Game of Wool - Q&A with Ailsa

AGE: 30
LOCATION: North Ayrshire
JOB: Assistant at a ferry company

You’re going to be competing in the first competitive knitting show. Are you thrilled? 
I’m a mixture of excited and nervous. I love knitting and meeting other knitters, so to be in this process and meeting the other knitters on the project, it’s really exciting.

What is your unique style of knitting? 
I would say that I like creating vintage styles. Some of them are so wacky. I like doing older style designs but with modern textures and bright colours.

What is the most ambitious project you’ve knitted?
There was a tank top that I struggled with. It was in a book from the 80s and I was using a mixture of weird yarns that kept going wrong and it took a long time, but it was a great challenge. It pushed me and my technique.

What is it that you love most about knitting? 
I love the historical element of it. It’s keeping something going that has been on the go for so long. Clothing has become so easy to get, and I like how I’m keeping the legacy of knitting alive and go down the spinning route. It’s good for your mental health too. There is a reason why so many people picked up on it during the pandemic. You can get your thoughts in order, and it calms you down. 

 

Go on, there must be a part of the knitting process that you dislike - what is it? 
The only thing I dislike about it is the outward view that society is – thinking it’s just for your grandparents and that’s ‘cute’. No, it’s not cute, it’s a survival skill!

How do you go about preparing for a competition like Game of Wool? 
I’m doing a mock practice and learning from it for the challenges. But I keep constantly changing my patterns and drafts. But I’m getting into the swing of it and trying things I’ve never tried before.

Have you done a knitting competition before? 
Never no. I’ve been in a craft competition before.

What are you hoping some of the challenges will be? 
Anything crochet shaping and 3D crocheting.

Are you just a knitting wiz or are you multi-skilled? 
Neither!

How does knitting make you feel? 
It is an escape for me. It’s where I get peace and time to recharge. I’m not a massive social butterfly, so this recharges me. I can also be creative with it. At the beginning you just do what you are told, but as you learn, you can put your own spin on things which gives you confidence.

Knitting is becoming cool again, why do you think this is? 
I do think it was the pandemic. It is so accessible, and you don’t have to have a lot of money to start doing it. Celebrities are doing it too, so they have been big influences on making it cool.

If you had to give one piece of advice to someone picking up needles for the first time, what would you say to them? 
Don’t start with a scarf. You’ll learn 90% of what you need to know in the first five minutes, and then you’ll get bored. Learn something you want to make and you’ll feel better at the end.

Finally, if you could create one thing with absolutely no budget restrictions or brief, what would you make? 
I like the idea of doing an umbrella. 

Game of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter starts Sunday 2 November at 8pm on Channel 4.

ENDS