Audrey Dixon of the Knitters Guild
The April guest speaker was Audrey Dixon of the Knitters Guild.
Sue Rogers reports on her lecture.
Our speaker began her talk by telling us of her mother who worked as an apprentice to a French dressmaker in England. This had a profound effect on the young Audrey who was always surrounded by beautiful fabrics and designs, so fostering an interest in clothing in general. She developed her sewing and knitting skills as a student and became a teacher. Her love of singing led to the designing and making of dresses for musicals and other productions.
Audrey has been a high school art teacher, a stage costume designer, embroiderer, President of the Knitters Guild of NSW and a freelance designer. Audrey is a compulsive knitter and has developed two distinctly different styles of design — geometric projects exploiting multidirectional garter stitch and free form knitting/crochet which is ideal for interpreting the local environment.
It is impossible to describe the wonderful knitted garments, hats and bags which Audrey showed us — all trimmed with various knitted frills and Bobbles
, not sewn on later but incorporated into the knitting. I'm sorry we can't supply photos.
Her vest which she uses as a teaching sample was made up of a sequence of knitted patterns which lent themselves to embellishments. Some of the patterns used in this vest were Swiss diamonds, lace moss, picot, mock cable, threaded cable, caterpillar stitch and probably many others I have forgotten to mention.
She also does scrumbling, crochet, embroidered and knitted pictures — the list is endless. A most interesting talk — thank you Audrey Dixon.
Next year marks the 20th Anniversary of the Knitters Guild which Audrey founded. This will be celebrated with an exhibition at the Craft Fair at Darling Harbour.