To celebrate National Museumn Day, we've rounded up some of our all-time favourite knitting patterns inspired by history. From a Suffragette shawl to a jumper inspired by impressionist art, you're sure to fall in love with one of these patterns.
The design work draws upon history, landscapes, the designer's Scandinavian heritage and love of art. This design was inspired by a painting by 19th century artist and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The chosen yarn is a commissioned colourway inspired by 19th century tiles designed by the Victorian artist and illustrator Walter Crane.The Arts and Crafts Movement was not just about fine art, but about bringing beauty into everyday objects – and clothing was very much part of this. Pre-Raphaelite artists used all their skill to paint their models in stunning clothes, silk and gorgeous fabric that seem as luxurious and tactile as the real thing. This stole is inspired by the floaty, shimmering wrap worn by the protagonist of Arthur Hughes’s classic romantic painting April Love, the perfect adornment for a spring tryst.The wall coverings and textiles of William Morris include nature-inspired designs and often feature flowers such as chrysanthemums. This vest is the designer's Fair Isle interpretation of those designs. Living in Shetland she am very familiar with the yarns of Jamieson and Smith and felt that the warm colours and texture, which resembles the old hand-spun yarn of its Shetland Heritage range, would be perfect for this design.When Lara looked through the inspiration boards for this issue, she was captivated by the Ballads and Sonnets book cover. The graceful flower shapes echoed a perfect vision of spring. She was excited to use Navia’s Duo yarn for the first time. Duo’s slightly fuzzy texture is a natural fit for colourwork.This hip-length gilet marries this season’s glowing PreRaphaelite colours and style with a large pinch of Principal Boy dash! Miranda named this pattern after Dandini, Prince Charming’s swashbuckling valet from Cinderella – I was in a local panto every year when she was a child, and remembers this character as a fun-loving swashbuckler with a lot more colour than his boss!Designer Charlotte Walford loves the print designs of the Arts and Crafts period, especially those by William Morris, such as the famous Strawberry Thief pattern. She used many characteristics of those designs, such as mirroring, flora and fauna motifs and hourglass shapes to create an original large-scale repeating pattern for the lower edge of the shawl, elements of which are repeated in the top border after the short row section. Hand- dyed yarn in a dark variegated colour and a lighter semisolid colour add depth to the pattern, but two semi-solid shades would look beautiful too.
Feeling inspired?
The patterns above are all available in Knit Now issue 34
Downloadable ID: 871
Saddleworth heroine Annie Kenney worked in a Springhead mill. As a young mill worker, she was a prominent member of the suffragette movement. The design would have suited the strong-shouldered silhouette of the suffragettes and was named after her. This hat is named for Countess Constance Markievicz, a truly inspirational lady. Constance was an Irish politician, revolutionary nationalist, suffragette and socialist. She was the first woman elected to the British Parliament, although she never took her seat. Constance was also the first female cabinet minister in any government in Europe and a military leader as she led a brigade in the 1916 rebellion.This shawl adopts the striking colours of the Suffragette movement, but you might also see V for Votes and W for Women hidden in the lace pattern.This accessory is named for a Tube station which opened in 1915 and was the first to be staffed entirely by women. Delphos is a homage to the pleated gowns of Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo, which freed women from constraining support garment in the early 20th century. Flowing lines, beads and lace detailing create a relaxed but partially fitted garment.
Feeling inspired?
The patterns above are all available in Knit Now issue 55
Downloadable ID: 873
This sweater has a relaxed 'painter's smock' feel, with stitches used to create texture like the sweep of a brush through oil paint and colours, inspired by Vincent van Gogh.One of the joys of visiting an art gallery is that you can look at paintings close up and see how the painter has used their brush strokes in their work. The bold brush strokes and colours of van Gogh inspired this design. This cowl is inspired by van Gogh's The Starry Night painting. It captures the smooth, curved lined of brush strokes. Having a variegated yarn as the contrasting colour further emulates van Gogh's sky by incorporating all of the hues of the painting. Featuring several different ‘star’ motifs, Saint-Rémy is inspired by van Gogh’s The Starry Night painting, which was created whilst he was living in Saint-Rémy. The twinkling ‘stars’ are knitted in a beautiful contrast colour against a dark blue stocking stitch background.
Feeling inspired?
The patterns above are all available in Knit Now issue 80
