THE CELTIC COLLECTION, 1992, Anaya, UK, Trafalgar Square, USA

This is the book that founded the genre of Celtic Knitting in 1992. The technique I invented for knitting “Celtic cables” became instantly popular, and is now practised throughout the world.

Celtic art has suffered greatly from crude use as a marketing tool for products bearing little or no authentic relationship to Celtic culture. Yet it is one of the most awe-inspiring decorative forms of art ever produced. This is exemplified in a huge range of historic artefacts, but most notably The Book of Kells, in which 8th Century monks created a universe of astonishingly intricate designs, painted with single badger hairs under the magnification of a water droplet.

The Celtic Collection was inspired by the original artworks in stone, metal and paint. It was a joy to create patterns and textures in colourwork and cables that could be knitted and reflect the essence of the original Celtic art. I particularly enjoyed devising my method of creating symbolic endless knotwork designs in a sculpted knitted form.