Jane E. Slicer-Smith Signatur Handknits

hand knit designs in Australian Wool.

Below is a little about me, but you can find out more up-to-date information at my newsletter.

For the love of art, craft and hand creation, Jane Slicer-Smith has been designing her own unique fashion and picture hand- knitted garments since 1985.

"I am always asked what inspires me and where I get ideas from. The answer is everywhere: nature, architecture, art and history. My greatest influence is the colour in life, be it textiles or nature. It's everywhere, and its  influence should touch everyone every day."

"Life has provided me with wonderful opportunities to travel and work. My own label has allowed me the indulgence to play with colour, texture and designs.

Friends in England laughed at me back- packing through Africa in the 80's. When I returned home briefly, then took off to Australia in 1982, they thought I had definitely lost the plot."
"I believe luck is the coming together of opportunity and ability. I was lucky enough to study knitwear design at Trent University in England, where I grew up.

Whilst at Trent I won the British Knitting Export Council's award for colour (the Royal Society's annual bursary competition) in 1980. In 1983 the British Wool Marketing Board introduced me to a design job with Japan's largest importer of British wool."Commuting between Sydney and Tokyo, I designed handknits for both fashion parades and for publication, over the next three years.

During this time I established Signatur Handknits at Sydney's Paddington Bazaar and the Australian Craft Show."

Image above - Jane and her mother Sheila Slicer, a renowned Miniature Artist, at a Sydney craft fair.
Below - Modelling a swingcoat road-side Vail Colorado - new boots!

"My clientele grew to become Australia-wide. I also formed a business relationship with New Zealand designer, who set up a small shop in Sydney and became a successful fashion retail chain.

I saw 1999 out with a visit to the USA, enjoying time with Trisha Malcolm, the publisher of the Vogue Knitting range of books and magazines. It was on this trip where first saw wonderful yarn stores like Gotta Knit in Soho and Wooly Knits in McLean, Virginia.

Whilst in New York I took wholesale orders for finished garments from Park Avenue boutiques."

Below Jane in her Sydney Studio.

"In 2000, with the support of advertisements in Vogue Knitting and Knitters magazine, and the fabulous Stitches East show in Philadelphia, I introduced Signatur's range to the US market as knitting kits.

The response was overwhelming and I now have customers and friends knitting my designs all over America. I teach Zoom classes as part of Stitches at Home events. I have taught knitting classes in the USA since 2004. I also taught on the 2004 Vogue Knitting cruise to Alaska.

So, the adventure continues in 2008, with a book for XRX and another trip to London for the Knitting &Stitching show. To all my customers, thank you very much for your faithful support, and to knitters everywhere, I hope we can share the joy I derive from our craft."

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