A Nottingham Trent university student is thought to be the first person to create knitted artwork on an 18th century frame.
Jacaranda Brain, 20 learnt how to use the intricate knitting frame – which were used to create some of Nottingham’s first lace – in just two months.
The second year Fashion Knitwear Design student painstakingly knitted the 15 by 15 inch image of a giraffe at the Framework Knitters Museum, Ruddington – where she has been volunteering throughout the summer.
She said: “I wanted to learn how to use the machines to a good standard as it is such a rare skill to have and gives you such appreciation for knitting and the knitting industry.
“It has been time consuming, but I’m really happy with what I have achieved.”
Picture: The giraffe artwork took two months to complete.
The machines would have originally been used to knit materials for stockings, but were later developed to contribute to Nottingham’s booming lace trade.
The creative process behind the artwork required Jacaranda to use eight individual movements whilst transferring 200 stitches by hand for each line of knitting, with just a basic outline on paper to guide her.
She now hopes to use the skills she has learnt whilst taking up a job at G.H. Hurt – the historic shawl makers who recently made the christening shawl for Prince George.
Paul Baker, museum manager said: “The rate at which Jacaranda has mastered the knitting frames is truly exceptional, and as far as we are aware no one else has ever used the machines to create an image in quite the way she has.”
Museum curators think that it is unlikely that any artworks would have been created by framework knitters in the past, as there was no financial value in the art.
