Strickstein

The KNITTING STONE is a footstool that warms the feet. The knitting pattern was created by the local knitting club Nananko Knits in Istanbul. The pattern is reproduced by the stone mason Halil Evcan on the surface of the rock. Inside the stone is a heating element that warms up the rock. The KNITTING STONE is a combination of contrasting crafts and different cultures in one object that invites everyone to put their feet up together. Stone sculpting is a craft for men, knitting is no craft and made by women. This was not always the case. As a consequence of the devaluation of knitting, old patterns are getting lost. Master Halil Evcan restores and preserves the old ornaments carved in stone in historic mosques. The knitting pattern was translated into the stone. For that we took the ancient roman floral ornaments as a model. Through slight irregularities of the individual leaves, these patterns achieved a liveliness. According to this principle we decided to go for a visible symmetry that would make the pattern come alive through small irregularities in the stitches.

The project was initiated by the Turkey Design Council.