Well, didn’t this week just fly by? We’re already two episodes deep into Channel 4’s search for Britain’s Best Knitter, and the pressure is certainly starting to show in the Yarn Barn during ‘Icons Week.’

The solo brief was designing a fun two-piece outfit for man’s best friend. Yes, dog coats and accessories! The judges were looking for structural integrity, good shaping for a proper fit, and a clear blend of knitting and crochet. It was a proper head-scratcher, as sizing for dogs proved tricky for a few contestants, including Tracey and Isaac. However, the creativity was fabulous, with Dipti’s sparkly unicorn ensemble and Holger’s tiny balaclava stealing the show.

The main challenge was the high pressure Group Knit, reinterpreting an iconic 1980s jumper pattern using Mohair, and crucially, featuring the difficult block colour technique of Intarsia. This is where the difficulties stacked up. If you’ve ever used mohair, you’ll know how tricky it can be to unpick! The youngest knitter, Meadow, bravely took on the Intarsia panel despite her inexperience. Tom Daley’s encouraging words helped her deliver a strong panel, showing real creativity. Ultimately, the team tackling the vibrant checkerboard design absolutely smashed it, with incredibly neat Intarsia securing them the win.

The positives of the episode were the immense support amongst the knitters and their sheer ambition to tackle new techniques. However, the major recurring difficulty is the unforgiving nature of the deadlines. The time constraints led to stress and mistakes. Despite her recovery in the group challenge, Meadow’s earlier struggles with the dog coat sadly put her in the bottom, and she was the one cast off from the Yarn Barn this week.

It was a rollercoaster of an episode, full of tension, fluffy Mohair, and tiny dog jumpers! See you next week ✨🌈