M
y mother taught me to knit when I was twelve, but for a long time my design interests were concentrated on sewing. I graduated from the Fashion Design and Merchandising course at Ryerson University and ran my own small business sewing for others. I also taught sewing. When my children were born I took up knitting in earnest. I was looking for an activity that was portable -- one that I could pick up in idle moments and drop when "Mommy" was needed. My children are now pretty well grown-up, but I'm still knitting.
Many of my designs are sold through Shelridge Farm (www.shelridge.com). I've also had designs published in Knitters' Magazine (Diamond Wrap in the Fall '00 issue, Four Corner Hat in the Winter '00 issue, and Filled Cables in the Fall '01 issue). One of my designs, "Inner Harbour", won second prize in the 2001 Knitting Guild of America design competition.
I'm interested in all types of colour knitting but I particularly enjoy modular knitting. I attended a workshop with Horst Schulz (Oct. '99) and I assisted Mr. Schulz in his recent workshop for the Toronto Downtown Knit Collective (Oct. '00). I conduct workshops of my own, in modular and other knitting techniques. I've taught for Toronto-area guilds and the Canadian Sewing and Needlework Festival, and I was a guest instructor at Shirl the Purl's (a.k.a. Shirley Scott) Knit-With-Us in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (June '01). I also wrote an on-line class for the modknit list about combining intarsia and modular techniques (Intarsia Pillow Lesson).
The Pacific Northwest has been a great influence on my life and on my knitting. Kinver Beach is a location which no longer exists but it remains in my imagination. When I'm seeking inspiration or just a calm reflectiveness, I visit my memories of the West Coast. I chose Kinver Beach as the name of my business as a tribute to the power of the imagination.
