Sweater Vest [Wool (Re)discovered]
This sweater vest was created for Wool (Re)discovered, an exhibition by New Order of Fashion during Dutch Design Week 2025. The exhibition invited designers and makers to pause and look closer at wool.
I came across the open call through my knitting club and decided to throw my hat in the ring. I received a spool of yarn made from local fibres and was given two months to create a knitted piece. Given the timeline, I chose to make a vest that felt achievable but still pushed me.
DUTCH DESIGN WEEK 2025 - NEW ORDER OF FASHION
I drafted the pattern using the proportions of a vest I already owned. This was my first time creating a garment pattern, which meant there was very little room for error. The math had to work, or the piece simply wouldn’t fit. Once the base was complete, I felt relieved, but also unsure. Technically, I had fulfilled the brief, but the vest felt too plain. I knew it could hold more character.
Material & Colour
Around this time, the indigo shipment I was waiting for went missing. I panicked. Dyeing had always been part of the plan, and without it, the piece felt unfinished. I reached out to Pollyanna at NOOF, who connected me with Karen, a local dyer working with natural dye processes.
I travelled by train to meet her and spent time dyeing the vest in her indigo vat, using plants she had grown herself. The colour that emerged was unexpectedly rich. I worked slowly, allowing a subtle gradient to form, inspired by the depth and movement of the ocean.
Embellishment & Collaboration
Once the vest had dried, I returned to it with embroidery. Using the same yarn, I stitched manta rays swimming diagonally across the surface. Drawing inspiration from Sashiko, I added textured, wave-like stitches to suggest water in motion. These details brought the piece to life in a way that felt restrained but intentional.
Seeing the vest displayed alongside the work of other knitters during the exhibition was deeply satisfying. What began as a personal challenge became part of a shared exploration of material and care. I’m grateful to New Order of Fashion for the opportunity, and to the people involved for the generosity and openness of the process.
