1930s kNiT & cRoChEt tOp

Whilst browsing the world wide web for some inspiring 1930's knitting ideas , i came across a delightful 1930's dress that was at once knitted and crocheted . It had a distinctive Art Deco triangular midriff section that i decided would translate well into a contemporary CoRkErS DiSrUpTiVe design .

A few years ago I had the good fortune of being taught to crochet by my adorable French neighbour who often sits on her doorstep hook in hand . 

My chosen colours are orange and cream 100% fine Alpaga wool , produced in Iceland and spun and dyed in Estonia.This is how it looks so far .

CoRkErS RaZzLe DaZzLe ArT DeCo CaPeLet

 With Winter's chills close on our heels i decided an Art Deco cape was the order of the day . I started the design yesterday evening creatively fired after teaching an Art workshop and finished this evening with a celebratory Belgium beer from my cherished friend Nadia . The Art Deco collar and lacy border contrasts with the central tweedy panel . It is finished with a bakelite Art Deco brooch gifted by my french friend Christine and a pea and claret button also gifted by a kind-spirited and generous E-bayer called Anna . Thanks to all X

 The dress is from my personal vintage collection . It is a cream silk hand-made original from the 1930s.Thankyou for lOOking

CoRkEr'S 1930s vInTaGe kNiT

This 1930's knit is made from an original 1930s pattern . I made two . The above in bleu marine and another in a different colour way that is in mid process .It is a mixture of ladder stitch and moss stitch. It also features an original 1930s button . 

DeLaUnAy DeLiRiUm

More images  from the Sonia Delaunay Archive i assembled for the 2012 Art & Textiles Atelier i gave earlier in the year, inspired the next stages of the 'triangles' Corkers RaZzLe DaZzLe Artknit . The hand-knitted  shapes are still on the move and not yet in their final composition . I have been researching Art Deco and Thirties pattern designs for collars, sleeves & capes that would have been typical of the era when Delaunay was making her textile designs .  

 

Inspiration from les Ballets Russes

In 2005 I put on a production of Diaghilev's Firebird with a class of children who were learning about Russian Art with me in Oxford. I had been playing Stravinsky's Oiseau d'Or as we looked at the beautiful costume drawings by Leon Bakst for the Ballets Russes and the children had been moved to dance . By sheer coincidence I found we had the daughter of a Russian Ballerina on the premises and she helped with the choreography .Her heroine was and is the russian ballerina Tamara Karsavina pictured above and below.

The costumes, designed for les Ballets Russes primarily by Bakst are stunning and inspirational works of Art. My next cOrKeRs RaZzLe DaZzLe dIsRuPtIvE ARTweaR originates from the wealth of imagery i assembled during this time and has began as a series of triangles to be constructed.

CoRkErS RaZzLe dAzZLe diSruPtiVe 1930'S ChEvRoN CaPe

 The CoRkErS RaZzLe DaZzLe 1930s ChEvRoN CaPe originated as a response to the Delaunay 'Color Moves' exhibition with a measure of  good old fashioned Constructivism from the Stepanova archives thrown in . Vintage ribbons run through the back in an iconic deco fan . The front is pinned with a dazzling vintage costume jewellry brooch .

the Sonia Delaunay swimsuit where it all began ...

And here is where it all began.... the Sonia Delaunay knitted bathing suit featured in the recent 'Colour Moves' exhibition . I included this image in a slideshow I collated for the workshop I ran in Spring 2012 on Art and Textiles .The Corkers RaZzLE daZzLe interpretation of this inspirational work is in creation .