Cara May Knits



Cara May Knits

About The Artist

Cara May • Asheville, NC
Clothing & Accessories

Small batch, artisanal production, my pieces are understated, natural fiber creations. The subtlety of each garment belies unique textures, remarkable fibers & unique shapes. Silk-wrapped stainless steel, & light felting techniques lend a crumpled memory to my fabrics. Knitting is an increasingly intuitive practice, & I remain intrigued by the Japanese wabi sabi aesthetic of beauty in transience & imperfection. I find peace & joy in that space, quietly crossing barriers between fashion & craft.



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Q&A with the Artist

Tell us how your work is made.

I handcraft every garment from start to finish. I select yarns mostly from Japan & Europe, then I draw a design & calculate the math for knitting the fabric. I test my math with different swatches of yarn. I then knit the pieces on manual knitting machines. The sweaters are shaped as the fabric is knit. I sew the seams manually, wash & shape the sweaters - either blocking finished pieces, (or not blocking, just leaving deliciously crushed, distressed & deconstructed).


What makes you passionate about the medium you work with?

Creativity & beauty are vital parts of our lives. Natural, raw beauty touches our souls in rare & magical ways - transforming us & our world. It is essential to our very cores. Asymmetrical, artsy & offbeat, yet subtle - these are simple pieces that don't scream, but somehow stand out in their effortlessness. I make sweaters that I want to wear. Knitting is a practice to me. A piece develops somewhat slowly, so there is meditation in there somewhere, even while I work on my machines.

What is something unique about you or your practice?

I would say that I find imperfection in art & fashion most interesting. My sweaters reflect that with their raw, rolled edges, exposed seams, intentional dropped stitches & the use of natural materials and muted colors that give the sweater a subtle, "unearthed" vibe.