Knitting
Imogen Denton
Please tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Imogen Denton. I am London born and bred. I find the city to be a constant source of inspiration and frustration. I have recently completed my master's in Urban Design and City Planning. I work as a planning consultant alongside designing knitwear. I have an invested interest in how things ‘fit’, whether that be clothes or buildings. How they fit us and how we often have to work to fit in with them. I am interested in how they constantly respond and impact the human body. I really love how these two fields interact and overlap. My ambition for both planning and designing knitwear is to produce objects that truly work for us. I have always been lucky enough to be surrounded by creative people, but I have never seen myself as a particularly creative person. For my undergrad, I completed my BA in History of Art, which left me completely numb to the art world. It is only in recent years I have come to know the ‘craft world’; a space that suits me much better.
How did you become a textile designer, and why did you specifically turn your attention to knitting?
I started designing knitwear for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I wanted to create things that I could not find elsewhere. I have a very specific understanding of what I do and do not like- simplicity is key! Secondly, I actually find it very difficult to read and follow knitting patterns. Looking at clothes and reinterpreting them into knitted shapes makes a lot more sense to me rather than the codes that make up knitting patterns. It is easier and less restrictive for me to make my own patterns. Initially, I did not start with the anticipation of sharing the designs with anyone else but it just turned out that way.
I have knit with my mama during Christmas holidays for years. I am not sure I really intentionally turned to knitting, it was just something I always did. The first time she taught me, she unravelled something she’d made years ago so I could practise. I love knitting as it is something very accessible. You do not need a lot of materials or techniques to make an abundance of different pieces. I think compared to other textile practices it is very easy to share knowledge, learn and engage with the process, or it has been that way for me. I have always been surrounded by knitting. All of my grandparents knit. My Grandpa taught my mama one day she was ill and home from school. He often talks of things he has knit. He told me once of how he knit during the war as a child in St. Kitts. Many of the children on the island would sit together knitting. They would send balaclavas and blankets across the Atlantic Ocean for the British soldiers. Due to a lack of patterns he and the other children would take in turns to read out the patterns for the others to follow.
What is the process and the thinking behind your designs? What yarn do you like to work with the most?
The process usually starts with me seeing something I really like, whether that be a vintage pattern online, a piece of Victorian clothing, or a medieval piece of armour in a museum. I then start by trying to reinterpret the object into a piece of knitwear. I often cut out a version in paper to see what shapes I will need and how it will fit together to make the final piece. I aim to design things to really suit the body and to offer comfort. This is something I think about throughout the design process. I am often trying to create a form of soft armour that can work to protect and caress us as we head into battle. For me knitwear itself has a very protective nature, it covers and shields you. In large this is what draws me to it. I actually like to work with a whole range of materials, but pure wool is my favourite. It may not be as soft as other fibres but I like the structure it can give to items. It can give the work an almost sculptural nature. I also just love the smell!
How do you keep an open mind for finding delight in trial & error and respond creatively to the challenges of knitting?
I think genuinely enjoying the process of designing and knitting helps me to accept my mistakes. I think to enjoy this practise you have to accept and appreciate unravelling and starting over. Not to say it is not a little frustrating at times. I used to get so despondent if I would get to a certain point in a project and realise I was going to have to start over, if I had made it too small, or used the wrong materials. It took me a while, but I now recognise that it is a necessary part of designing knitwear. Now, for me, the best thing about knitting is the long-winded process. I have still never got a pattern right first time. I accept any initial stumbles as I hope the end results will last for decades. I do not see unravelling projects as too much of an inconvenience in the grand scheme of things. Knitting can be a very slow process but I think that’s part of its’ magic.
We were delighted to see that you are selling part of your knitting patterns with a ¨pay what you can¨ approach and donating part of the income generated to Sistah Space. Can you please share your thoughts on how important it is to you to support this community-based non-profit?
I think knitting and other creative outlets should be as accessible as possible and so I strive to offer this, hence I offer all my patterns on a sliding scale. When I started selling commissions in summer 2020 I was in a position I could afford to send all of my profits to BLM organisations. Unfortunately, after a few months it became my sole income and I was not able to continue to donate all of my sales. However, I wanted to be able to continue to support one organisation, even in a small way. This is when I chose to donate a percentage of pattern sales to Sistah Space on a permanent basis. The community based initiative supports African heritage women, working with their local community to raise awareness of both domestic and sexual abuse. I think if you have the ability to give back to our community we have the responsibility to do so. We cannot rely on our government to do the right thing, so is necessary to support those within the community who need our help. I am aware that I am very fortunate in my position, so it feels important to show this, even if it is in a very small way.
How do you personally envision a world which has been able to revive traditional and sustainable techniques?
For it to be possible to revive traditional techniques I feel that more value needs to be given to objects. The true value of pieces made through traditional and sustainable techniques needs to be recognised. When there is this understanding I think people will be more willing to invest in these objects. They will subsequently, see the need to keep them for decades and want to pass them down to future generations. Using traditional techniques often involves a lot of time and energy which does not always suit the pace of modern life, but these techniques give us an opportunity to make only what we need. Using and developing these techniques can force you to slow down, allowing space for collaboration and discussion. In order to make my work sustainable I have chosen to only offer commissions to help reduce waste from making bulk production. I also offer ‘patchwork’ knitwear made from yarn used in previous commissions and I offer these pieces at reduced prices.
What upcoming projects make you excited right now?
I am very excited about my new collection. It is called ‘Your Fauld’. It is a series of pieces both protective pieces for winter battles and rewards for your struggles. It includes very structured felted pieces such as the Cake Hat and Extra Pocket. As well as the Chestplate 3.0 a fusion of medieval armour and a Guernsey jumper. The collection will offer you protection during battle and rewards for your struggles.
Where and how can people engage more with your work?
For all its foils Instagram (Imogen_denton) is the best place to reach me. I have been saying I will make a website for about two years but I have yet to start!
Pictures belong to Imogene and Sophie Davidson,
