Handmade in Farnham Exhibition
Celebrate Farnham’s culture of craft, past and present, with the Farnham Museum’s latest exhibition.
From pottery and textiles, to printing, woodwork and more, explore the rich spectrum of making in the first ever World Craft Town through works produced in and around the town over the centuries.
I am over the moon to have one of my shawls selected for a very special exhibition called Handmade in Farnham, especially as my Ammonoid Shawl is inspired by the Museum’s beautiful patio paving tiles!
The Handmade in Farnham exhibition celebrates Farnham’s culture of craft, past and present, starting from Wednesday 30th September 2026 and running until Saturday 27th March 2027 and I can’t wait to see all the inspiring craft exhibits!
My Ammonoid shawl, shown in the banner above, is knitted from the top down as a half pi construction (with thanks to Elizabeth Zimmerman)! The striped knitted-on edge gradually widens and the resulting Ammonoid shape gave the shawl its name!
Pattern and Place
As a hand knitting designer working with magazines, yarn companies and creative dyers, I collect my ideas for pattern wherever I go. These ideas have resulted in over 200 published knitting patterns to date and have meant that I have developed a fascination about the strong links between pattern and place.
My Pattern & Place: Knit the Beehive project grew from my observations of the buildings and architectural details of the modern architecture at St John’s College, Oxford. During a visit to the College, I was particularly drawn to the distinctive modernist Beehive Building. Its repeating concrete forms, windows, glass panels and structural details provided the inspiration for a collection of knitted stitch patterns and, ultimately, my Beehive Shawl and Beehive Scarf.
My Pattern & Place projects celebrate the possibilities that emerge when we slow down, look closely and translate the patterns of our surroundings into something new. You can read more about the project in The Knitter Magazine Issue 233 and in The Knitting & Crochet Guild’s Slipknot publication or follow me on Instagram (purlemma) to see more of my design inspirations!
The Dunnottar Shawl KAL!
Thank you for joining Emma and The Scottish Yarn Festival for the Dunnottar Shawl KAL!
We would love to see your photos on Ravelry and Instagram! Please do share them and tag us @purlemma and @thescottishyarnfestival so that we can see your shawl!
The pattern is available from my Ravelry and Payhip stores if you would like to knit the shawl!
The Dunnottar Shawl is a large triangle shape which is knitted with a series of eyelet and texture patterns inspired by the dramatic setting of Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire.
To knit the shawl you will need the pattern and 2 × 100g skeins of The Scottish Yarn Festival 4ply available from the yarn festival website or from stockists. The shawl shown here is knitted in the gorgeous shade of Bruce.
Triangle Collection Patterns Available Now!
Please click on the images to see more details!
Mini-Skein Patterns Available Now!
Please click on the images to see more details!
Designs in Blacker Yarns Tamar Lustre DK
Kew Gardens Cardigan
Aldgate Vest
Chatto Sweater
Books
Emma Vining
Emma Vining is an experienced knitting designer and author, known for her creative use of knitted textures and cables.
Her designs regularly feature in magazines including The Knitter and Knitting magazine and she loves working with independent yarn companies and creative hand-dyers.
Emma is proud to work with the talented designer and tech editor Faye Perriam Reed. Faye’s expert insights ensure knitters can rely on Emma’s patterns to be accurate, clear and an enjoyable experience to knit!
Follow Purlemma on Instagram and Ravelry to hear about Emma’s new knitting patterns!
Contact
purlemma@btinternet.com