Rachel John, Extreme Knitting, 1000 Strand Knit

Rachel John, Extreme Textiles, broke records by knitting with a 1000 strands simultaneously! This video shows the set up of the event and the event itself. This event took place at the Southhill Park Unravel Textiles exhibition in October 2006. - - - - - - -

It is a challenge for all of us to take the waste products that our society produces and to put it to good use. This video was made in order to stimulate that process.

The comments on this video have been an insight into how people view things when taken out of context. For instance - should I be knitting blankets for charity? I do much charitable work - I cannot increase the hours on this as I wouldn't have time to earn the basics for living. I am happy if this stimulates others to find waste and turn it into blankets for needy. Especially as - using my tools - you can make blankets in a twentieth of the time it takes to make one in squares. If you feel there should be more knitting for charity, join your local group, set one up if there isn't one, and see what you can achieve. You may find a whole new community that brings you joy and a feeling of worthiness. I am one person with the same number of hours in my day as you and they are pretty full already!

No yarn was wasted in the making of this installation - the yarn will be put to good use when the piece has finished circulating as a 1st in the world example of taking multi strand to the limits. - - - - -

Over half the yarn in the installation was deemed as waste for shredding - this is normally made into felted pads which is then used in applications such as padding/stuffing for sofas, mattresses etc. - - - - - -

The rest of the yarn was out of fashion yarn that was sitting on the manufacturers shelves. None of the yarn was of the good to best quality that stuff is kept for very practical purposes. - - - - - -

In the making of this we were taking the waste yarn and turning it in to a mattress without the need for reprocessing. - - - - - -

We are very eco conscious and would never waste materials as a matter of course. All trimmings - no matter how small - are collected for use as filler for a variety of purposes such as cushions, so not even a centimetre of yarn is considered waste in this studio. - - - - - -

We also have what we call a spinners collection of fibres. We were very inspired by a lady from New Zealand who collected every single hair, every bit of fibre, all possible spinning material and when her stash was enough she would spin it in to yarn. She would then use the yarn in the normal way. The work she produced was wonderful and always, always practical. She never bought yarn she always made it from sweepings. - - - - - - -

In due course, and when the working schedule allows, we shall be expanding on the theme of finding and making yarn.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Rachel
• John
• Extreme
• Textiles
• 1000
• strand
• knit
• Knitting
• Fashion
• Catwalk
• show
• Rugs

[rasputinsloved1]

Wow...amazing! And what a great upper body workout!! Though I think that might be the most horrific waste of yarn I've ever seen in my life....

[Saybe24]

and that is how to knit a futon....

[namaste15]

so what gauge knitting needles are those? haha.

[Isay2MUCH]

@FilmNoirFan1 (best comment yet)

I thought this was unique and creative. Someone thought it was useless. When was the last time you saw modern art that was useful? Art is meant to be looked at not to be used like a can opener. How many of the people who dislike this piece have enough creative abilities to display in an exhibit? In the 90s, an artist took donations to "plant" acres and acres of big yellow umbrellas in LosAngeles or in Colorado someone tried to hang a tapestry over the CO river.

[vivsgran]

you would really hate to drop a stitch and have to frog or tink it.

[phantomfrk]

Now lets see you do some cabling with 1000 strands of yarn



[colinmcrae09]

y would u want to waste your time doing that?

[IrwinNenneo]

Impressive!

[bearhedded]

How pointless!

[DMPelli]

YOU DIDN'T PUSH ANY BOUNDARIES!

[Christopherslady]

Hahahahaha..extreme knitting. Lol

that's awesome

[kirwin78]

wow im a knitter but wow..... i would love to help you someday.