Brush up on your knitting skills with Down Art Centre classes

Brush up on your knitting skills with Down Art Centre classes

30 January 2019

IT may be a traditional craft which has been practised in families for generations but knitting has never gone out of style. 

There’s a chance to improve beyond the basic knit and purl stitches when knitting guru, designer and writer Lucinda Guy hosts her new knitting course at Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick.

The 12-week course started last night but there’s still time to sign up to the course.

While this is an adult class, Lucinda is renowned for her knitting books aimed at children.

Like many people, she says that her love of knitting started at home. 

“Luckily for me I grew up in a family where a lot of knitting and stitching went on and I was taught to knit, crochet and stitch by various very patient relatives,” says Lucinda.

“I grew up in a time where it was the norm that women knitted, stitched and crocheted and although fairly mundane things such as school sweaters and cardigans were regularly made, fabulously dainty knitted, sewn and crocheted dolls clothes were also made as well as fine cotton hankies with hand stitched lacy tatted edgings. 

“These made quite an impression on me and I appreciated that beautiful, almost magical, things could be made if the skills were learnt.”

Lucinda started off knitting dolls’ clothes and small bits and pieces but as she got older, she began to maker her own hand-made, pure wool sweaters.

However, since then she has made a name for her Icelandic-inspired designs which she has turned into several exciting collections.

She is the author of three knitting books, including the most recent, Kids Learn to Stitch.

Lucinda says she prefers working on new designs for children, adding: “Children’s knits always seem ‘easier’. 

“Warmth, colour and humour are vital elements in my work and I think that they are used to the best advantage in my children’s designs. I can happily create quirky character toys and then have fun incorporating plenty of motifs and embroidery details into the designs.”

Lucinda’s Introduction to Knitting class will be held on Tuesdays (7-9pm) for the next 11 weeks at a cost of £60 (£55 concession).

To book or for more information contact Down Arts Centre on 028 4461 0747 or visit www.downartscentre.com.