A LISBELLAW woman has knit her way to the top to win Belfast’s inaugural The Knitting & Stitching Show.
Kiya Parr competed at the show last week in the dressmaking competition where she was up against 14 other finalists.
Bringing sustainability to the forefront of her design, inspired by the insects of Northern Ireland, the Ulster University graduate designed a reversible jumper and a hand dyed skirt.
“I’ve been into the arts ever since I was young. I started out with some hand sewing, then when I was around 10, my mum seen there was a crochet class going on near by and thought I’d enjoy it, I ended up loving it.
“I stuck at it through the years and decided to pursue fashion at university where I learnt to use a knitting machine. From there I decided that knitwear was my thing,” she said.
The show featured over 140 crafting workshops and 100 brands to shop from, Kiya had a model present her work to the judges.
“I love seeing models present my work for me. It makes me feel as though my designs can be appreciated for what they are as they’re separate from me. It also gives me the opportunity to look at my work critically and see where I’d want to improve. I’m always trying to do something new and inspire others to pick up knitting or crochet.”
The 23 year old was delighted to have won the competition and take home spools of thread for her next creative project.
“I am so grateful and proud to have won the knitwear category. it was a fantastic experience for me and a great opportunity to see the talent that others have.
“I plan to continue creating and experimenting with knitwear. I already have some ideas for what I want to make for next years show, but in the meantime I plan to make some beautiful garments while developing my skills in hand knitting, crochet and machine knitting,” Kiya added.
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