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A beautiful scarf & some sparkly socks: new winter knits added to the That’s Not My Age Edit

— by Alyson Walsh

 

Kate Jones is a textile designer creating tactile accessories and homewares using a vintage, domestic knitting machine, from her studio in Margate. She is committed to sustainability and zero waste using 100% natural yarns. As well as an appreciation for slow fashion, we both share a love of the seaside, ‘ The ever-changing sky and seascape, the raw textures and colour palette of the coastline provide constant inspiration,’ says Kate, ‘There is something very special about living by the sea.’ And with so much in common, I thought it would be lovely to collaborate on a knitted scarf this winter.

The stripe pattern on the Coastline scarf is partly inspired by Sashiko, the traditional Japanese method of repairing and reinforcing clothing by hand, using a simple running stitch. And partly influenced by the coastal environment; the spacing of the stripes also reflects the rhythm and flow of the sea. ‘Since moving from London to Margate ten years ago, my designs are directly connected to the sea and local coastline, where I walk almost every day,’ adds Kate, ‘ I am inspired by the incredible natural light, the movement of the water and the patterns left in the sand at low tide.’

The deep blue shade is a beautiful colour, a timeless classic that works perfectly with my old favourites, denim and khaki. Scarf dimensions are approximately 186cm ( 73 inches ) long and 30cm ( 12 inches) wide. The lambswool is spun and dyed in Yorkshire at a family-run mill established in 1766. Available HERE; RRP £75.

 

 

Once a month, Mr TNMA receives his Genevieve Sweeney sock subscription by post. This ever-so thoughtful, Christmas 2021 gift (from me to him), supports a small, sustainable brand manufacturing in the UK. Wanting to address the amount of wastage in the fashion industry, Genevieve is growing her collection slowly and carefully. ‘I believe in making the highest quality knitwear with pure comfort and sustainability in mind,’ she says.

The designer’s sparkly socks have been on my radar for some time, and so I asked if we could collaborate on a couple of pairs for Christmas. Of course, I opted for a versatile khaki green and tarnished gold, and a stripe incorporating my favourite colours, denim blue and green. This versatile palette goes with gold party shoes and jeans, and perks up a pair of classic loafers or brogues. ‘There’s so much joy in wearing a pair of sparkly socks, that flash of colour and flurry of silky tweeds that adds a little luxe to your outfit,’ Genevieve enthuses, ‘You can wear them with your favourite trainers or dress up with heels. They look very elegant and super-cool!’

 

The sparkly socks are made from a high quality viscose blend and unlike other glittery knits are soft, smooth and comfy to wear. The sparkly yarn within the socks has STANDARD 100 OEKO-TEX® certification, meaning that the textile fibres have been extensively tested and declared free of harmful substances. The socks are made in a family-run mill in Derbyshire. All the chemicals/dyes used by the yarn spinners are eco-friendly, and waste water is filtered so it can be later used for local agriculture.

The Serora striped sock in sage, copper and denim blue, is £22; the Selina sock in sage with a contrasting heel toe and cuff in tarnished gold tweed, is £18. Both are available HERE.

 

See the full That’s Not My Age Edit HERE. And don’t miss our Christmas gift guide HERE.

 

STYLE NOTES

As well as the lovely Kate Jones lambswool scarf, I’m wearing my restored leather biker. With an Ultra Lite Down Jacket by Uniqlo underneath and a lambswool and cashmere cardigan by Genevieve Sweeney underneath that. The organic cotton cord trousers were a gift from Finisterre. Lace-up, Picante leather boots on loan from Dune London. (And there’s another similar style HERE).

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