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00:00A new generation of knitters are taking the world by storm.
00:05With just two needles or a hook, they are testing the limits of creativity.
00:10And ten of the nation's most talented are joining me in Scotland to battle it out stitch
00:16by stitch to secure the ultimate crown.
00:19Each week they will face two mind-blowing challenges right here in our magical yarn bar.
00:30The solo challenge will test the knitters' individual talent and skill.
00:39I think those are going to look visually very pleasing.
00:42While the team challenge will see them collaborate on a scale never seen before.
00:46Is it straight? What do I care about straight?
00:49Nothing escapes the forensic gaze of judges Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell.
00:55Softly spoken, but with eyes sharp as steel.
00:58I will be looking at the smaller technical details.
01:02I want to see that creativity coming out.
01:04Oh my gosh, Sheila!
01:06I always cry when I see something beautiful.
01:10Ten knitters, eight weeks, 16 spectacular challenges and one ultimate champion.
01:20I need small sharp scissors.
01:21So as fast as you can.
01:22Oh, I've missed a stitch.
01:24We can do this.
01:25We can, we can, we can.
01:27At the end of the day, this is a competition and someone has to be cast off.
01:33This is knitting like you've never seen it before.
01:37It's a big woolly adventure.
01:39Britain's best knitter, that would be unbelievable.
01:42Welcome to Game of Wool, Britain's best knitter.
01:53It's week one and ten talented amateur knitters have arrived in Scotland.
01:58Historic home of all things wool, where the sheep are fluffy,
02:02the stakes are high, and our magical yarn barn awaits.
02:12Wow!
02:16Oh my gosh, look!
02:18Doesn't this look fabulous?
02:20Yes!
02:20Oh wow!
02:27As our knitters battle it out to claim big knitter of the week and avoid the dreaded cast off.
02:33Welcome knitters, I'm Tom, and over the next eight weeks I'm going to be guiding you through some
02:48incredible challenges where nine of you are sadly going to be cast off.
02:52But we will be left with one Game of Wool champion, Britain's best knitter.
02:59And although I am knitting obsessed, I'm not going to be judging you through this competition.
03:03I have two people next to me who are true knitting VIPs.
03:08We have Dai Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell, who have worked with the likes of Chanel,
03:13Vivian Westwood, and even His Majesty the King himself.
03:17These queens of couture have built their career on high fashion, hand-knit, show-stopping garments.
03:23And in this competition, nothing less than perfection will do.
03:28I'll be interrogating all of the technical choices that they have to make.
03:33I want to be completely blown away by creativity.
03:37Every stitch counts.
03:41These two boss stitches are going to be responsible for setting your challenges each and every week.
03:49And speaking of challenges, this is your first solo challenge where you will be able to show off
03:55your individual talent and skill to impress our lovely judges.
03:59For your first solo challenge, we'd like you to re-imagine a fair isle.
04:08We'd like you to make a tank top and we'd like you to make it your story, defining who you are as a person.
04:16There are a few key elements to include repeating patterns.
04:21We would like to see periods or motifs in your tank top.
04:25Don't let the people of Fair Isle down.
04:29Oh.
04:32There you go.
04:33I mean, you've heard Di and Sheila.
04:34They would love for you to make a modern twist on the classic, the Scottish Fair Isle.
04:39But as a tank top, you only have 12 hours.
04:42So, let's get knitting.
04:47Fair Isle is a traditional but tricky knitting style which was invented here, on Fair Isle,
04:54a tiny island in the Shetlands, centuries ago.
04:59Fair Isle is a visual story told through repeating bands of symmetrical patterns,
05:03larger motifs and smaller periods.
05:13The yarn barn's fully stocked haberdashery is now open.
05:16This is my idea of heaven.
05:18And knitters have full creative freedom to design and knit their own Fair Isle story.
05:24All right.
05:24Come on, knit.
05:28To knit their tank tops, they will all start from the hem of the garment and work upwards using circular needles,
05:35which means they can knit continuously in a loop.
05:38Then, they will move on to their Fair Isle peeries and motifs, which they have meticulously designed beforehand.
05:46To knit these, they will use a technique called stranded colourwork,
05:50which is where they alternate two coloured yarns along each knitted row to create their iconic Fair Isle pattern.
05:58Once the body of the tank top is done, they switch to straight needles to create the arm and neck holes,
06:04before finishing and weaving in any loose ends.
06:07An average Fair Isle tank top could take over 40 hours to finish using a fine weight wool.
06:13Our knitters are using chunkier yarn because they have just 12 hours to complete this first challenge.
06:20This is quite a first challenge, creating a modern twist of a Fair Isle, but with a tank top.
06:26We deliberately set a really tough first challenge.
06:30We wanted to push them both in creative and technical terms.
06:35It's a visual world, Fair Isle. We really want them to be telling their own story, talking about themselves through the medium of knit.
06:46I've started my tank top at the bottom edge with the ribbing that will then go into the main body of the tank top.
06:52Originally from Germany, but now living in London, is Savile Row fashion designer, Holger.
06:58I was always very much interested in the construction of clothes, the way they are made, and obviously for classic men's tailoring, Savile Row is like the place to be.
07:06Fair Isle is very much what I like doing, but not on this yarn and not on this needle, so to tell me that I have to express myself on a super chunky yarn is like asking a vegetarian to express themselves with a medium of steak or something.
07:25Holger has chosen ribbed neck and arm holes for his tank top. On the body, he's gone for classic Fair Isle motifs and peeries in a red, yellow and blue gradient, inspired by a previous project.
07:39She came into being around the time as everybody seemed to have been knitting emotional support chickens. It does represent me a nonchalant chicken.
07:51For my design, I've got a repeating pattern throughout of the Sierra Leonean flag, because my family is from Sierra Leone.
08:01Cyber security student Isaac learned to knit when he was 10 years old.
08:05I knit primarily for myself because I don't have to impress too much. It's quite handy. I don't need to stick to any deadlines. I have in the past knit for my mum and my granddad.
08:19Isaac's family inspired tank top features a gaggle of geese marching across it as his motif and peeries in the colours of the Sierra Leonean flag. It's finished with a ribbed hem, neckline and arm holes.
08:31So Isaac, what exactly are you up to? You've gotten through the ribbing and you've done your first motif.
08:37My main motif is a series of geese. My mum calls me a silly goose, my girlfriend calls me a silly goose. I'm just a silly goose.
08:45In terms of time, is it something that you're worried about with this challenge?
08:49I'm not great at estimating time, so I suppose we'll see.
08:56Fair Isle is largely a lot of what I do when I knit for myself, so I sort of feel I know what I'm doing.
09:02Already familiar with the Fair Isle technique is cruise ship singer Gordon.
09:07I'm a very traditional knitter. I've never tried anything particularly avant-garde.
09:14Heritage knit enthusiast Gordon is combining his love of Shetland with his passion for music by knitting peeries of piano keys accompanied by the oxo motifs used in traditional Fair Isle designs.
09:26Gordon is the only knitter attempting the risky traditional Fair Isle method of steeking, which means to cut open the neck and arm holes.
09:36You heard that right. Cut into the knitting. You can't spell steek without spelling eek.
09:43It won't ravel out. People think it'll just completely disintegrate, but it won't.
09:49Knitters, that's two hours gone. You have ten hours remaining.
09:58Pile of wool next to me. Cup of tea on the side.
10:01Nice. Torted.
10:04You guys are loving this, aren't you? Time over your lives.
10:07The best part of any day is a cup of tea.
10:14Hoping to impress the judges with a nature-inspired knit
10:17is psychotherapist Tracy.
10:20Hello. Hello.
10:22I'm a grandmother of eight and I've been knitting as long as I think I've been breathing.
10:27Do you want to tell us a little bit about the design?
10:29As I kind of thought about what I'm going to do with this, I saw a picture in a charity shop and it was a picture of trees.
10:36So I kind of believe that everyone's born as a little seed and then they grow into a mighty tree.
10:40And no one says, well that's a fat tree, that's an odd tree, it's a weird tree. We just love trees the way they are.
10:47Tracy's Fair Isle design story is all about the circle of life and incorporates nature symbols and scissors to represent pruning and shaping your path.
10:58So are you going to embellish it?
11:01I might be.
11:03You know, I've been known to add pieces of chandelier to a shawl, so I do like to change things as I go along.
11:11This whole thing has been absolutely new to me. I've never done Fair Isle before, ever in my life.
11:16Library worker Dipti knits to unwind, but is still getting to grips with some of the trickier techniques.
11:21I generally am very amateur. I have told my son that I'm going to be in a knitting competition and he said to me, you're not very good, so you'll come home soon anyway.
11:34Dipti.
11:35Hello Tom.
11:36How are we getting on?
11:37I am a massive fan of soft toys and so is my little boy.
11:42This is a design for the love of his favourite soft toy.
11:46We love him so much. That's his own bedroom. He literally is a member of the family. We even celebrate his birthday, the first of August.
11:54Wow, okay.
11:56Literally, it is adorable.
11:58Dipti's knit has both heart-shaped motifs and her son's favourite birthday celebrating bunny, all incorporated in a blue, white and pink design.
12:08Is there anything with this project and this challenge in particular that you're concerned about?
12:11For me, it's always the fit. I'm not a massive maker of garments and finishing it because I'm quite a slow knitter.
12:23I'm back on track. I thought I was behind, but I'm back on track now. I'm so delighted. It's really exciting.
12:29It's making me running it faster.
12:32Oh, dearie. Can't stop. There'll be smoke coming off me needles soon.
12:37This giddy knitter is life coach Stephanie, who first picked up a set of needles 45 years ago.
12:43I'm not your average gran. I do all sorts of things and now I'm in an extreme knitting competition that I'm going to win.
12:50Stephanie's Fair Isle design features motifs of all the things she loves. Games at the table with her daughters, knitting needles and a cup of tea.
13:03But she's hoping to wow the judges with a unique roll neck collar.
13:09Tell us a little bit about the design.
13:11I'm going to do a roll collar. A collar? That's exciting. That's the plan. Fingers crossed.
13:2018-year-old fashion student Meadow only got into knitting recently, but already loves its creative potential.
13:27For my motifs, I've decided to go with Daisy or my granny. I just really like bright colours.
13:32I'm the youngest knitter in the competition. I'm very excited to show people that I can make.
13:38Meadow's Fair Isle tank top is a multi-coloured love letter to her gran. Complete with checkerboard peeries and a giant daisy motif, her gran's favourite flower.
13:48I have my granny's knitting needles. She taught me how to knit when I was really young, so it's always something we've had a bond over.
13:55During the first half of the challenge, it is essential the knitters complete the body of their tank tops to allow time for the fiddly neck and arm holes.
14:08Well, unless you've found a cheeky shortcut like me.
14:12Oh, stunning. That's me, finished with my Feral sweater, and we're only halfway through.
14:19So, knitters, you're halfway through. Six hours to go.
14:23How are you doing, Gordo?
14:27I'm further behind than I would have liked to have been. It's like being in one of these anxiety dreams.
14:34It isn't a dream. I'm really here and I'm knitting like mad.
14:37It's week one here in the Game of Wool yarn barn, and our ten knitters are over halfway through their first solo challenge, a modern Fair Isle tank top.
14:53The plans are still fine. I've just messed up this motif, so I'm just trying to fix it at the moment.
14:58Ex-Marine turned builder, Simon, has been knitting for over ten years.
15:03Generally, knitting on a building site goes down with a bit of shock. Like, what the hell's this dude doing with a set of knitting needles?
15:08Simon, can you tell me about your tank top design?
15:10So, my motifs are based around my life story, really.
15:14Simon's tank top is partly inspired by his time with actual tanks, as it uses the colours of the Royal Marines.
15:21He's also adding a trowel motif as a nod to his new career as a builder, and to reflect he and his wife's IVF journey, motifs of Petri dishes and egg timers.
15:33Each egg timer should, if I can get there, go down in time to signify IVF and the amount of time it took.
15:41Well, that's such a great idea, because Fair Isle usually repeats, but there's like subtle differences.
15:45Yeah. How far in are you?
15:46Not as far as I should be.
15:48Oh!
15:51Also struggling to stay afloat is cruise ship entertainer, Gordon.
15:57I decided to do what I always do, and I'm stinking the armholes.
16:01Oh!
16:03Stinking using a chunkier yarn will be tricky, because this wool isn't as sticky, so it won't cling together like a Shetland wool, which is traditionally used in Fair Isle.
16:14That's quite a risky decision, Gordon. So, timing.
16:18Timing, yes. I'm hoping I'll be okay, but I don't think I'm going to be sitting around having a cup of tea.
16:24With just a few hours remaining, the knitters should all have moved on to the neck and armholes.
16:36I've done the main body of my best and so now I'm picking up stitches for the neckline.
16:41Lydia juggles her passion for knitting with a career in the charity sector, whilst also raising three-year-old twins.
16:49Right, I don't knit for barely anyone but myself. And yes, I have kids, and no, I don't knit for them.
16:55Wow, Lydia, what have we got going on here for your Fair Isle vest?
16:59I'm doing a take on a kente print, which is a traditional West African material.
17:04So, I was inspired by this dress.
17:06Oh, wow!
17:07This is me and my husband at our wedding party.
17:10Inspired by her wedding dress, Lydia's Fair Isle story explores her Ghanaian roots, combining traditional symbols representing love at her motifs and periods within a bright West African colour palette.
17:23Wow, that's so special. The meaning behind it, the patterns. You're cracking through it.
17:28I think I'm about an hour off.
17:30And she's not the only knitter approaching the finish line.
17:33It's possible, looking around, that I might be one of the first to finish, but I've also got a couple of design features further up that take a good bit of time.
17:44Elsa works for a ferry company and has been knitting for over 20 years.
17:49Hey Elsa, do you want to tell us a little bit about the story?
17:53My design is based on a day in my life. I live next to the beach with my dog Brillo. That's who this is.
17:59Oh, lovely.
18:02Elsa's tank top is inspired by her local beach with a waved peary accompanied by a motif of her beloved dog Brillo.
18:11She's pushing the boat out with a few extra flourishes, such as a vintage ribbon inspired necktie and a surprise on the back.
18:19I'm creating a hole, like a porthole.
18:22Oh.
18:23Because I work for a ferry company, I'm bringing that into my design because I'm lucky enough through work to be able to go to places with some of the best knitting and wool history.
18:34When I've discovered that there's a history to knitting and it's such an interesting history, I was just down that rabbit hole.
18:43I have been called an old soul quite a few times in my life. I'm probably perceived as being quite quiet, but I'm just soaking everything up and seeing what I can do to be really loud with my knitting, albeit being quiet myself.
18:58How are you getting on, mate?
19:03I'm feeling very stressed about time. I am whizzing up my front piece. Unfortunately, the whizzing is not quite as whizzy as it should be.
19:11Do you want me to run across for a cuddle?
19:15I'm busy knitting.
19:17I think I'm here to just try and put a smile on Holger's face.
19:20Yeah, amazing. Thank you.
19:27So, right now, I'm adding a duplicate stitch to add the orange bills.
19:32So, instead of being these sad little bill-less geese, they're nice and happy and they can honk at you.
19:38Duplicate stitch is a common technique used to embroider over existing knitting to add detail.
19:44But Isaac is unusually combining this with the ladder back technique, a method to neatly hold strands of yarn on the inside of your garments.
19:52I've done duplicate stitch before, so I'm quite confident doing it.
19:55I've never done a caching it on the back using the ladder back, but that was just as easy as doing it on the front.
20:01But I think timing-wise, I might be running a little bit behind. Still got three to go.
20:05Knitters, that's one hour to go.
20:10Is it really? No. No, no, no, no.
20:13One hour.
20:14I'm in big trouble. Major big trouble. I've got about 16 rows still to knit.
20:18In the final hour, our knitters must complete their garments and cast off their designs,
20:24which means securing their final row of stitches before presenting to the judges.
20:29Holger, how are you doing? Concerned about time or are you...?
20:32Yep.
20:33Somebody just told me I've only got one hour left to do it in.
20:37And how are you doing, Dipti?
20:39Honestly, I haven't got the time. Sorry.
20:41I'm gonna leave.
20:43While some knitters are finishing up...
20:46I'm just finishing, casting it off here. Happy to have finished. Good to go.
20:51..for others, the knit goes on.
20:54I'm unfortunately gonna have to sacrifice the finish that I wanted on the neck and arms.
21:00Time-wise, it's not gonna be feasible.
21:04This thing's not getting finished.
21:06I might not be able to sew the ends in, but I should have a garment that goes on a mannequin.
21:10Knitters, you have ten minutes remaining.
21:16OK, I'm going to cut these.
21:18I'm going to just steek the armholes and the neck hole.
21:22It's not really feasible to do steeking with such a chunky yarn
21:26because the risk of the steeks coming loose is far, far greater.
21:30I certainly admire Gordon for doing it. It takes guts.
21:40God, it's steeky.
21:45What's that?
21:54That gives me one armhole.
21:57Gosh, he's cut these steeky.
21:59And...
22:06All done.
22:07The openings are now made.
22:09I've just got two big, raggy, gaping holes where your arms poke out.
22:14Knitters, cast off your stitches.
22:16This challenge is complete.
22:19Your time is up.
22:23I embraced my ends.
22:24You got them on show?
22:25Yes.
22:26Beautiful.
22:27This looks absolutely appalling.
22:28Dear God.
22:31Birthday bunnies, a gaggle of geese and steeking scares.
22:34That's 10 Fair Isle tank tops done in just 12 hours.
22:39I hope the judges see the fact that I've had a bit of fun with it.
22:43I worked really hard to create something that I think represents the culture well,
22:46so I hope I've done the side proud.
22:50Well done, knitters.
22:52Before we get to judging, I should let you in on a little secret.
22:55We're not going to be trying them on mannequins today.
23:00We have a special guest coming in to model them for you.
23:05Me.
23:10Let's get to judging with the first person, and that is Lydia, please.
23:13Wow.
23:20I mean, I could see somebody going straight down a catwalk wearing that.
23:26The colourways that you've chosen are so vibrant, beautiful.
23:31It's a story, and Fair Isle, and knitting generally, is all about making stories.
23:36This has really answered the brief to show us you and your roots and your heritage.
23:44Well, thank you very much, Lydia.
23:46Stephanie.
23:51Stitch work is really even and flat, and as you would hope for a really nice piece of Fair Isle knitting.
23:59Collar, Stephanie.
24:01Yeah.
24:03Yeah.
24:04Well done.
24:06Next up, we have Meadow.
24:11Great colour choices.
24:13Yeah. Thank you.
24:14Contemporary, modern, dynamic, can I say?
24:17Great Piri.
24:19Yes.
24:20There.
24:22It's...
24:26Really worked out very well.
24:27Yeah.
24:28Next up, we have Simon.
24:33I think this is just such a lovely design story.
24:37Yes.
24:38And these I particularly love.
24:39The egg timers.
24:41Thank you, Simon.
24:42Next up, can we have Gordon, please?
24:44Ooh.
24:45The walk of shame.
24:46The walk of shame.
24:54Okay.
24:56So...
24:58You were...
24:59Steaking.
25:00Yes.
25:01Quite an undertaking in the chunky yarn.
25:04Okay.
25:05The walk has caused it to be more complicated.
25:08Those are difficult decisions when you're a sticker.
25:11Can I just say, Gordon, I really like the overall design.
25:17It tells me a lot about you.
25:19Piano keys.
25:20Lovely Fair Isle.
25:21And it speaks Scotland.
25:22We're very sad that you ran out of time to finish it because there is so many elements that we really appreciate.
25:30Mm.
25:31Well, thank you, Gordon.
25:32Thank you so much.
25:33Be careful.
25:35Ooh, are you okay?
25:36I'm all right.
25:37It's all right.
25:38Yes.
25:39There we go.
25:40We're out.
25:46Got tassels, Tom.
25:47Wow.
25:48Got tassels.
25:49Got embellishments.
25:50It makes you do that.
25:52I actually love what you've done here, Tracy.
25:54We weren't expecting the tassels.
25:56Thank you so much.
25:58Next up, we have Elsa.
25:59It is.
26:00Wow.
26:01Yeah.
26:02Really, really something else, actually.
26:03Yeah.
26:04I find this quite emotional.
26:06Sorry, because it's just so beautiful.
26:07Oh, thank you.
26:09There's so much about this, which is the balance, the wave pattern, your little fine
26:15detail, little tweaks that can make something completely new and different.
26:20The neckline, the classic V-neck with the tie, you've appreciated that this wool is quite
26:26chunky and that's what it looks like.
26:28And that's what it looks like.
26:29Yeah.
26:30Yeah.
26:31Yeah.
26:32Yeah.
26:33Yeah.
26:34Yeah.
26:35Yeah.
26:36Yeah.
26:37Yeah.
26:38Yeah.
26:39Yeah.
26:40Yeah.
26:41Yeah.
26:42The, this wool is quite chunky and that actually looks fantastic.
26:47Very much like the green touches.
26:48Oh, my God.
26:49You know, the stitchwork is really lovely.
26:51Yeah.
26:52And oh my gosh.
26:53I've just spotted the-
26:54Sheila!
26:55There's a port hole on the back here, Tom.
26:57It's not every day that you see a port hole in a Fair Isle tank top.
27:02Well, thank you very much, Elsa.
27:03Thank you very much.
27:06Next up, Isaac.
27:07the geese that's a stroke of genius really i love it i love the way you've put the feet
27:17one step in the grass almost the green and the thing that really really i love
27:25and we would need to just hold this up the way you did a ladder back for holding your strands
27:32to use it for the duplicate stitch it's very clever and quite innovative really i haven't
27:39seen it used very often in fair isle tell me about the neck isaac i have been intending on doing a
27:47ribbed neckline and armbands um but obviously i sort of ran short yeah yep thank you very much
27:55thank you isaac next up we have holger
27:57really lovely colour yes and i love the transition so how would you holger have finished off the
28:08armhole well i've finished one of the armholes it's not ideally finished off either ideally
28:13i would have finished the ribbing off with a italian bind off but there was like no time
28:20um it's a real shame about the armholes because that detracts from a really nicely tailored
28:30piece well thank you very much holger and last but not least dip tea oh
28:36oh unfortunately not oh we'll hold it up like this instead we can see it
28:53let's have a wee look well it's a fab design do you think you just had not quite enough time
29:02to plan the neck yes i was rushing quite a lot to actually just get into a garment yes yeah and
29:10then it was after i'd finished it i realized that the neck hole was just far too small yeah thank
29:15you very much thank you very much it wouldn't go around his neck so i was very upset that he couldn't
29:22wear it that really upset me but yeah i mean i spend my whole working life under pressure
29:30playing music live and radio three and things and that's pressure but this really got to me
29:35somehow and i've disappointed myself how i sort of cracked under pressure of of knitting
29:41that no one was paying me to do
29:44with the tank top solo challenge complete it's time for our first team knit
29:55a surprise challenge on an epic scale
30:00and one last opportunity for knitters to impress
30:05this is going to be knitting like you've never seen it before so grab onto those needles and get
30:13ready you're going to be working in two teams to transform a sofa
30:20oh
30:20what
30:21what a sofa
30:23sofa
30:24we want you to come up as a team with a fitted sofa cover using a chunky yarn
30:32you can use as much color as you want or you can use as little as you want
30:38we're looking for a really cohesive design concept
30:42and we want the best possible practical fit all parts of the sofa must be covered
30:51and it's a sofa that when we walk in we really want to go wow
30:57now for this challenge it is going to be judged blind so now i am sadly going to ask
31:02di and sheila to leave the yarn barn and come back a little bit later on to see your lovely
31:06creations
31:07now knitters you are going to be working in two teams of five so team one is going to be
31:14isaac gordon meadow tracy and dipty and in team two we have simon lydia stephanie holger
31:26and ailsa so now you know your teams there's no time to make friendly here it's time to
31:31get going and you're not going to have very much time to do it you have 10 hours to complete
31:36this challenge so knitters let's get knitting
31:39our knitters are used to working alone but to beat the other team they must now combine
31:48their technical skills and work together to pull off a cohesive design in just 10 hours
31:56this is quite an ambitious challenge well not very many people have knitted a sofa cover there's five
32:03people working on it yeah and they have to work together to make it cohesive at this point we know
32:10they can knit yes but it's down to those little details they have to have planned right to the
32:16very end including how they're going to put the pieces together
32:25has anybody done anything like this before no okay we need to think about when we're splitting
32:31it out how people get differently so how does that fit into the design concept with his experience of
32:36precise savoura tailoring holger is the first knitter to pitch a plan as it is a fairly angular design
32:43that lends itself to being um split up into lots of geometric shapes as in like rectangles the concept
32:49could be like let's say it's a gradient you know you could then do various colors in different textures
32:57for example we could have a cable at every join a diamond yeah you know one person that's solid yellow
33:04one person that's yellow orange one person that's orange and so on it could literally be any color
33:09gradient and then you would join them together roughly some sort of look like that yeah it would
33:15be a relatively simple concept but visually it's quite impactful and strong
33:23holger's idea is for each team member to knit strips in different color combinations holding two
33:29different colored yarns together to create a marl effect these will be accompanied with strips of
33:35a more complex cable stitch to add detail and texture these strips would then be sewn together
33:42creating a gradient or ombre effect okay team each of us are going to do a panel we're going to knit the
33:48length of the panel two meters two meters just under two meters we once we've done that we can allocate
33:56who's going to do the cable panels with the solid colors i'm good with chunky whatever you need me
34:00to do chunky hmm okay we'll see we'll see how it goes with chunky the other team haven't been putting
34:07their feet up either student isaac has already hatched a plan i had a thought i'm a fan of color work
34:13you can maybe do some kind of like sunset across the back of the sofa sounds nice how about holiday
34:20scene so we have beach beach sea sunset maybe the sunset would be the star of the show
34:29the team have struck on an ambitious design built around a picture postcard holiday scene
34:35of rippling waves sandy beaches and even the starry night sky but the centerpiece will be isaac's
34:42sumptuous sunset the team have decided to use a variety of stitches across the entire sofa if you
34:49got stitched and that would be quite good yeah we'd have the stockinette on the front that's why
34:54i did i'm happy to do anything i think that's going to be like do we agree that we think it's cohesive
34:59enough yeah because that was yeah i mean it has a story right yeah
35:09with only 10 hours to execute these designs both teams are getting to grips with the sheer scale
35:14of the sofa stitching showstopper i've got a newfound respect for people who consistently knit in
35:20really chunky arms i physically can't cope with size 20 needles isaac is tackling the centerpiece
35:28of his team's design the sunset i've been quite ambitious with what i'm aiming to do intarsia is a
35:36different beast intarsia is a color technique used to create blocks of color
35:41by using separate lengths of yarn but unlike fair isle where the yarn is carried along the back of
35:46the work with intarsia you use a separate ball of yarn for each color change every time you see
35:52a color change in a single row you're carrying a new set of yarn behind it i'm basically switching
35:58which color i'm using so i have to like cross them in the back right here this just sounds like a
36:04different language doesn't it room for a little one wow look at all this it's getting a bit hectic over
36:09here i've added in the gradient and it's starting to take shape so quite an ambitious panel to be
36:14making yeah was it your idea yeah it was if we can get it done it's going to be really fantastic it's
36:20going to have that wow factor yeah because look at that that's even as a knitter that is terrifying
36:28here we go wow so this is the plan it's a gradient okay all with a bit of cabling with a bit of cabling
36:40so we've got these various color combinations going on this is what we've got great who has knit with
36:48wall this chunky before oh never no i love a chunky thing it's just not me not for you i just can't knit
36:55with really chunky yarn and really chunky needles these needles are some chunky they're huge chunky
36:59chunky huge 20 mils yeah they're massive yeah we love it while the chunky yarn is slowing holger down
37:09on the other team meadow is racing through her pieces nearly done the first of the three back panels
37:16whoa that's quick so meadow when did you start knitting well my granny she taught me when i was really young
37:23like as i'm autistic and i was having a really hard time managing some things in school my mind
37:30could be so busy and stressed sometimes so it's just really relaxing to just sit and focus on a
37:36project yeah it's like when just started it was just like whoa yeah i found my thing it's the thing
37:41that i do for myself yes it is it is gordon did you say you did knitting at school oh yes even as a boy
37:48i've always been a boy you know cruise ship entertainer gordon is knitting the beach using
37:55garter stitch a beginner friendly stitch i don't often knit in a public place especially on board
38:03the ship most of the time i do it in the cabin it's only maybe in the last few years i've been a public
38:10knitter was once on a cruise knitting and a lady came past she looked at me with great disgust and said
38:16i think a jigsaw puzzle would be a bit more manly so that was me told i don't know any of this
38:23business of it being like oh you know it's it's not very manly like there are going to be people in
38:27life who don't like you and if the reason that they don't like me is because i'm a bloke who knits
38:31then i've got more like i've got better things to worry about really
38:47look all stars i'm noticing that we've got quite different designs
38:52you say it no you say it we tom doesn't want to say it you're halfway through five hours to go oh my gosh
39:07i think we need to start seaming because if there's a problem then we need more time
39:14the gradient team are now moving on to the critical stage of sewing their strips together
39:20right let's see if we can put this baby together to see how the whole principle that the whole
39:24decide is based on whether this actually works with that many strips it's obviously crucial that they're
39:29going to be nicely aligned as an analogy this team the gradient team are doing a modern twist on a
39:37victoria sponge when executed well lovely is it as ambitious as the other team no but while they are
39:44now racing to turn their strips into one cohesive cover the sunset team are still knitting their
39:50individual panels i'm slightly concerned that they're going to finish in time mainly the intarsia work
40:00and the color work and the stranding that he's doing is very complicated and he still has a way to go
40:07we need to start joining we haven't we've got panels missing haven't we
40:13currently we don't have enough pieces to cover the sofa yet which is slightly panic-inducing
40:22do we think we're on track
40:25debatable it's getting tight it's getting tight isn't it guys yeah yeah i don't think we're on track
40:30the knitters are running out of time in their first team challenge to design and knit a sofa
40:41cover to wow the judges plowing one across this vast expanse of sand while the gradient team are now
40:48sewing those together also from this way that way you say yes somewhere in the middle the sunset team
40:53are still knitting individual panels close no sorry is it okay are you looking at that last bit not
41:00fantastic do you think your time might be better spent joining pieces together if i start joining
41:08stuff together there's going to be a massive hole if i don't start joining stuff together and other
41:12people are doing it there's going to be a smaller hole okay i don't want to say that i've bit enough
41:16more than i can chew but i think it just took me a bit of time to find my flow
41:19and knitters you have one hour remaining away no no simon and holger are doing the sewing up and
41:31almost finished i'm on one of two of the pink legs i don't know if it's blind hope or optimism but
41:36i think we're going to be all right great fun knitting well done well done i'm crocheting the back
41:44pieces together do i just cast this off and we have a massive hole yeah yeah let's just get those
41:49other two bits on tip it upside down to put the feet on feet take a look is it straight what do i
41:59care about straight are we all good i think so yeah five minutes guys five minutes should we offer to
42:11help yeah guys do you need help pinning up tell us where you want us thank you so much guys this goes
42:18together right four balls of water put around the legs what color anything good what if you take
42:23send that onto the back that back that you need a new pin of star on there
42:31knitters needles down place your final pins time is up thank you so much guys well done guys
42:40welcome have a good cry yeah right it's just such a hodgepodge
42:45we need to do we need to finish on a group hug or something should we have a
42:50team hug i'd rather not say we need a team hug i'm not a massive hugger okay i'll hug you too then that's
43:00in 10 hours both teams have completed their sofa covers sort of well done knitters it is now time to
43:08hear from the judges so diane sheila would you like to come back into our yarn barn and let us know what
43:14you think starting with the sandy sunset sofa what do you think
43:20i mean it's a very ambitious design
43:37it saddens me to have to say that it's not properly finished is it it's not finished there's some car
43:43crushes well there's lots actually yeah we've got lots of holes well as the garter stitches it's
43:49stretched yeah there has had to be some intarsia work done here which is commendable
43:59the stocking stitch going to garter there's no cohesion is it no i do think they're an inventive
44:08group i mean the balls of wool for the legs we said covered look indeed it is really quite fun but
44:18it's it's incomplete diane sheila can i ask you what you think of the gradient sofa
44:27it's the cables that strike me first but you would probably say it's the sweep of the color
44:32color going through it's very cuddly that's because of the raised effect with the wide cable
44:38the diamonds locking diamond that's why this works so much it does have feet the feet the feet are
44:46fabulous have each of these panels actually been knitted separately die that's an incredible amount
44:53of sewing up you end up with an uneven effect it hasn't been neatly finished no at all
45:02it's actually you know a very simple design and we did want something that is like wow wow wow
45:11it's wow but it's not
45:18incredible
45:22don't sheila have you come to a decision ladies tell us one sofa demonstrated
45:30a better design concept and execution overall and that sofa is
45:40the ombre
45:49whose idea was the ombre so far holger yeah congratulations
45:55well knitters those are the challenges complete for this week so it's time to wind up your wall
46:02and let di and sheila decide your fate
46:08intarsia is a different beast when it comes to a lot of types of knitting i don't know why i said i
46:13would do it i think the bits that i completed were fine if i do go home i'd be disappointed
46:19it was just time and if we had more time it would have been better executed i'm worried it's now up
46:25to di and sheila to decide who will be cast off based on their performance across both challenges
46:33i mean wow what an incredible first two challenges you asked a lot of the knitters we certainly did so
46:40who has done particularly well this week lydia we found very striking ailsa her attention to detail
46:53who are you worried about
46:57isaac
46:57the sunset sofa was a car crash he didn't quite have enough time to finish and then in the fair isle
47:08challenge gordon
47:13i don't love the steaking no dipty
47:19didn't quite produce a garment that was fit for purpose
47:23so have you come to a decision we have
47:37it's time to hear who has knit big and whose journey has started to unravel di
47:45so our first big knitter of the competition is
47:49ailsa
47:55thank you and to commemorate the occasion i'd love to present to you the sheep
48:03you're very welcome you deserve it congratulations
48:08but this is a competition and sadly we have to say goodbye to someone
48:12the person being cast off this week is
48:27gordon
48:28oh
48:34oh give us a hug
48:37you did so incredibly well i just was so keen to come on and show that everyone can
48:42knit nowadays without shame or embarrassment
48:45we'll have a group hug come on everyone here
48:50thank you everyone oh my goodness i can't believe i'm here next week i i genuinely thought i was for
48:55the chop
48:56now he's literally going to diminish the humor in this room by about 50 percent
48:59we've only got simon to listen to
49:02i didn't expect to be the first big knitter it's a good confidence boost going into the next week
49:14next time iconic knits for dogs don't hate me i'm not a dog person
49:19she's so beautiful
49:24and a throwback to the 80s now we all remember the 80s right the shoulder pads the big hair
49:29results in fashion fabulousness i love the big puffy sleeve
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