Textile artist Celia Pym and knitwear brand Waste Yarn Project co-founder Siri Johansen have got together in a long-term collaborative project, starting with a capsule collection at pop-up Parisian store, Merci, of hand-made one off pieces and two workshops open to the public which will be focused on mending knitwear. 

Both graduates of London’s Royal College of Art, the two bonded during their studies over a shared love of knitting, color play, materials and mistakes. They have since had a history of collaboration and exchange: postcards with instructions for the other person to knit; the cut in half LLBean sweater that’s now featured in Celia’s book; a visit to AnnemorSunbø in Setesdal Norway; a trip that has had a lasting impression on both their work.

The two designer’s both come from a circular, ‘make-do-and-mend’, sustainable approach to design, which naturally leads them into creative ways to play with materials that are typically considered waste or surplus. 

Working best in person, side by side, handling and exchanging materials, the collaboration grew out of a desire to spend more time working together. For Merci, the duo will be adding embellishments onto WYP sweaters, treating them as sketchpads. Being done by hand using darning stitches and sample patches, all from waste/surplus yarns.The base stitch for the WYP sweaters – the half cardigan stitch – is a perfect base for the soon overlaying woven darn stitch. The latter creating a pattern that adds texture to the surface and feels perfect.

As well as the live creation in the Merci store, Pym and Johansen will be running a workshop series, Mending Knitwear, which centres around textile repair, when and how to do it, whilst considering the tenderness and care of mending.

The collaboration kicks off today 8th December and will be in place until Saturday the 10th at the Merci store, 111 Bd Beaumarchais, 75003. 

wasteyarnproject.com

@wasteyarnproject

@celiapym