In the Loop 4: the Credits

In the Loop 4: From Craft to Couture

In the Loop 4 (or #intheloop4 as it soon became known on the twittersphere) delivered three days of talk, debate, thought, shopping, eating and fashion in the environs of the University of Glasgow. Our themes of Authenticity, Sustainability and Creativity were woven through the programme in intriguing and provocative and sometimes quite moving and through provoking ways and the overarching ‘From Craft to Couture’ strapline certainly delivered as speakers, designers, knitters and sometimes all three gave us insights into the constantly shifting status and profile of knit, from the 18th century to the present.

Others have effectively summed up the range of papers and the extra-curricular activities – thank you Emma and Kari and Helen. For the University of Glasgow Knitting-in-the-Round team the conference was a chance for us to share our ideas and activities with the wider knitting community and for you – the knitting community in the UK and overseas – to contribute to our thinking about the value and place of knitting (and especially Scottish knitted textiles) in our culture, past and present. And think we did – about tradition and what might be regarded as authentic; about the value of the work of knitting; about knitting in the community to promote wellbeing; and about the technical processes that go into producing something from wool.

We were delighted to include in the conference bag a booklet of patterns designed by our 2014 Knitter in Residence Susan McComb – some of you will have followed her story on this blog last year – and the marketplace which featured Scottish yarn producers, dyers, designers and accessory makers – was a showcase for some of the exciting small producers in this part of the world.

The Scottish Knitwear Designers fashion show was – if we say so ourselves – a triumph, capping off three days of knit-talk with a feast for the eyes, featuring some of Scotland’s best known knitwear designers and makers.

A successful conference depends on many hands and we would like to thank everyone who came along to contribute. Special thanks are extended to all the student volunteers and especially Jade Halbert and Leila Khoshoie who organised the fashion show. And we would also like to thank Harrison Reid who took the lovely photos of that event which adorn this blog.

The next Knitting-in-the round event is in Shetland on 5 March – watch this space for further details.