Meet Jo Sharp

Knitting is a way to slow the pace of living to the gentle rhythm of making stitches. Giving yourself the time to unfold, encourages a state of mind that allows inspiration to come in. With each stitch...some more time to reflect. We have grown used to instant gratification and immediate results, with maximum input and output. We hardly have time to reflect before we are in motion again. Knitting brings a balance to the frenetic pace of life. A stitch is made, a stitch is made ... and in between, we feel. Making stitches with yarn on needles can put us in touch with our feelings and can place us in the moment and in our bodies, just like conscious breathing or yoga. A way to recharge the batteries and to gather strength.

I began creating collections for hand knitting back in 1984. Over time, I have come to understand that simplicity in design allows the yarn to tell the story. The look and feel of the yarn in my collections reflect the rich textures and earthy tones of the natural world. The landscape is the perfect backdrop for yarn made from luxurious fibres such as wool, silk, cashmere and kid mohair.

The Jo Sharp hand knitting collection embraces the classic and the timeless to bring relevant projects to today's knitters.

My interest in hand knitting was reawakened when I was already a practising artist working in acrylic paint and mixed media. Creating knitted fabric provided an avenue for me to explore my passion for colour with the added dimension of stitch and texture. My first collection was made with one quality of pure wool yarn and a small range of unique colours. A passion for colour has been the driving force that has powered two decades of knitwear design and a business creating a range of yarn for hand knitters. Working with luxury fibres and making art that is wearable and practical is very satisfying.

Jo Sharp books feature my own range of yarn made from luxurious natural fibres. My Rare Comfort Mohair and Silkroad yarns are included. Silkroad yarns combine wool, silk and cashmere in lofty and light knitting yarns that are a pleasure to work with and which grow quickly on the needles. These yarns sit alongside premium wool and cotton yarns that are all used regularly in my hand knitting collections.

The story in many of my books come from the landscape. They create a sensual and textured setting for the natural fibres and earthy tones of the garments. I anticipate you will enjoy wandering through the wild and wonderful landscapes of Jo Sharp pattern books while reflecting on your next knitting project.

Jo Sharp