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Game of Wool Britain's Best Knitter Season 1 Episode 1
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00:00A new generation of knitters are taking the world by storm.
00:04With 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
00:24bar.
00:25The solo challenge will test the knitters' individual talent and skill.
00:38I think those are going to look visually very pleasing.
00:41While the team challenge will see them collaborate on a scale never seen before.
00:46Is it straight?
00:47What 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, I want to see that creativity coming
01:03out.
01:04Oh my gosh, Sheila!
01:05I always cry when I see something beautiful.
01:0810 knitters, 8 weeks, 16 spectacular challenges and one ultimate champion.
01:17I need small sharp scissors.
01:18Slow as fast as you can.
01:19Okay.
01:20Oh, I've missed a stitch.
01:21We can do this.
01:22We can, we can, we can.
01:23At the end of the day this is a competition and someone has to be cast off.
01:29This is knitting like you've never seen it before.
01:37It's a big wooly adventure.
01:39Britain's best knitter, that would be unbelievable.
01:43Welcome to Game of Wool, Britain's best knitter.
01:53It's week one and 10 talented amateur knitters have arrived in Scotland.
01:59Historic home of all things wool, where the sheep are fluffy, the stakes are high and our
02:04magical yarn barn awaits.
02:05Wow!
02:06Oh God!
02:07Look!
02:08Doesn't this look fabulous?
02:09Oh wow!
02:10As our knitters battle it out to claim big knitter of the week and avoid the dreaded
02:33cast off.
02:44Welcome knitters.
02:45I'm Tom and over the next eight weeks I'm going to be guiding you through some incredible
02:49challenges 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 Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell who have worked with the likes of Chanel, Vivian Westwood,
03:14and 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.
03:27I'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.
03:40These 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 your individual talent and skill to impress our lovely judges.
03:59For your first solo challenge, we'd like you to reimagine a fair isle.
04:06We'd like you to make a tank top.
04:09And we'd like you to make it your story defining who you are as a person.
04:14There are a few key elements to include.
04:18Repeating patterns.
04:20We would like to see periods or motifs in your tank top.
04:24Don't let the people of Fair Isle down.
04:28There you go. I mean, you've heard Di and Sheila.
04:33They would love for you to make a modern twist on the classic, the Scottish Fair Isle.
04:38But as a tank top, you only have 12 hours.
04:41So, let's get knitting.
04:47Fair Isle is a traditional but tricky knitting style which was invented here, on Fair Isle, a tiny island in the Shetlands, centuries ago.
04:58Fair Isle is a visual story told through repeating bands of symmetrical patterns, larger motifs and smaller periods.
05:07The yarn bar'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.
05:24Right. Come on, lady.
05:26To 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 periods and motifs, which they have meticulously designed beforehand.
05:47To knit these, they will use a technique called stranded colour work.
05:50Which is where they alternate two coloured yarns along each knitted row to create their iconic Fair Isle pattern.
05:57Once the body of the tank top is done, they switch to straight needles to create the arm and neck holes before finishing and weaving in any loose ends.
06:06An average Fair Isle tank top could take over 40 hours to finish using a fine weight wool.
06:12Our knitters are using chunkier yarn because they have just 12 hours to complete this first challenge.
06:19This is quite a first challenge, creating a modern twist of a Fair Isle, but with a tank top.
06:25We 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.
06:37We really want them to be telling their own story, talking about themselves through the medium of knit.
06:42I'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.
06:57I was always very much interested in the construction of clothes, the way they are made.
07:01And obviously for classic men's tailoring, Savile Row is like the place to be.
07:06Fair Isle is very much what I like doing.
07:09But not on this yarn and not on this needle.
07:12So 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.
07:26Holger has chosen ribbed neck and arm holes for his tank top.
07:31On the body, he's gone for classic Fair Isle motifs and peeries in a red, yellow and blue gradient inspired by a previous project.
07:42She came into being around the time as everybody seemed to have been knitting emotional support chickens.
07:48It 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.
08:06I knit primarily for myself because I don't have to impress too much.
08:10It's quite handy.
08:11I don't need to stick to any deadlines.
08:13I have in the past knit for my mum and my granddad.
08:17Isaac'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.
08:28It's finished with a ribbed hem, neckline and arm holes.
08:32So Isaac, what exactly are you up to?
08:35You've gotten through the ribbing and you've done your first motif.
08:39My main motif is a series of geese.
08:42My mum calls me a silly goose, my girlfriend calls me a silly goose.
08:45I'm just a silly goose.
08:46In terms of time, is it something that you're worried about with this challenge?
08:50I'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.
09:03Already familiar with the Fair Isle technique is cruise ship singer Gordon.
09:08I'm a very traditional knitter. I've never tried anything particularly avant-garde.
09:13Oh God.
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.
09:27Gordon is the only knitter attempting the risky traditional Fair Isle method of steeking, which means to cut open the neck and arm holes.
09:37You 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.
09:53Knitters, that's two hours gone. You have ten hours remaining.
09:57Pile of walnuts to me. Cup of tea on the side.
10:01Nice. Torted.
10:03You 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 is psychotherapist Tracy.
10:19Hello. Hello.
10:20I'm a grandmother of eight and I've been knitting as long as I think I've been breathing.
10:26Do 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.
10:35So 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.
10:43We 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?
11:00I might be.
11:03You know, I have been known to add pieces of chandelier to a shawl, so I do like to change things as I go along.
11:10This whole thing has been absolutely new to me. I've never done Fair Isle before, ever in my life.
11:15Library 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.
11:39Okay.
11:40So 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.
11:53Wow, okay.
11:55Literally, it is adorable.
11:57Dipti'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?
12:12For me, it's always the fit. I'm not a massive maker of garments and finishing it because I'm quite a slow knitter.
12:19I'm back on track. I thought I was behind but I'm back on track now. I'm so delighted. It's really exciting. It's making me run it faster.
12:32Oh dearie. Can't stop the 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.
12:51Stephanie'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.
13:10Tell us a little bit about the design.
13:12I'm going to do a roll collar.
13:15A collar? That's exciting.
13:17That's the plan. Fingers crossed.
13:2118 year old fashion student Meadow only got into knitting recently, but already loves its creative potential.
13:28For my motifs, I've decided to go with Daisy or my granny. I just really like bright colors.
13:34I'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 multicolored love letter to her gran, complete with checkerboard peeries and a giant daisy motif, her gran's favorite 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, sturnit.
14:14That's me, finished with my fair-ass sweater, and we're only halfway through.
14:18So, knitters, you're halfway through. Six hours to go.
14:23How you doing, Gordo?
14:26Um, I'm further behind than I would have liked to have been.
14:30It's like being in one of these anxiety dreams.
14:33It isn't a dream. I'm really here and I'm knitting like mad.
14:36It'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.
14:57Ex-Marine turned builder, Simon, has been knitting for over ten years.
15:02Generally, knitting on a building site goes down with a bit of shock.
15:05Like, what the hell is 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.
15:15Simon'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.
15:26And 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.
15:40Well, that's such a great idea, because Fair Isle usually repeats, but there's like subtle differences.
15:45How far in are you? Not as far as I should be.
15:47Also struggling to stay afloat is cruise ship entertainer Gordon.
15:57I decided to do what I always do, and I'm stinking the yarn holes.
16:01Oh!
16:02Stinking using a chunkier yarn will be tricky, because this wool isn't as sticky.
16:08So, 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.
16:42Lydia 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.
16:56Wow, 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 parties.
17:11Inspired by her wedding dress, Lydia's Fair Isle story explores her Ghanaian roots,
17:16combining traditional symbols representing love as 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.
17:29I think I'm about an hour off.
17:31And she's not the only knitter approaching the finish line.
17:34It's possible, looking around, I might be one of the first to finish,
17:38but I've also got a couple of design features further up that take a good bit of time.
17:42Ailsa works for a ferry company and has been knitting for over 20 years.
17:49Ailsa, do you want to tell us a little bit about the story?
17:53My design is based on a day in my life.
17:55I live next to the beach with my dog, Brillo. That's who this is.
18:00Oh, lovely.
18:02Ailsa's tank top is inspired by her local beach,
18:05with a waved peary accompanied by a motif of her beloved dog, Brillo.
18:11She's pushing the boat out with a few extra flourishes,
18:14such as a vintage ribbon-inspired necktie and a surprise on the back.
18:19I'm creating a hole, like a porthole.
18:22Oh.
18:24Because I work for a ferry company, I'm bringing that into my design
18:26because 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 discovered that there's a history to knitting and it's such an interesting history,
18:41I was just down that rabbit hole.
18:43I have been called an old soul quite a few times in my life.
18:48I'm probably perceived as being quite quiet, but I'm just soaking everything up
18:53and seeing what I can do to be really loud with my knitting, albeit being quiet myself.
19:02How are you getting on, mate?
19:04I'm feeling very stressed about time.
19:06I am whizzing up my front piece.
19:08Unfortunately, the whizzing is not quite as whizzy as it should be.
19:12Do you want me to run across for a cuddle?
19:15I'm busy, I'm busy knitting.
19:18I think I'm here to just try and put a smile on Holger's face.
19:21Yeah, 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,
19:36they'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.
19:45But Isaac is unusually combining this with the ladder back technique,
19:49a 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 it, er, caching it on the back using the ladder back,
19:59but 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.
20:04Still got three to go.
20:06Knitters, 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.
20:16I've got about 16 rows still to knit.
20:19In the final hour, our knitters must complete their garments
20:22and cast off their designs,
20:24which means securing their final row of stitches
20:27before presenting to the judges.
20:30Holger, 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.
20:44While some knitters are finishing up...
20:46I'm just finishing, casting it off here.
20:49Happy to have finished.
20:50Good to go.
20:52For others, the knit goes on.
20:55I'm unfortunately going to have to sacrifice the finish
20:58that I wanted on the neck and arms.
21:01Time-wise, it's not going to be feasible.
21:04This thing's not getting finished.
21:07I might not be able to sew the ends in,
21:08but I should have a garment that goes on a mannequin.
21:12Knitters, you have ten minutes remaining.
21:16OK, I'm going to cut these.
21:18I'm going to just stick the arm holes in the neck hole.
21:22It's not really feasible to do sticking with such a chunky yarn
21:26because the risk of the sticks coming loose is far, far greater.
21:30I certainly admire Gordon for doing it.
21:33It takes guts.
21:40Gordon's sticking.
21:45Awesome.
21:46That gives me one arm hole.
21:57Oh, she's cut this sticky.
21:59And...
22:00All done.
22:07The openings are now made.
22:08I've just got two big raggy gaping holes where your arms poke out.
22:15Knitters, cast off your stitches.
22:17This challenge is complete.
22:20Your time is up.
22:22I embraced my ends.
22:24You got them on show?
22:25Yeah.
22:26Beautiful.
22:27This looks absolutely appalling.
22:29Dear God.
22:31Birthday bunnies, a gaggle of geese and stinking scares.
22:35That's ten Fair Isle tank tops done in just 12 hours.
22:40I hope the judges see the fact that I've had a bit of fun with it.
22:42I've worked really hard to create something that I think represents the culture well, so I hope I've done the side proud.
22:51Well done, knitters.
22:52Before we get to judging, I should let you in on a little secret.
22:56We're not going to be trying them on mannequins today.
23:01We have a special guest coming in to model them for you.
23:04Me.
23:06Yay!
23:10Let's get to judging with the first person, and that is Lydia, please.
23:19Wow.
23:21I mean, I could see somebody going straight down a catwalk wearing that.
23:26The colourways that you've chosen are so vibrant.
23:30Beautiful.
23:31It's a story and Fair Isle and knitting generally is all about making stories.
23:37This has really answered the brief to show us you and your roots and your heritage.
23:44Well, thank you very much, Lydia.
23:47Stephanie.
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.
24:02Yeah.
24:03Yeah.
24:04Well done.
24:06Next up we have Meadow.
24:12Great colour choices.
24:14Contemporary, modern, dynamic, can I say?
24:18Great Piri.
24:19Yes.
24:20There.
24:22It's...
24:24Really worked out very well.
24:27Yeah.
24:29Next up we have Simon.
24:34I think this is just such a lovely design story.
24:38Yes.
24:39And these I particularly love.
24:40The egg timers.
24:41Thank you, Simon.
24:42Next up, can we have Gordon, please?
24:43Ooh.
24:44The walk of shame.
24:54Okay.
24:55So, you were steeking.
24:59Yes.
25:00Quite an undertaking in the chunky yarn.
25:04Okay.
25:05I think that's what has caused it to be more complicated.
25:08Those are difficult decisions when you're a steeker.
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.
25:31Well, 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.
25:38There we go.
25:39We're out.
25:40I'm going to come and get yours, Tracey.
25:47Got tassels, Tom.
25:48Wow.
25:49Got embellishments.
25:50It makes you do that.
25:51It's like...
25:52I actually love what you've done here, Tracey.
25:54We weren't expecting the tassels.
25:56Thank you so much.
25:57Yeah.
25:58Next up, we have Elsa.
26:07It is...
26:08Wow.
26:09Yeah.
26:10Really, really something else, actually.
26:11Yeah.
26:12I find this quite emotional.
26:15Sorry, because it's just so beautiful.
26:17Oh, thank you.
26:21There's so much about this, which is the balance, the wave pattern, your little fine detail, little tweaks that can make something completely new and different.
26:35The neckline, the classic V-neck with the tie, you've appreciated that this wool is quite chunky and that actually looks fantastic.
26:47Very much like the green touches.
26:49You know, the stitch work is really lovely.
26:51Yeah.
26:52And, oh, my gosh.
26:53I've just spotted the...
26:54Sheila!
26:55There's a porthole on the back here, Tom.
26:57It's not every day that you see a porthole in a Fair Isle tank top.
27:02Well, thank you very much, Elsa.
27:03Thank you very much.
27:06Next up, Isaac.
27:11The geese.
27:12That's a stroke of genius, really.
27:14I love it.
27:15I love the way you've put the feet one step in the grass, almost, the green.
27:21And the thing that really, really I love, and we would need to just hold this up, the way you did a ladder back for holding your strands to use it for the duplicate stitch.
27:36It's very clever.
27:37And quite innovative, really.
27:38Yeah.
27:39I haven't seen it used very often in Fair Isle.
27:42Tell me about the neck, Isaac.
27:45I have been intending on doing ribbed neckline and armbands, but obviously I sort of ran short.
27:52Yeah.
27:53Yep.
27:54Thank you very much.
27:55Thank you very much, Isaac.
27:56Next up, we have Holger.
28:02Really lovely colour.
28:03Yes.
28:04And I love the transition.
28:05So how would you, Holger, have finished off the armhole?
28:09Well, I've finished one of the armholes.
28:11It's not ideally finished off either.
28:13Ideally, I would have finished the ribbing off with an Italian bind off.
28:18But there was like no time.
28:22It's a real shame about the armholes, because that detracts from a really nicely tailored piece.
28:32Well, thank you very much, Holger.
28:34Yeah.
28:35And last but not least, dip tea.
28:36Oh.
28:37Oh.
28:38Oh.
28:39Unfortunately not.
28:40Oh.
28:41Well, hold it up like this instead.
28:42Hold it up in front so that we can see it.
28:43Let's have a wee look.
28:44Well, it's a fab design.
28:45Yeah.
28:46Do you think you just had not quite enough time to plan the neck?
28:47Yes.
28:48Yes.
28:49Yes.
28:50Yes.
28:51Yes.
28:52I was rushing quite a lot to actually just get it into a garment.
28:53Yes.
28:54Yes.
28:55Yeah.
28:56Yeah.
28:57And then it was after I'd finished it, I realised that the neck hole was just far too small.
28:58Yeah.
28:59Thank you very much.
29:00Dip tea.
29:01Thank you very much.
29:02Dip tea.
29:03Thank you very much.
29:04Thank you very much.
29:05It wouldn't go round his neck so I was very upset that he couldn't wear it.
29:08That really upset me but, yeah.
29:10I mean, I spend my whole working life under pressure playing music live and radio three and things and that's pressure but this really got to me somehow and I've disappointed myself how I sort of cracked under pressure.
29:25of knitting that no one was paying me to do.
29:50With the tank top solo challenge complete, it's time for our first team knit.
29:56A surprise challenge on an epic scale and one last opportunity for knitters to impress.
30:06This is going to be knitting like you've never seen it before so grab onto those needles and
30:13get ready.
30:14We're going to be working in two teams to transform a sofa.
30:21Oh, what?
30:22A sofa?
30:23What?
30:24A sofa?
30:26We want you to come up as a team with a fitted sofa cover using a chunky yarn.
30:34You can use as much colour as you want or you can use as little as you want.
30:38We're looking for a really cohesive design concept and we want the best possible practical fit.
30:46All parts of the sofa must be covered.
30:50And it's a sofa that when we walk in we really want to go, wow.
30:55Now for this challenge, it is going to be judged blind.
31:00So now I am sadly going to ask Di and Sheila to leave the yarn barn and come back a little
31:04bit later on to see your lovely creations.
31:07Now knitters, you are going to be working in two teams of five.
31:12So team one is going to be Isaac, Gordon, Meadow, Tracy and Dipti.
31:19And in team two, we have Simon, Lydia, Stephanie, Holger and Ailsa.
31:27So now you know your teams, there's no time to make friendly here.
31:30It's time to get going and you're not going to have very much time to do it.
31:34You have ten hours to complete this challenge.
31:37So knitters, let's get knitting.
31:42Our knitters are used to working alone, but to beat the other team, they must now combine
31:47their technical skills and work together to pull off a cohesive design in just ten hours.
31:56This is quite an ambitious challenge.
31:59Well, not very many people have knitted a sofa cover.
32:02True.
32:03There's five people working on it.
32:04Yeah.
32:05And they have to work together to make it cohesive.
32:09At this point, we know they can knit.
32:11Yes.
32:12But it's down to those little details.
32:14They have to have planned right to the very end, including how they're going to put the pieces together.
32:25Has anybody done anything like this before?
32:27No.
32:28No.
32:29OK.
32:30We need to think about when we're splitting it out, how people knit differently.
32:33Yeah.
32:34So how does that fit into the design concept?
32:35Yeah.
32:36With his experience of precise Savile Row tailoring, Holger is the first knitter to pitch a plan.
32:41As it is a fairly angular design, that lends itself to being split up into lots of geometric shapes, as in like rectangles.
32:49The concept could be like, let's say it's a gradient.
32:53You know, you could then do various colours in different textures, for example.
32:58We could have a cable at every join.
33:01A diamond.
33:02Yeah.
33:03You know, one person knits solid yellow, one person knits yellow orange, one person knits orange, and so on.
33:08It could literally be any colour gradient, and then you would join them together.
33:11Roughly some sort of look like that.
33:14Yeah.
33:15It would be 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 colour combinations, holding two different coloured yarns together to create a marl effect.
33:33These will be accompanied with strips of a more complex cable stitch to add detail and texture.
33:39These strips would then be sewn together, creating a gradient or ombre effect.
33:44OK, team.
33:45Each of us are going to do a panel.
33:47We're going to knit the length of the panel.
33:49Two metres.
33:50What?
33:51Two metres?
33:52Just under.
33:53Two metres.
33:54Once we've done that, we can allocate who's going to do the cabled panels with the solid colours.
33:58I'm good with Chunky, whatever you need me to do.
34:01Chunky.
34:02OK.
34:03We'll see.
34:04We'll see how it goes with Chunky.
34:06The other team haven't been putting their feet up either.
34:08Student Isaac has already hatched a plan.
34:11I had a thought.
34:12I'm a fan of colour work.
34:13We can maybe do some kind of like sunset across the back of the sofa.
34:17Oh, that sounds nice.
34:18How about holiday scenes?
34:20So we have beach, sea, sea.
34:23Maybe the sunset would be the star of the show.
34:26The team have struck on an ambitious design built around a picture postcard holiday scene of rippling waves, sandy beaches and even the starry night sky.
34:39But the centrepiece will be Isaac's sumptuous sunset.
34:44The team have decided to use a variety of stitches across the entire sofa.
34:48If you garter stitched them, that would be quite good.
34:50A garter stitch?
34:51Yeah.
34:52We'd have the stockinette on the front.
34:53That's why I did.
34:54I'm happy to do anything.
34:55I think that's going to be like a series of pants.
34:56Let's get started.
34:57Do we agree that we think it's cohesive enough?
34:59Yeah?
35:00Because that was...
35:01Yeah.
35:02I mean, it has a story, right?
35:03Yeah.
35:09With only ten hours to execute these designs, both teams are getting to grips with the sheer scale of this sofa stitching showstopper.
35:17I've got a newfound respect for people who consistently knit in really chunky arms.
35:22I physically can't cope with size 20 needles.
35:25Isaac is tackling the centrepiece of his team's design, the sunset.
35:32I've been quite ambitious with what I'm aiming to do. Intasia is a different beast.
35:37Intasia is a colour technique used to create blocks of colour by using separate lengths of yarn.
35:43But unlike Fair Isle, where the yarn is carried along the back of the work, with Intasia, you use a separate ball of yarn for each colour change.
35:52Every time you see a colour change in a single row, you're carrying a new set of yarn behind it.
35:57I'm basically switching which colour I'm using, so I have to, like, cross them in the back right here.
36:03It sounds like a different language, doesn't it?
36:05Room for a little one.
36:06Wow, look at all this.
36:07It's getting a bit hectic over here. I've added in the gradient and it's starting to take shape.
36:12So quite an ambitious panel to be making.
36:14Yeah, it is.
36:15Was it your idea?
36:16Yeah, it was.
36:17If we can get it done, it's going to be really fantastic. It's going to have that wow factor.
36:22Yeah, because look at that. That's, even as a knitter, that is terrifying.
36:34Here we go. Wow. So this is the plan.
36:36It's a gradient.
36:37OK, all with a bit of cabling.
36:38With a bit of cabling.
36:39So we've got these various colour combinations going on.
36:44This is what we've got.
36:45Great.
36:46Who has knit with wool this chunky before?
36:48Nope.
36:49Never?
36:50Nope. I love a chunky thing.
36:51It's just not me.
36:52Not for you.
36:53I just can't knit with really chunky yarn and really chunky needles.
36:56These needles are some chunky...
36:58They're huge.
36:59Chunky, chunky.
37:00Huge, 20 mils.
37:01Yeah.
37:02They're massive.
37:03Yeah, we love it.
37:04While the chunky yarn is slowing Holger down, on the other team, Meadow is racing through
37:11her pieces.
37:12Nearly done the first of the three back panels.
37:15Whoa.
37:16That's quick.
37:17So, Meadow, when did you start knitting?
37:19Well, my granny, she taught me when I was really young.
37:23Like, because I'm autistic and I was having a really hard time managing some things in school.
37:29My mind could be so busy and stressed sometimes, so it's just really relaxing to just sit and
37:35focus on a project.
37:36Yeah.
37:37So, like, once I started, it was just like, whoa.
37:38Yeah.
37:39I found my thing.
37:40It's the thing that I do for myself.
37:42Yes, it is.
37:44It is.
37:45Gordon, did you say you did knitting at school?
37:47Oh, yes.
37:48Even as a boy?
37:49I've always been a boy.
37:51No.
37:52Cruise ship entertainer Gordon is knitting the beach using garter stitch, a beginner-friendly
37:57stitch.
37:58I don't often knit in a public place, especially on board the ship.
38:03Most of the time, I do it in the cabin.
38:07It's only maybe in the last few years I've been a public knitter.
38:11I was once on a cruise knitting and a lady came past, she looked at me with great disgust
38:15and said, I think a jigsaw puzzle would be a bit more manly.
38:19Oh!
38:20Wow.
38:21So that was me told.
38:22I don't know any of this business of it being like, oh, you know, it's not very manly.
38:26Like, there are going to be people in life who don't like you, and if the reason that they
38:29don't like me is because I'm a bloke who knits, then I've got more, like, I've got better
38:33things to worry about, really.
38:35I've got stars in there.
38:48I know, I'm noticing that.
38:50I think we've got quite different designs.
38:53You say it.
38:56No.
38:57You say it.
38:58We, Tom, doesn't want to say it.
39:00You're halfway through.
39:02Five hours to go.
39:04Oh, my gosh.
39:05I think we need to start seaming, because if there's a problem, then we need more time.
39:15The gradient team are now moving on to the critical stage of sewing their strips together.
39:19Right.
39:20Let's see if we can put this baby together to see how the whole principle that the whole
39:25decides based on whether this actually works.
39:27With that many strips, it's obviously crucial that they're going to be nicely aligned.
39:31As an analogy, this team, the gradient team, are doing a modern twist on the Victoria sponge.
39:38When executed well, lovely.
39:40Is it as ambitious as the other team?
39:42No.
39:43But while they are now racing to turn their strips into one cohesive cover, the sunset team
39:48are still knitting their individual panels.
39:51I'm slightly concerned that they're going to finish in time.
39:56Mainly, I said, the intarsia work and the colour work and the stranding that he's doing
40:02is very complicated, and he still has a way to go.
40:07We need to start joining.
40:09We haven't, we've got panels missing, haven't we?
40:12Currently, we don't have enough pieces to cover the sofa yet, which is slightly panic-inducing.
40:19Do we think we're on track?
40:25Debatable.
40:26It's getting tight.
40:27It's getting tight, isn't it, guys?
40:28Yeah?
40:29Yeah, I don't think we're on track.
40:35The knitters are running out of time in their first team challenge to design and knit
40:40a sofa cover to wow the judges.
40:43Plowing one across this vast expanse of sand.
40:46While the gradient team are now sewing theirs together.
40:49I'll sew from this way, that way you sew.
40:51Yes, sir.
40:52Somewhere in the middle.
40:53The sunset team are still knitting individual panels.
40:56Close.
40:57No, sorry.
40:58Isaac, how are you looking at that last bit?
41:00Not fantastic.
41:01Do you think your time might be better spent joining pieces together?
41:07If I start joining stuff together, there's going to be a massive hole.
41:10If I don't start joining stuff together and other people are doing it, there's going to be a smaller hole.
41:14Okay.
41:15I don't want to say that I've bitten off more than I can chew, but I think it just took me a bit of time to find my flow.
41:19Knitters, you have one hour remaining.
41:25No way.
41:26No.
41:27No.
41:28Simon and Holger are doing the sewing up and almost finished.
41:31I'm on one of two of the pink legs.
41:33I don't know if it's blind hope or optimism, but I think we're going to be all right.
41:37Great.
41:38Fun inning.
41:39Well done.
41:40Well done.
41:41I'm crocheting the back pieces together.
41:44Do I just cast this off and we have a massive hole?
41:46Yeah, yeah, yeah.
41:47Let's just get those other two bits on.
41:50Tip it up so down to put the feet on.
41:53Feed.
41:54Take a look.
41:55Is it straight?
41:56What do I care about straight?
41:57Are we all good?
41:58I think so.
41:59Well, yeah.
42:00Five minutes, guys.
42:01Five minutes.
42:02Should we offer to help?
42:03Yeah.
42:04Do you think?
42:05Come on.
42:06Guys, do you need to help pin it up?
42:07Tell us where you want us.
42:08Thank you so much, guys.
42:09This goes together, right?
42:10Four balls of water put around the legs.
42:11What color?
42:12Anything.
42:13What if you take that onto the fat?
42:14Get that back.
42:15Get that back.
42:16Get that back.
42:17Get that back.
42:18Get that back.
42:19Get that back.
42:20Get that back.
42:21Get that back.
42:22Get that back.
42:23Get that back.
42:24Get that back.
42:25Get that back.
42:26Get that back.
42:27Get that back.
42:28Get that back.
42:29Get that back.
42:30Get that back.
42:31Knitters, needles down, place your final pins.
42:34Time is up.
42:38Thank you so much, guys.
42:39Well done, guys.
42:40Have a good cry.
42:41Yes, right.
42:43It's just such a hodgepodge.
42:46We need to do, we need to finish on a group hug or something.
42:49Shall we have a team hug?
42:51I'd rather not.
42:52We need a team hug.
42:53I'm not a massive hugger.
42:54I'll hug you too then, that's fine.
42:57in 10 hours both teams have completed their sofa covers
43:03sort of well done knitters it is now time to hear from the judges so
43:10diane sheila would you like to come back into our yarn barn and let us know what you think
43:15starting with the sandy sunset sofa what do you think
43:20well
43:24I mean it's a very ambitious design
43:33it saddens me to have to say that it's not properly finished is it it's not finished
43:42there's some car crashes well there's lots actually yeah we've got lots of holes where
43:48the garter stitches it's stretched yeah there has had to be some intarsia work done here
43:55which is commendable
43:57commendable the stocking stitch going to garter there's no cohesion is it no I do think they're
44:07an inventive group I mean the balls of wool for the legs we said covered look indeed it is really
44:16quite fun but it's it's incomplete diane sheila can I ask you what you think of the gradient
44:23so fair it's the cables that strike me first but you would probably say it's the sweep of the color
44:32color going through
44:33so it's very cuddly that's because of the raised effect with the wide cable the diamonds locking diamond
44:40very clever that's why this works so much
44:42it does have feet the feet the feet are fabulous
44:49have each of these panels actually been knitted separately
44:52die that's an incredible amount of sewing up you end up with an uneven effect
44:59it hasn't been neatly finished no at all
45:02it's actually do 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
45:13incredible
45:18don't she let have you come to a decision ladies tell us
45:26one sofa demonstrated a better design concept and execution overall and that sofa is
45:37the ombre
45:40whose idea was the ombre so far holger yeah congratulations
45:54well knitters those are the challenges complete for this week so it's time to wind up your wall
46:01and let di and sheila decide your fate
46:05intarsia 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
46:18it was just time and if we had more time it would have been better executed
46:23i'm worried it's now up to di and sheila to decide who will be cast off
46:28based on their performance across both challenges
46:31i mean wow what an incredible first two challenges you asked a lot of the knitters
46:39we certainly did so who's done particularly well this week
46:42lydia
46:43we found very striking
46:46ailsa
46:48her attention to detail
46:51who are you worried about
46:54isaac
46:57the sunset sofa
47:00was a car crash
47:02he didn't quite have enough time to finish
47:05and then in the fair isle challenge gordon
47:10i don't love the steaking
47:15no
47:15dipty
47:16didn't quite produce a garment that was fit for purpose
47:23so
47:24have you come to a decision
47:26we have
47:29it's time to hear
47:38who has knit big
47:40and whose journey has started to unravel
47:43di
47:44so our first big knitter
47:47of the competition
47:48is
47:49ailsa
47:53thank you
47:56and to commemorate the occasion
47:58i'd love to present to you
47:59the sheep
48:00badge
48:02thank you
48:03you're very welcome
48:04you deserve it
48:05congratulations
48:06but this is a competition
48:09and sadly we have to say goodbye to someone
48:12the person being cast off
48:17this week
48:18is
48:19gordon
48:28gordon
48:28give us a hug
48:35you did so incredibly well
48:38i just was so keen to come on
48:40and show that
48:41everyone can knit nowadays
48:43without shame or embarrassment
48:44we'll have a group hug
48:46come on everyone here
48:48gordon
48:49thank you everyone
48:51oh my goodness i can't believe i'm here next week
48:53i genuinely thought i was for the chop
48:55it's literally going to diminish the humour in this room by about 50%
48:59yeah
48:59we've only got simon to listen to
49:02i know
49:02i didn't expect to be the first big knitter
49:06it's a good confidence boost going into the next week
49:10next time
49:14iconic knits
49:16for dogs
49:17don't hate me
49:18i'm not a dog person
49:19she's so beautiful
49:21and a throwback to the 80s
49:25you know we all remember the 80s right
49:27the shoulder pads
49:28the big hair
49:29results in fashion fabulousness
49:31i love the big puffy sleeve
49:35you
49:52you
49:55you
49:59you
50:00you
50:01you
50:01you
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