I use high quality Merino lambswool in beautiful colours to knit my scarves (on my vintage mechanical knitting machine) which are then felted to make them luxurious and wonderfully soft. I sometimes use other natural or man-made fibres in my designs to spice things up and love doing both hand and machine knitting. 

Artist's Statement: Influences and Inspirations

My work is inspired by many things,things which fascinate me, such as vintage fabrics/prints, anything kitsch, pop culture, graphic prints, open structures (such as leaf skeletons, ironwork, cobwebs and lace vintage lace), traditional Scottish knitwear, intricate patterns and interesting textures. I love playing around with colour and pattern too.

Photographs I have taken of architectural forms, scaffolding, cranes, ironwork on Georgian townhouses, or just abstract patterns which have caught my eye are often used as a starting point. Even a visit to the glasshouses at Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens produced interesting ideas (see photograph below). I have also looked at the collapsing framework of the old pier in Brighton for inspiration in the past.

                                                       (© C. McLaughlin 2005)

I explore the above themes with layering and graphic imaging, also experimenting with positive and negative spaces, colour, patterning, stitch, texture and different weights of fabric. I use various techniques to achieve different effects, for example hand and machine knitting, cutwork, perforation, needle-punching, embroidery and  felting.

             

I create handmade knitted accessories with felted lambswool and yarns I construct from found fabrics such as tulle, cotton, vintage lace and ribbons. I also like to use other fibres in my work, from natural (cashmere, cotton) to man-made (lurex, lycra/elastane, polyester).

My recent work has been influenced by a love of all things kitsch, retro graphics and growing up in the 80s. You'll see a lot of Space Invader aliens dotted about and even Ms. Pac-Man and some of the ghosties. I also find graphic patterns like those found in Op-Art continually mesmerising.