In 2024, the Karoo Winter Wool Festival (KWWF) partnered with Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion to host an intercollegiate competition aimed at inspiring young designers to explore local resources and nature through knitwear.
The brief was to select a photograph of a Karoo landscape and design a knitted garment inspired by it. I chose a photo from Kyle Goetsch’s beautiful selection to base my designs on. It was an interesting challenge; to fulfil the brief we had to understand both the landscape and the technical aspects of knitting textures.
Karoo Winter Wool Festival:
As part of my prize, I attended the KWWF, where I also had the opportunity to take part in a workshop of my choice.
The festival was a whirlwind of people, inspiration, and insights into various industries. As fashion students, we interned at the event, taking on tasks such as dressing, setting up and manning stalls. I enjoyed my days drawing behind an easel in the main entertainment area of the festival, drawing inspiration from the environment.
Photo credit: Juane Viljoen (2024), Instagram @juaneviljoen23
I was able to witness many of the demonstrations, such as sheep shearing, exhibitions, machine knitting, and a fashion show displaying beautifully crafted knitted garments.
I sat in on talks about South Africa’s role as an international producer of Mohair and wool, with a focus on encouraging production and export. It was uplifting to hear how South African Merino and Mohair wool are internationally recognised for their quality. It piqued my curiosity about parts of the supply chain I had never considered before.
I was able to witness many of the demonstrations, such as sheep shearing, exhibitions, machine knitting, and a fashion show displaying beautifully crafted knitted garments.
I sat in on talks about South Africa’s role as an international producer of Mohair and wool, with a focus on encouraging production and export. It was uplifting to hear how South African Merino and Mohair wool are internationally recognised for their quality. It piqued my curiosity about parts of the supply chain I had never considered before.
Vuya Knitwear Internship:
The most exciting part of my prize was to intern at Vuya Knitwear for three weeks in October 2024, where I gained hands-on experience in machine knitting my winning design.
I was introduced to the production of knitwear, a world quite different from working with woven fabrics. Learning from industry professionals who are open to sharing their knowledge inspired me to explore and learn about knitwear with a new sense of excitement.
Patternmaking and Knitting:
The next step to be tackled in the process was patternmaking, which was done digitally using software that aligns with the knitting machines. We began by taking the technical drawing and mapping out the design elements onto a rectangle for each panel. I was fascinated by the precision required in calculating the dimensions and how machine knitting incorporates technology in ways I hadn’t previously thought of.
I wanted the garments to be made to my measurements, so I had to alter the design to fit a shorter frame and wider surface than that of the technical drawing template. This proved to be quite the task to get right, all the while trying my best to maintain the integrity of my original design. It made me realise that people’s bodies differ from standardised sizes and that these differences should be considered during the design and technical drawing phase to ensure garments fit diverse body types. Creating a design based only on standardised dimensions feels like only half of the process, and we had to make up for it in the patternmaking phase.
Each panel went through a tumble dryer to minimise shrinking after it’s sewn into the final garment and then steamed flat with an industrial iron. Once the panels were adjusted to fit the desired dimensions, we added outlines into the rectangle that indicated closures, side seams, armholes, and necklines, then knitted the final panels. Lastly, we knitted the design details for the sleeves such as scalloped edges and 3cm wide strips as well as tubular elements to finish off the neckline and the open back. This process was visually very intriguing because it displayed a sense of three-dimensionality through knitwear and seamless finishings.
Production and the Craftsmanship Behind the Garments:
The final stage of the production process was to assemble the garment. Marie Claire Burthy and the exceptional ladies of the production team took me under their wings. To join the seams of the garments, they used a linking machine.
I was like a kid watching a magic show as the circular centre with needles plotted along its edge, moved in union with the curved needle, sewing it all together.
Specifically, at this point, I realised the level of skill, precision, and good communication required to create the level of quality garments that are produced at Vuya Knitwear.
At Elizabeth Galloway, we make use of an overlocker to join our seams for knitted garments. In comparison to the linking machine, the smooth and neat result created by the linking machine gives a preferred specialised finish, over that of an overlocker. It was also the first time that I encountered tubular and waste yarns, which in combination with the joining machine, create beautifully joined seams and finishings to edges.
Throughout the internship, I witnessed the importance of teamwork, communication, and dedication to producing high-quality garments. Vuya Knitwear upholds a strict quality standard that I was able to witness and admire. No matter how many garments they were working with, there were constant checkpoints to ensure quality. Each machine and process—like linking seams, unravelling waste yarns, overlocking edges, attaching tubular to necklines, straight sewing, hand-sewing buttons into the top, and finally, quality checks—was done with precision and teamwork. I am incredibly grateful to have learned from everyone at Vuya Knitwear and to have afforded the opportunity to witness their processes.
Reflections and Future Plans:
As my garments passed through many hands and machines, I realised how many people contribute to creating the clothes we wear—14 people worked on my garment alone. Building on this experience, I found that there is something special about knowing that there are people behind your clothes with exceptional skill, and a wealth of resources available to bring design to life. This deepened my appreciation for natural fibres, quality craftsmanship, and the critical role each person plays in the supply chain.
As mentioned earlier, I want to address the challenge of fit by designing for a range of body types, beyond just standardised sizes. I want to address these considerations during the design process and design to accommodate various body types, such as plus sizes, shorter body lengths, and different bust sizes. As a future designer entering the world, I want to appreciate our natural resources and find a way to make consumers treasure their garments more.
The Karoo Winter Wool Festival and my internship at Vuya Knitwear have been pivotal in shaping my approach to design, and I look forward to using these experiences to inform my future projects.
Final photoshoot of the winning garments made by Vuya Knitwear and myself.
Photo credit: Thabiso Musi (2025); Instagram @african_dandy27Makeup: Gaby Mc Donald; Instagram @your_majesty_makeup_