Videography: Layla Blanco

6-9pm

An evening of workshops celebrating knit, crochet and community, in aid of Craft Forward’s Blankets for Lambeth initiative.

NOW Gallery has partnered with London based knit collective Black Girl Knit Club, crochet artist Kimberley Cookey-Gam (crochetcookey) and community interest project Craft Forward for an evening of workshops exploring the craft of knit and crochet in response to Matty Bovan’s 2022 Fashion Commission ‘Ribbons’. 

As part of the sessions, visitors will be invited to knit or crochet a square, to be assembled on-site into blankets for people experiencing homelessness, in partnership with Craft Forward’s ‘Blankets for Lambeth’ initiative.

Workshops are open to all abilities, from complete beginners to knitting pros. All tools and materials will be provided. If you have a favourite crochet hook, knitting needles or extra yarn you’d like to use please bring these along. 

This will be a late night opportunity to view Matty Bovan’s ‘RIBBONS’, meet fellow knitters and have a drink, with music by Social Records Society.

Programme:

6pm, 7pm and 8pm
Black Girl Knit Club: Knit Workshops 

Drop in sessions: 6-9pm 

The Knit Club: Assembling Blankets for Lambeth             

How to: Freeform and Single Crochet with crochetcookey

To guarantee a place in Black Girl Knit Club’s one-hour sessions, book tickets here.

Black Girl Knit Club: Knit Workshop
6pm, 7pm and 8pm 

Create a collaborative knit piece with Black Girl Knit Club. This one hour session invites attendees to explore their knitting skills and create a knitted square, exploring a variety of different knit stitches such as knit, purl and stocking stitch. Everyone will be encouraged to experiment with a range of different yarn textures inspired by Matty Bovan’s ‘Ribbons’.   

The workshop will offer an opportunity to learn about Black Girl Knit Club’s journey with knitting, and the duo’s recently published book ‘Conscious Crafts: Knitting’.

Book a ticket via the link below to ensure your space. There will be additional availability for drop-ins throughout the evening.

About Black Girl Knit Club

Black Girl Knit Club was founded in early 2019 by Sicgmone Kludje & Vea Koranteng. The pair worked together on creative projects before laying the foundation to create their platform.

They were motivated to start Black Girl Knit Club (BGKC) after following the social media hashtag #diversknitty, where different knitwear designers and makers were calling for more diversity within the craft community due to lack of visibility. As friends they wanted to create a safe and inclusive space for Black women creatives; to gather, share stories and inspire each other through craft skills and more importantly develop their creativity whilst equipping the next generation with a new skill. 

The Knit Club: Assembling Blankets for Lambeth with Craft Forward
Drop in 6-9pm 

Come together, connect, and crochet together Craft Forward’s first hand knitted Blankets for Lambeth of 2023. During this session, visitors will be invited to bring along their squares knitted throughout the evening’s workshops to be assembled into blankets. 

Structured like a relaxed and welcoming knitting group, the Knit Club is open to beginners and experienced knitters to come together, connect, learn more about the craft and the social purpose of our project. For this special edition of The Knit Club, participants will be assembling knitted and crocheted squares into blankets to go towards the “Blankets for Lambeth” project.

“Blankets for Lambeth” is Craft Forward’s seasonal project where blankets are assembled to donate to homeless individuals in Lambeth.

About Craft Forward

Established in 2020, Craft Forward is a Community Interest Company designed to provide accessible, creative, experiences suitable for everyone, regardless of their skills and background. Craft Forward’s aim is to disrupt the current elitism within the arts and crafts world and open creativity to all. To do this, they re-define and re-frame arts and crafts through workshops that value well-being and connection over results and technical achievements.

How to: Freeform and Single Crochet with crochetcookey
Drop in 6-9pm 

During this session visitors will learn how to freeform and single crochet a square inspired by the work of multidisciplinary artist Kimberley Cookey Gam (crochetcookey). 

About Kimberley Cookey Gam (crochetcookey)

crochetcookey is an art project that exists to address the balance between independent creativity and a desire for connection, through the process of care, crochet and collaboration, drawing various forms of creativity together to initiate softness within the hard parts of the art world.

Crochet pieces handmade by Kimberley Cookey-Gam, spans clothing & accessories to sculpture to functional objects.

Curated by India Stanbra

Sponsored by Wool and the Gang