Thanks for being here to read about the journey of Penny Grace Knitwear. In Part One I talked about why I started my brand, but here I am going to give you a bit of background to how I started. If you didn't read Part One you can do that below:
How I got here
As a child, I was always making and creating. I loved fashion and colour, and I remember being about 8 or 9 years old, telling my parents that I wanted to be a fashion designer. My Dad was an architect and I was always fascinated by the intricate blueprints he worked on at home, and I can remember him showing me how to daw my first 3D objects. My mum worked as a biochemist, but although she loved science, she was, along with my aunt, an enthusiastic seamstress, making clothes, curtains, and all sorts of things. Many of my special occasion outfits were made by their hands—including bridesmaid dresses and even my First Holy Communion dress, which was adapted from my mum’s wedding dress. I still remember picking out lace (very 1980s!) from the local haberdashery store so that I could embellish the dress.
I was fascinated by the sewing books they had (which I still own), so it felt natural to choose Textiles and Art as two of my GCSE subjects.
Mum in the lab with a visit from the Duke of Edinburgh / My dad at work / Sewing books from my Mum / My mums old sewing storage, that I still use.
Determined to pursue textiles at a higher level, I completed a one-year Art and Design course before enrolling at Chelsea College of Art. At the time, the college was based in a beautiful old building in Shepherd’s Bush, right next to the famous market and the fabric shops of Goldhawk Road.
During my first year, I explored both printed and knitted textiles. But in my final year, I chose knitted textiles as my specialism and really began to love the possibilities of machine knitting. I especially enjoyed working in the dye lab with a wonderful technician named Margaret. I would spend hours mixing my own dyes to achieve the perfect colour and then dyeing my own yarns.
Chelsea College of Art, Lime Grove / Shepherds Bush Market / Goldhawk Road Fabric Shops / Royal College of Art, Kensington
I graduated with a First and was offered a place at the Royal College of Art to study Fashion Knitwear. Those two years were a dream—a creative bubble where nothing seemed to exist outside the walls of the Kensington campus. Our student union, the ‘Art Bar,’ was on a rooftop terrace overlooking the Royal Albert Hall, and my desk had a floor-to-ceiling window with a view of Hyde Park and the Albert Memorial. Unfortunately, being part of the pre-iPhone/social media generation, I have very little photographic evidence of those amazing experiences!
It was at the RCA that I truly found my love for working with colour and stripes. I was awarded the first Kay Cosserat Scholarship for my use of colour in knitwear—an incredible honour, especially since I had been lucky enough to do work experience with Kay while studying at Chelsea, before she sadly passed away.
My final collection for the RCA degree show was fun and full of life—brightly coloured knitted striped t-shirts layered under knitted smock-style dresses or jackets. My work caught the attention of The Times and The Independent, which listed me as a designer to watch. But at that young age, I don’t think I had the maturity or confidence to fully take advantage of the opportunities I had.
Royal College of Art final collection, sketchbook image and graduation show 2006
Early Career and Redundancy
After graduating, I worked in a studio on the King’s Road for a French fashion company that were launching a high-end American sub-brand. Unfortunately, the Paris office decided to close the London studio before the collection was released to buyers. This was my first redundancy—less than a year after graduating.
I learned a lot from the Head of Design (who had previously worked at DKNY as well as having her own label) about designing commercially, and she helped me refine my portfolio for future job interviews.
Over the next year, I interviewed a lot—traveling to Paris to meet with Kenzo, Glasgow to meet with Sonia Rykiel, and even Ohio to visit the Abercrombie & Fitch campus. Eventually, I landed a job with a knitwear supplier in South London, where I worked on both print and knitwear designs, adding another skill set to my experience.
This role also gave me the chance to travel—to Hong Kong, to visit factories in China, and to Florence, Italy, for research trips. All of our clients were based in America, and when the 2008 recession hit the U.S., our company was affected. Many clients decided to bring their design work in-house rather than outsourcing to suppliers. As a result, I went through my second redundancy in less than two years.
A New Path
Determined not to give up, I traveled on my own to New York with my portfolio, meeting with as many companies and agencies as I could in just one week. But it was a tough time to find work, and I had rent to pay.
So, I started working for a group of city wine bars as a supervisor, quickly working my way up to General Manager. Surprisingly, I was earning more in hospitality than I had as a junior knitwear designer. Over time, my job hunt got sidelined.
I moved from the wine bar into the restaurant industry, which I absolutely loved. I managed one of London’s best Spanish and Italian restaurants, regularly serving celebrities and even the occasional royal. After a few years, I took on an additional role, overseeing catering and events for the company, managing large food festivals and pop-ups every summer.
By 2018, I had been promoted to Operations Manager, managing 4 of the London based restaurants—a role I held for two years before Covid hit.
Then came my third redundancy.
I was put through redundancy consultation, ultimately being offered a new role in the HR department as a Learning and Development Manager which is what I was doing before going on maternity leave in 2021.
Creating a Knitwear Brand
While on furlough, I found my old knitting machine (you can read about where and why in Part One). I knew I wanted to use lambswool for my products, so I started researching UK yarn mills. Eventually, I found one I recognised from my university days—one that I knew produced top-quality, ethically sourced yarn.
I can still remember showing a group of friends my first wristwarmer prototypes while we sat in a garden, practicing social distancing. Wristwarmers became my first product, soon followed by baby blankets and beanie hats.
Since those early days in late 2022, I’ve expanded the collection to include snoods, scarves, ponchos, headbands, and hot water bottles. My design aesthetic has remained true to my early career—bold, colourful, and full of stripes. I love experimenting with unexpected colour combinations, creating pieces that are vibrant, playful, and luxurious while designed to last.
Looking back, my journey has been anything but straightforward. From studying at some of the most prestigious art schools to navigating multiple redundancies and an unexpected career in hospitality, every step has led me to this point. Penny Grace Knitwear isn’t just about creating beautiful accessories—it’s about rediscovering my passion, embracing creativity, and building something meaningful from life’s twists and turns. I feel incredibly lucky to be doing what I love, working with the colours and textures that first inspired me all those years ago. And the best part? This is just the beginning.
✨ Read more about why I started Penny Grace Knitwear in Part One: Why I Started a Knitwear Brand After Bereavement and a New Baby.
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What to expect from this blog
Knitwear tips, styling advice, knitwear care.
What an inspiring read!!! It’s amazing how much you packed into your formative years xxxc