CLARE DEVINE
Clare has become a go-to designer for beautiful, imaginative accessory patterns
Meet this popular designer
BASED IN Brisbane, Australia, Clare has built up a reputation as a designer of elegant socks and shawl. She has published many pattern collections, as well as creating projects for yarn companies including The Fibre Co. Clare shares her design insights and tutorials on her blog, Knit Share Love.
Who inspired you to take up knitting?
“While my paternal grandmother was an avid knitter, I grew up on the other side of the world from her, so didn’t really knit as a child. It was later in life, while I was travelling in Australia and fell in love with a hand-knitted hat I spotted in a shop (and couldn’t afford), that I taught myself to knit. I picked up some needles and wool, and have loved knitting ever since.”
Do you have a favourite artist, writer, poet or musician who inspires you?
“My favourite painter is Rothko – I saw an exhibition of his at the Tate Modern when I lived in London. I sat for hours completely engrossed in the huge paintings hanging before me. There is something quite mesmerizing about gazing at the brush strokes in those large-scale artworks. Those paintings remind me that no matter how large or simple a project appears, it is always the details that count.”
Which designer has most inspired you?
“I have always greatly admired the work of Cookie A and Hunter Hammersen; they both have an incredible talent for turning a skein of sock yarn into a masterful work of art. I love the intricate details in their sock designs. I also have immense respect for Bristol Ivy – the way she thinks about design and pushes the boundaries of construction and style really inspires me.”
Tell us about the colours, landscapes or architecture that inspire your work.
“I have recently moved to Brisbane, where most of my days are filled with wall-to-wall sunshine - which sometimes makes thinking of warm woollens a bit mind-bending. So most recently, when it comes to knitting, my mind always drifts back to our time living in Edinburgh. I find the cool northern hemisphere light, muted palette of greys and blues, nature’s textures and architectural lines are inspiring new ideas for knitted projects.”
What is your favourite knitting book?
“The two books I am currently enjoying a great deal are Knitting Outside the Box by Bristol Ivy, and Ålj by Åse Lund Jensen. They are both fascinating insights into the working practices and lives of these incredible designers.”
What fibres do you love to work with?
“Wool – I love a good non-superwash wool. I really enjoy knitting with things like Wensleydale and Gotland, but I also love something with a bounce. My second true love is linen (which makes knitting for the Brisbane climate possible). It is light and cool to knit with, but my favourite thing about linen is how it softens with wear.”
Which design from your portfolio are you most proud of, or is most special to you?
“There are two pieces of work that occupy special places in my heart. The Tea
Collection holds so many special memories of my time living in Edinburgh, and seeing all the Tea Hats that knitters gift to loved ones always makes me smile.
“The other body of work I am really proud of is my work with The Knitting Goddess – each year for the past three years I have created designs for her sock club. Each year we set a theme and I always focus the designs on sock construction – I have learnt a great deal from this project, and find it incredibly inspiring and interesting.”
Are there any techniques or styles of knitting you’d like to explore further?
“I would really love to improve my stranded colourwork skills – it is one of the techniques I haven’t really worked on at all, and I would love to experiment with both traditional and modern takes on this style.”