011. Hand of Fatima
A story of triumph, transformation and a touch of Mediterranean magic.
There’s something magical about the intersection of artistry and sustainability.
I’m delighted to share the story of Vicky Streater, a Wimbledon-based designer whose passion for colour and texture led her to create exquisite, sustainable cashmere yarns and knitting patterns.
With a background in music and programming, Vicky’s journey is a beautiful reminder that creativity has no boundaries, and her work is as thoughtful as it is breathtaking.
My grandmother taught me to knit when I was little. She was an extremely gifted knitter and crocheter and a real character, born in the 1890s in Austria.
I still have some of her lace work. She used to make clothes for us, although I was mortified at being made to wear a crocheted dress to my friends’ parties. How I’d love to talk to her about our shared passion!
My background is in music and computer programming, and both those disciplines have inspired my current work. I have always been interested in colour and how colours relate to each other.
When it came to knitting though, I was so frustrated by the difficulty in finding just the right colour from the commercial yarns available, so I taught myself how to dye. I spent a good year meticulously working through all the combinations of primaries to understand exactly how colour theory works.
Covid allowed me the time to start working on colour recipes and designs and I’ve not looked back.
Based in Wimbledon, my daily practice starts with a dog walk on Wimbledon Common or Richmond Park. This is where I get my colour inspiration. Smelling the earthy goodness, shafts of early morning light illuminating the leaves, the perfect start to the day.
Dyeing yarn takes a lot of time and I listen to music and podcasts while I’m working. I love Grant Gibson’s Material Matters, and Jess Gillam’s This Classical Life.
I try to devote some time every day to working on new designs. It’s an iterative process of pushing boundaries and exploring.
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I hand dye cashmere yarn and design knitting patterns to explore the yarn’s character. Simultaneous contrast, or the way colours react to each other is what really interests me.
I create 3D knitted designs, and the light and shadow that is cast trick your mind into thinking there are more colours than are actually there.
I mix all my colours from primaries which demands a lot of precision. I love to see how tiny changes in a dye combination can shift the colour from slate to moorit.
To counter this I also work with indigo, allowing it to converse with the yarn as it desires. I love that process, it’s so rewarding. There is no control over the colours created: turquoise, navy, charcoal, even green. Each skein of yarn is unique.
My first exhibition at the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show was an incredible experience. At that point I had been working in my studio, quite isolated, not having shown anyone my work, and I really had no idea what people would make of it.
The reaction was totally unexpected and I was blown away by the enthusiasm and warmth of everyone I spoke to. It was such a high, I was walking on clouds for weeks afterwards. It fuelled me to keep going.
Sustainability and provenance are the core values of my business. My cashmere yarn is certified sustainable and traceable.
It starts right at the beginning with protection of the land and biodiversity. Herd numbers have to be kept low so that the grasslands are not overgrazed and biodiversity is preserved.
The herders and their flocks are nomadic. It’s important that they and their families are properly compensated so they can maintain their lifestyle and conserve the land.
Biodiversity is incredibly important in maintaining stability of the ecosystem. The goats must have the five freedoms as defined by the Animal Welfare Council: freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from injury and disease, freedom of comfortable living, freedom to express their nature and freedom from fear or pain.
It doesn’t stop there though. Workers at the mill must be treated well and paid a fair living wage.
The mill where my yarn is produced is a ‘green factory’, which means it is a low carbon facility to improve greenhouse gas emissions, environmental pollution and energy consumption.
I use renewable energy, low water consumption, and dye baths are fully exhausted. I reuse any plastics I need, and all my packaging has been recycled and is recyclable.
My dyes are produced by a Swiss company who are a founding member of the Responsible Care® Initiative and signatory to the United Nations Global Compact. They are extremely colour, wash and light fast and are used by the Victoria and Albert Museum in their fabric conservation too. I’m in very good company!
Having looked for a supplier for a long time and talked with many people, I came to realise that the only way to make sure the marketing claims were true were through transparency and accountability. My cashmere has many awards and certifications, from the Good Cashmere Standard award to the OEKO-TEX 100 certification (customer confidence and high product safety).
I have a lot of creative ideas for exploring colour and palettes. A new sweater design is currently on my needles and I’m keen to publish my first crochet pattern.
I’d love to visit the US shows as well as all the fantastic UK shows I currently exhibit at. But most importantly, continuing to build a community with other knitters who care about sustainability and investing in yarn that will last a lifetime.
Thank you Vicky for sharing your story and reminding us how craftsmanship can be a force for positive change. I love how the precision from your music and programming experience clearly comes through in your designs.
– Lyndsey
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and then