Gender equity is alive and well in the nation’s capital and just as we have a knitting pattern for Skywhale, we will soon have a knitting pattern for Skywhalepapa.

If the 29-page knitting pattern for Skywhale is anything to go by, the male equivalent will keep knitters occupied this spring.

Local Canberra knitter Katy Griffis says it took her eight weeks to create the intricate Skywhale knitting pattern and she’s keen to embark on Skywhalepapa this September.

“I love a good challenge,” she says.

“I try to make them as close to the character as possible. [Artist] Patricia [Piccinini] even told me she liked the sculptural element I bring to my patterns so when I was doing the patterns, I needed to look at the basic shapes. Skywhale’s not quite round, almost an oval shape. Her body itself took me about four attempts to get to a shape that I was happy with.”

Katy was originally aiming for a blue whale style until Patricia Piccinini commented that it looked upside down. After some tweaks, the resulting pattern, complete with details of knitting techniques and stitches, has led to a knitting frenzy around the country.

During the recent nationwide tour of the two Skywhales, which went from Ballarat to Cairns, the flying mammals inspired country knitting groups to get together and bring the pattern to life.

• Skywhale returns home to Canberra after long migration (19 May 2023)

Ahead of Skywhale and Skywhalepapa’s stop at Bordertown, South Australia, a local knitting group powered through the 29-page pattern to create some fabulous knitted skywhales (not to scale).

Katy’s advice to anyone wishing to tackle the knitting pattern: Trust the pattern.

“I know that sounds a little bit obscure but occasionally there’s bits that don’t make sense until others are in place,” she explains. “I’ve made nine so far. The plan is that there will be a family and I will be tackling a knitting pattern for Skywhalepapa soon.”

The free Skywhale knitting pattern can be downloaded here:  nga.gov.au/knowmyname/media/dd/documents/skywhalesknitnew.7ca4b58.pdf

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