Viva Brighton Issue #46 December 2016

ART
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Focus on: ‘Stitchmas Dinner’ by Kate Jenkins
30 x 30cm, crochet
The Stitchmas Dinner took about a week from
start to finish. I made up the elements and put
them together to see if extra things needed to be
added. It will be mounted on card with a real knife
and fork and a crocheted cracker. It’s one of about
40 pieces in the show.
I’ve always got something in mind to crochet.
I’m bad at drawing, so I’ll just make it freehand. I
always say the hook is like my pen. I like things that
are a challenge. There’s not yet been anything that
I haven’t been able to crochet.
I grew up in the Valleys with nothing to do, so
my nan and my mum taught me how to knit and
crochet when I was about twelve. I carried them on
when I came to Brighton to study fashion. The art
stuff came about when I had no budget for advertising
so I decided to make something that people
would talk about. And then it just escalated…
I’ve got a few famous customers, and I’ve got
a few things in different museums around
the world. I made a pork pie years ago, and
the original went to the museum of pork pies in
Melton Mowbray.
Every year I pick a theme. Next year it will be
music. I’m calling it Sex and Drugs and Rock in Wool.
For the drugs I’m going to make Viagra and, for
music, I’m going to do vinyl, and then for the sex,
look at Playboy and bunny girls and the images of
50s pin ups. I’m desperate to get going on it. I’ve
got so many ideas. As told to Lizzie Lower
Christmas Stitchmas is at 114 Church Street, Brighton
from 30th November until 4th December, then at
Kate’s Pantry in Arundel Mews by appointment.
cardigan.ltd.uk
Photo by Emma Wood
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