Catherine M. Thompson

Catherine M. Thompson (Victoria, BC) was taught to knit in school in Scotland at age six and has knitted every year since. She moved to Canada as a young adult, evolving to the design of Shetland lace 15 years ago. Three key factors for Catherine in that designing are memory, dexterity and vision.  She memorize pattern stitches so that there is no written instruction between her and the piece she is working on.   Manual dexterity, working with the finest bamboo sticks and ultra fine fibres, requires very nimble fingers, while good vision is also extremely important to the overall piece.   

Living on the west coast, nature is part of Catherine’s everyday life and is reflected in her designs where both fragility and boldness co-exist. Each time she begins a new piece she is grateful for the joy and passion  she feels from being able to practice the craft of knitting for almost sixty years.

Fine Shetland lace hand knitting has been practised for a few centuries, enticing knitters around the world with the exquisiteness, artistry and lightness of the finished pieces. Practising the craft, the challenges that motivate me and keep me on the leading edge are twofold: from outside and within. I am challenged from outside by invitations, exhibitions and competitions that have allowed me to find my place both nationally and internationally. I am challenged from within by experimenting with new fibres to adapt them to the traditional pattern stitches and to the new published patterns that I design. Today I combine the artistry of the pattern stitches using the finest natural fibres and new novelty/luxury and technology-based fibres to be part of the fashion world as well as retaining the traditional side of the craft.

Twilight
Hand knit lace shawl, DMC80 cotton tatting thread (2009)

Golden Edge 2013