“Caveman Cable”
Name: “Caveman Cable”
Dimensions: 110x180cm
Material: Donegal Yarns Galánta, Tweed & Soft Wool
Technique(s): Jacquard knit, Organic Cable knit, crochet
Part of the “Kinship” collection, this caveman symbolises the ancestors before us, who built fires for reasons that are still alive today.
The body of the jacquard caveman makes a lovely marled pattern on the reverse side. A bright blue strip of linking connects the caveman to the earthy brown of the elongated cable edges. All enclosed with a clean white crochet border. The weight of the fabric is really satisfyingly dense… will definitely keep you warm.
This design came into my mind right at the end of my project and I would not rest until it was made. I’m absolutely delighted with it, one of my proudest pieces I’ve ever created. It’s kind of a culmination of the whole collection… techniques, narrative, colour.
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Specifications & Concept
“Kinship” is a collection of heirloom blankets centred around fire and the community it inspires. People have an affinity for sitting around campfires- for warmth, ceremony and group gathering. Traditions that have existed for hundreds of years are still practiced today, such as the Hill of Uisneach fire festival. The feeling of belonging and community one feels while sitting around a fire with others is the same as it was at the beginning of civilisation.
These blankets are created to cherish and last through generations. Focusing on the emotional attachment a cloth can hold, these pieces might be gifted at monumental points in a person’s life and used with love for the next owner.
Knitting, weaving, crocheting and hand-manipulation techniques make up a collection crafted with personal touch. Colour is drawn directly from imagery of burning embers and flames. Organic fibres wool and cotton are used to mimic the natural holistic craft of a wood-burning fire.
Keeping a creative narrative is important in the design process; Kinship utilises self-written poetry, imagery and handwriting to emphasise its concept.
The tactile structures of this collection include organic cabling and honeycomb weaves, developed from photography of flames and embers.