London Calling This Month: Rachel Henderson

Feature by Sarah Hunter | 12 Nov 2006

It was not too long ago that knitting was at the backbone of Scotland's rural economy. While the men fished and farmed, the women in the home hand knitted garments to wear and sell. Now with technology able to create all manner of woollens in a fraction of the time for unutterably low prices, knitting is a luxury hobby rather than an essential skill. This hobby, however, has undergone a near unbelievable transformation in recent years. Once the realm of under-appreciated grannies, it has been invaded by a host of hip young things who have made this almost lost art cool.

One such hip young thing, Rachel Henderson, has plans to push knitting even further into the public eye: "America has their own knitting channel, and that's what I want to do, or even just a slot on This Morning, 'Knitting with Rachel', because I think it would work, you know?"


Already the author of two books, 'Pub Knitting' and 'I Love Knitting', Rachel is about to begin work on another two, after she takes her talent on a UK charity tour to inspire a whole host of new knitters in aid of the Make a Wish Foundation. Each person she teaches at her workshops will be urged to make a donation to the foundation to give a child with a life-threatening illness a knitting experience. (Anyone can sponsor Rachel at www.justgiving.com/rachelontheroad).


The success of Rachel's workshops proves that knitting is something easy to learn provided you have an experienced teacher to guide you. Rachel believes that it needs to be brought back to schools to allow younger students the opportunity: "I think it is really important these skills aren't lost. Young children are so distracted these days by Playstations, the internet and television, it is better that they create something they can wear for themselves."

It can be an expensive hobby and Rachel thinks discounts – especially for students – could help the industry, as well as patterns (like many of hers) which use little wool, take little time, but are big on funk factor: "That's the reason I brought out Pub Knitting. With the mobile phone cosies, you can get three out of the one ball, and they [new knitters] are more likely to buy one ball, rather than lots."

Rachel plans to leave Edinburgh for London in the next couple of years, and hopes she will eventually make New York her home. She feels that Scotland needs to do more for its young artists and designers: "It is hard for us to make money from it, there needs to be more support, more grants or bursaries."

For the moment Rachel can still be found in Edinburgh and for chat, tuition and possibly an alcoholic beverage or four, she hosts a knitting night in Sofi's bar in Leith on Tuesdays from 7-9pm: "It's a good way to get inspired if you can do it socially. There are so many people that come along, and they are working on so many really cool projects so you get inspired and learn from them."

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