Lily Rodgers- Knitwear Designer

How have you remained creative during lockdown?

I have taken this time to try doing some of the projects that I’ve wanted to do for some time. I have practiced dress making, drawing, painting and sewing. I always find myself needing a purpose when I’m making and get stuck when asking myself ‘what is this for’, but having this time out has really made me come to appreciate just making.

Do you have any advice for those people that are getting creative at home during this time?

I’ve tried to have a mixed range of projects on the go at once so that whatever I feel like doing there is something I can pick up. I find it really fun to translate my ideas from one technique to another, drawing with colouring pencils translated through to drawing on the sewing machine and then to creating embellishments. I find the question ‘how can I stretch this even further’ really exciting and I challenge you to do it yourself and see what happens.

Has lock down context featured in your actual content of your work?

In a way, yes, in the form of repetition. Having much more time on my hands I found myself craving creative activities and making the time to sit down and draw- sometimes the whole day. I work from still life’s that I arrange. This is a great way to improve your drawing skills and teach yourself to really see what’s in front of you. I have kept a sketchbook during lockdown and found myself returning to the same objects to draw. This has been great to see my progression. Spring is my favourite month because of all the lovely flowers and not being able to appreciate it fully was disappointing. On my walks during lockdown I would often pick some to draw and fill our house with.

Favourite music to work to during lockdown?

I’m really enjoying Khruangbin’s newest releases- they’ve become the soundtrack of my lockdown.

Have you been able to designate a space for being creative?

My work space at the moment is my knit machine which I’ve set up at home. The making process of knitting is what I love the most so I’m very lucky to have the machine and to experiment with different techniques and yarns on it. I’m working towards getting myself an even bigger one!