Local materials + Digital communities = My Creative Hands
I am inviting you to watch an animated gif that I have made, showing my hands as they are knitting. I also intend to do a workshop in knitting a pattern of my own design. Documenting the process will result in a project film of about 5 minutes.
In times of less physical and social contact, I find knitting to be an activity that creates proximity on various levels. My hands make clothing of yarn. I use natural materials, such as cotton, flax, wool and silk, preferably sustainably produced. I want to explore yarns that are produced locally, from plants and animals living and growing in Sweden. In my ideas, I am connected to and part of an international community sharing ideas on digital platforms, such as Ravelry. While knitting the patterns of other designers, I experience a proximity to them - their aestethic and logical thinking become part of my own experience. With this experience, I can create my own patterns. Last but not least, friends who live far off become closer to me, when I send them something I have knitted.
As a designer I experience a need to, time and time again, re-conquer the activity of creating with my hands. Having been knitting for some time, I experienced the contrary - I wanted to make a digital animation of my knitting hands. You are welcome to watch it on my webpage: https://lottehougaard.wordpress.com/
