their shop.”

Quinton Chadwick will be at Homeworks on Sunday 3 December.

Meet the Maker - Annie Neill

My name is Annie Neill and I graduated from Central St. Martins College of Art and Design with a BA(Hons) in Textile Design in 1993.

I worked as an inhouse designer for a knitted swatch agency, designing and selling new designs, ideas and trends to the American market.
I also worked on private commissions before setting up my own business in 2004 designing and selling my own range of luxury knitwear.
My designs include woollen garter stitch berets, beanies and gloves, rib beanies, fingerless gloves and fingerless mittens:

My best sellers include mens and ladies cotton socks and woollen socks made using the finest of yarns and the unique softness of Scottish water.

I’m delighted that through my business I’m supporting the skills, craftsmanship, tradition and knowledge of generations of makers, taking pride in sewing a ‘Made in Scotland’ label into every piece.

Come and buy Annie’s gorgeous knitwear this Sunday 11 December.

Meet the Maker - Studio Rajka

My name is Rajka, my company name is Studio Rajka and I live, design, create and make my knitwear in my studio in Brentford, West London.
I studied chemistry at University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. I have never studied design, but I started to knit when I was a child and sold my knitwear at university to supplement my tiny student budget.

I have been creative all my professional life, and after many years in the fashion industry I started my knitwear company two years ago, turning my passion into my profession.
I’m inspired by everyday life and my aim is to create luxurious but affordable knitwear, both traditional and contemporary, using naturally sourced sustainable and renewable materials:

I use Scottish and Italian spun lambswool, cashmere and blended yarn.

My products are unique, I rarely made more than two same. I am always happy to do custom orders.

Studio Rajka will be at Homeworks on Sunday 4 December.