The Making of a Jumper
It might surprise you how many processes go into making one of our fully fashioned lambswool jumpers.
After all the initial designing and colour trials are finished and sizing worked out, it starts (as you can probably guess) with knitting! Each panel is knitted separately and is fully fashioned- this means that it is knitted to shape, and you can see the shaping marks on the finished jumper around the armholes, shoulders and neck. One of the benefits of fully fashioned knitwear, is that it is zero waste.
The Jumper Knitting Process
Materials and tools ready to knit!
Knitting a jumper panel.
Knitting coming off the knitting machine, still being worked on.
Making Up the Jumper
Then I join the panels together on a machine especially for this part- this is called linking.
The hole for the neck is then cut out, and the neck trim attached.
Jumper panels being joined on the linker.
Neck trim added to the body on the linker.
Sewing in threads by hand before washing.
Jumper Finishing Processes
Each time I change colour, or link something, a thread is left hanging off the knitting- these all have to be sewn in by hand.
Then I give the jumper a check, and if everything is OK then wash it. This brings out the softness in the wool.
Next is pressing- the jumper gets pressed and steamed, then checked again.
Lastly, the jumper gets labelled. This is the final touch, and always leaves me feeling satisfied!
Ready to label. The final detail.
Finished Erraid Jumper.
Staffa Jumper, made in Scotland.
All of our products go though these processes (although without the processes for the neck). If you'd like to see more pictures of work in progress, then you can follow us on Instagram @collingwoodnorris