Hampshire Chronicle News
Winchester to host knitting conference
AN international conference is coming to Winchester next month on the subject of knitting.
Called In the Loop: knitting past, present and future', it will be staged at the city's school of art in Park Avenue.
The school is organising the conference along with the Textile Conservation Centre nearby, and the University of Southampton Library.
The conservation centre is facing closure next year, as the university, which runs it, says it is too costly to operate.
The conference on knitting is scheduled to last three days, and will begin on Tuesday, July 15.
Experts from across the globe will be coming to Winchester, with 28 speakers from as far afield as Australia and North America.
They will include Professor Sandy Black of the London College of Fashion and New York-based artist and author, Sabrina Gschwandtner.
Books dealing with knitting, a genre now known as chick knit lit', will be among the subjects discussed.
The school of art is also taking the opportunity to open a new section in its reference library dedicated to the craft during the conference.
There will also be talks on the history of knitting, its recent rise in popularity, and new fashions and technology.
Delegates will be able to grapple with the craft too, with a knitting lounge being provided during the conference, with complimentary wool.
There will also be an exhibition on the subject entitled Loop' from American artist, Rachel Beth Egenhoefer, at the school of art's Winchester Gallery.
Dr Jessica Hemmings, who is based at the Park Avenue campus, and helped to organise the event, said: "The conference is inspired by the university's acquisition of nationally important collections focused on knitting history, practice and technique compiled by Montse Stanley, Richard Rutt and Jane Waller.
"These collections include beautiful knitted objects, as well as fascinating patterns, postcards and photographs, fiction and non-fiction, magazines and journals all related to knitting."
"This event acknowledges the range of approaches contemporary knitting is currently enjoying.
"The conference is aimed at all those, however experienced or proficient at knitting, who are interested in the craft from both a practical and conceptual perspective."
Visit www.intheloop.soton.ac.uk for more details about the conference.
7:26am Monday 16th June 2008
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