support when their pattern releases.
Our goal has been to have as diverse a
range of designers as possible, and the
process always brings new designers
to our attention. For our most recent
call, we actively reached out to BIPOC
[black and indigenous people of colour]
designers whose work we love and
with whom we have not worked in the
past. The YSP programme is near and
dear to my heart. It is one of the things
that give all of us here at The Fibre Co.
purpose beyond the obvious
enjoyment of creating and working
with beautiful yarns.”Local heroes
Part of the appeal of the pattern
collections from The Fibre Co. is the
stunning photography reflecting the
landscapes of the Lake District. “This
area holds a special place in my heart,”
says Daphne. “Living and working inthe middle of the Lake District
National Park is a privilege that I am
grateful for every day. The patterns
that we publish in our yarns are
collaborative works that begin with
a brief describing our customers,
trends and a photoshoot story. This
does indeed seep into the minds of the
designers and makers as they create.
“Every photoshoot is a team effort,
and we try to use people in our
community who are familiar with
our environment and share the same
love for the land. We have worked with
two photographers since moving to
the Lake District. One photographer,
Tommy Martin, specialised in
landscape and had fashion experience
early in his career. Our recent
photoshoots have been with Nick
Anderson who is also my photography
teacher. It’s been a pleasure to work
with them both.”Daphne is a busy woman, taking
her brand to international audiences
through shows such as TNNA in the
USA and h&h in Germany, and
continuing to develop new products.
It’s no surprise, then, that she doesn’t
get much of a chance to sit down and
knit: “I don’t have much time to knit
or dye for personal pleasure. Running
a sustainable business comes first, and
I derive enormous satisfaction from
knowing that our products bring joy
to makers around the world.”
So what can we expect next from
the Cumbria brand? “I continue to see
a healthy demand for classic yarns,
and spinners are innovating with
sustainably sourced fibres and dye
processes. These trends fit nicely
with our plans to fill a few holes in
our yarn range. Stay tuned!”http://www.thefibreco.com1 ‘South Head’ is part of the
Foundations pattern series
2 ‘Skiddaw’ by Kari-Helene
Rane is from the Fell Garth II
collection 3 The colours of
The Fibre Co.’s yarns are inspired
by Lake District landscapesThe Fibre Co.’s team
and their families
love wearing
their sweaters!2
3
The Knitter Issue 141
Interview