Knitting Stories pilot workshops

Workshop 1: 10-11.45am

Workshop 2: 12-1.45pm

The purpose of these pilot workshops is to trial, and gauge interest in, activities for a planned future project – Knitting Stories – that will harness the skills and memories of people who knitted before 1960 or remember others doing so. It will be led by Dr Ellie Reed, a lecturer in English at Brunel, who is currently researching the contribution made by domestic magazines to the development of knitting between 1900 and 1960. Participants will:

· Watch a short presentation introducing Dr Reed’s research and her plans for Knitting Stories.

· Try out knitting patterns in pre-1960 domestic magazines, by knitting swatches using yarn provided (you must bring your own needles).

· Discuss, in groups, the following:

o Does working with these patterns bring up memories of knitting before 1960?

o What are the pre-1960 patterns like to work with?

o Would you be interested in taking part in the planned future project?

o What activities would you like to see in the planned future project?

· Share and comment on what was discussed in groups.

After the workshop, participants will be invited to complete an online questionnaire giving further feedback. Questions about the presentation and the discussion and feedback sessions will be recorded in writing by postgraduate students. Data collected from the workshop and questionnaire may be shared in presentations and publications.

For practical purposes, numbers are limited to 10 per workshop. To participate, you must be a competent knitter who knitted, or remembers others knitting, before 1960. DK yarn will be provided, but you must bring your own needles (3.75-4.5mm recommended).

These workshops are taking place in the context of an Ageing Research Showcase event, 10am – 3pm Tuesday 28 May. You can book via this link.

Research ethics approval for this project has been obtained from the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee.

Parking is available (on request), free of charge, for this event. Further information is provided in the order confirmation email.

This event is part of the Brunel Research Festival,which returns this May for a packed programme of online and in-person activities, celebrating how Brunel's research is changing society for the better. Free and open to all.

Explore the programme:brunel.ac.uk/brf