Leah Hartwell
“In my home studio in Cornwall UK I create hand and machine knits for the discerning lover of traditional design with a contemporary twist. These pieces are often influenced by Cornwall’s rich sea-going history and our spectacular coast. When time permits, I also spin beautiful fibres to weave into one of kind scarves some of which you will find listed here on Cosiknits.co.uk”
‘Fabulous fibres were my first love’ , an introduction to knitwear designer maker Leah
Hi, I’m Leah, knitwear designer maker at Cosi Knits. Here’s a little about me and my story.
I spent the 70’s working in Europe with the final four years of the decade in Sicily. Once home in the UK I immersed myself in knitwear design heavily influenced by my travels.
Back then e-commerce was but a twinkle in the eye of Tim Berners-Lee so I wholesaled to selected boutiques like Whistles in Covent Garden and retailed direct at Camden Lock craft market and craft fairs such as Syon Park and Abbingdon Abbey.
When knitwear fell well and truly out of favour with the Nation’s new love affair with polyester fleece I moved to Cornwall and turned my attention elsewhere for a few decades.
Today knitwear is popular once again and I love love love to work with natural fibres, especially wool and wools blended with other natural fibres like silk or alpaca. There is a strong movement promoting the very real benefits of wool; #Choosewool, The Campaign For Wool, has gathered pace spearheaded by HRH The Prince of Wales bringing wool back into fashion.
I am again able to follow my heart with a little help from the internet and e-commerce. I have regularly fallen down rabbit holes throughout my fibre arts journey and continue to do so! Hand and machine knitting, weaving, spinning and handpainting luxury fibres are the mainstay of my work. I also enjoy creating little tapestries and wallhangings.
Currently I am designing a collection of winter woollen accessories inspired by traditional fisherman gansy surface patterns. These will shortly be available not only as ready made winter accessories but also as hand knitting kits.
And so, ‘e cosi’, my work is influenced by the traditions and colours of coastal Cornwall in the far West. Daffodils and gorse, bluebells and heather, berries and cream, boats and sparkling fish, sea and rocks, sunsets and sand, wind and rain: granite grey.
E cosi va – and so on.
