Talented knitters welcomed HRH Prince Charles to the unveiling of a nature-based art exhibition at Dumfries House.
The Library of Knit exhibition, which showcases the history of the traditional craft, features 100 colourful hand-knitted pieces using intricate techniques that have been developed over 40 years.
The pieces are wrapped around trees on the Cumnock estate, transforming the gardens into a free immersive art exhibition which runs until Sunday (July 10).
And as part of the celebration of the craft, drop-in knitting sessions are open to the public with complimentary pattern sheets available to take home.
These sessions take place at the Woodland Shelter in the centre of the Arboretum between 11am and 2pm on Wednesday 6, Friday 8 and Sunday 10 July.
The Library of Knit has been curated by The Prince’s Foundation and The Joseph Ettedgui Foundation, in partnership with Sheila Greenwell and Di Gilpin, one of Scotland’s most renowned designers and hand-knitters, and aims to recreate communities of hand-knitters with an interest in turning their hobby into a viable business.
The Prince’s Foundation launched their fortnightly Knitwise initiative in 2019 with the objective to training a small team of locally based hand-knitters to help futureproof the industry.
Isabel Ettedgui said: “My late husband, Joseph Ettedgui, understood the power of knitting. His handknits were iconic and he built a global fashion empire around knitting.
“With the support of The Prince’s Foundation, we are incredibly proud to be bringing these skills and traditions back in a meaningful and sustainable way.”
Ashleigh Douglas, Future Textiles manager for The Prince’s Foundation, said: “The public exhibition will delve into the history of knitting as a traditional craftform, while showcasing a huge variety of stunning artisanal samples created by members of our Knitwise group in a beautiful outdoor setting.
“Our hope is that visitors to The Library of Knit will leave with a greater appreciation of the skills and heritage of knitting and perhaps consider taking it up as a hobby or business opportunity.”
Prince Charles’ visit follows on from last year where he and the Duchess of Cornwall unveiled a patchwork mosaic- weighing more than 130kg- made up of over 9000 hand-knitted squares contributed by individuals and knitting groups from all over the world.
The installation, which was draped over the estate’s historic Adam Bridge, aimed to celebrate knitting as a traditional craftform and highlight the mental and physical health benefits that practising the skill can bring.
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