Pattern: Rope Sculpture

by Gregory Ojakpe

We were joined by Gregory Ojakpe for February’s YKWU Knitting Club.

Gregory is a Nigerian-born, South London-based costume and fashion designer, who weaves dreams into reality through art. He developed intricate new textiles and techniques while studying at Central Saint Martin’s.

Gregory’s work transcends worldly boundaries, drawing inspiration from surrealist sculpture, fantasy and biomorphism. His unique pieces have been worn by the likes of Grammy award-winner Lizzo and pop princess Leigh Anne (pictured below).

We tried something different this month as we explored the art of sculpting alongside crochet. Gregory taught us how to use rope to add structure to a crochet piece; resulting in sturdy and long-lasting items, making it suitable for projects that require resilience and can withstand wear and tear.

Rope also has a unique texture that adds a rustic or natural feel to crocheted items and it doesn’t limit the creation to fashion and clothing. This technique can be used for interiors or art.

This reel shows Gregory demonstrating the pattern to our Sunday afternoon session guests:

The pattern takes you through this technique in four steps. You will need:

• 8 to 10 mm of hemp rope

• 50g of yarn

• A crochet hook between 5 and 7 mm

You can download a copy of the pattern guide below.

Sign in to download the PDF for free, or buy the full YKWU pattern book here.