Owner and founder of Barefaced Knits and jostorieknits.com, Jo is passionate about quality yarn and helping knitters of all abilities create fashion forward garments and accessories.
Jo has acted as designer and consultant for Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear since 2022, and has been a key figure in expanding the reach of this innovative and unique social enterprise. We held a short Q&A to ask Jo about the role she played in taking Merrick Knitwear from concept to brand.
Q. Jo, we’d love to hear more about the origin of your love of knitwear and where your career began. Have you always worked creatively in textiles?
A. Yes, I have always worked creatively in textiles. I had my eye on a textile college in the Scottish Borders from an early age and started as soon as they would accept me. Initially my dream was to be a weaver. I was inspired by the historic weaving sheds they had on site and really couldn’t think of any better way of making a living. The reality of course was very different!
The course involved trying out all types of textiles. In the first year I learned about knit, weave and print. I soon realised weaving wasn’t for me. Knitting became my new passion as it was more immediate and it’s stuck with me. I graduated with a First Class Honours degree and went to work pretty much straight away.
Q. You have been working alongside the Merrick team since the earliest stages of developing our knitwear designs. Can you tell us more about how you came to be involved and the work you have done over the past two years?
A. I had been specialising in British manufacture and more specifically British wool for a couple of years before meeting the Merrick team. I guess the timing was right for both of us. I loved their story and their sustainable ethos and values resonated with my own. It’s not often you get a chance to work on a project that can really make a difference and this was one of them. Not only was the goal to make commercially viable products but it was to ensure Scottish farmers were paid a fair price for their fleeces, and to give back to the community within the UNESCO Biosphere.
Q. We developed a bespoke yarn for the Merrick knitwear range. Can you tell us more about that and what the yarn is like to work with? Is there anything that particularly sets it apart?
A. Scottish Blackface yarn is known as a challenging fibre, it’s definitely not the softest of fibres and to be honest we were never certain that it could be knitted as it was previously really only ever woven. We worked with a reputable spinner in Yorkshire and provided them with only the finest fibres from the fleeces sourced in the Biosphere to ensure the best possible grade of yarn. Through trial and error and a good dose of patience we landed with the yarn we are using today.
The next step was to find a knitter that was happy to trial an untested yarn through their machines. We were pleasantly surprised with the results. The yarn was easy to knit with, showed great stitch definition and washed softer than we were expecting.
Q. Sustainability is a critical concern in the textile industry globally. What do you think are the most pressing issues to address, and where can Merrick knitwear come in?
A. Sustainability is very important to me. I consider seriously the impact of my choices on this planet as a designer and product developer, and try to make sure that if the right choice is available to me, I take it. Often the sustainable route is not the cheapest option. I work as a design consultant for many starts-ups and established brands and I see it as non-negotiable that I will work with natural fibres and only ever with synthetics if they’ve been recycled. It all starts with the designer making the right choices on their raw materials and the supply chain will fill that demand. At the moment, the end cost motivates most people’s decisions and until natural fibres can compete favourably with synthetics the choice is not that straightforward for the brands or the end consumer.
Merrick is shining a light on an underused fibre, that is renewable and biodegradable. Perhaps more designers and manufacturers will take note of what’s possible and make the switch to natural British fibres.
Q. One of your goals is ‘to make catwalk quality knitwear design accessible to all’. The Merrick range has appeared on two catwalks so far (Flock to Fashion at the Royal Highland Show and Re:Dress Scotland, both in 2022); what is it that elevates knitwear to this level and how do we make it accessible to more people?
A. My background is in luxury knitwear design. I’ve spent a large portion of my 30-year career working in cashmere and other noble fibres. My designs have been sold in many expensive retail outlets and have been shown on many catwalks. I’ve never been attracted to the concept of designing fast fashion or high street clothing but I recognise the need for people to have access to good design at a more manageable cost. Taking a high-end aesthetic, and mixing it with a readily available and affordable fibre such as British wool, seems like the perfect choice to me.
Q. You have accompanied the team to several events where our knitwear range was on display and people were able to feel the fabric and try on the designs for the first time. Can you share some of the public response that you have seen so far?
A. Those that grew up knowing about the Scottish Blackface breed were surprised that we were able to craft such wearable products from this fibre. Others loved the drape, stitches and design details we achieved, and the styles themselves struck just the right note of modern and timeless.
Q. Merrick currently has four outerwear garments on sale, the Shawl Collar Cardigan, Zip Vest, Argyle Jumper, and Shirt Jacket. If you could pick the next style, what type of garment would you like to see created from Scottish Blackface wool?
A. We focused our attention on outerwear pieces as we expected our customers would want to layer and compliment their existing outfits with our pieces. Although originally designed for men our collection was loved by women and we’d like to add a couple of more feminine pieces to compliment the current range. We’d also like to try more colours, to give us the options for patterning.
Q. Final question: if you were gifting a single item from the Merrick knitwear range to a loved one, which piece would you choose and why?
A. I think it would be our Shirt Jacket that was inspired by the traditional workwear staple, the donkey jacket. It’s an elevated relaxed jacket, that works for the office and the weekend. It showcases the best qualities of the Blackface fibre, being warm, durable and timeless. The sentiment that it’s inspired by a workwear classic pays homage to the sheep farmers and British manufacturers that the Merrick brand is celebrating.