Melanie Porter

emma by melanie porter

bevis by melanie porter

charlie by melanie porter

rasha by melanie porter

I came across this Melanie Porter's website today, and I'm speechless. I mean... I can't even manage to finish a tiny little cushion cover this week! These designs are so innovative. New life goal: earn enough money to commission one of the chairs above. Here's an excerpt from her site:

After 10 years working as a knitwear designer for a number of international fashion brands, in 2008 Melanie Porter turned her expertise to furniture, creating one-off contemporary designs from antiques sourced at auctions and markets across the UK.

Trained at the prestigious Central Saint Martin’s College, Melanie’s ability to create exquisite, textured fabrics which are individually knitted and felted for every project has drawn attention from clients and press all over the world.

Each project starts with the frame itself – anything from a Victorian nursing chair, to a vintage occasional table– which is painstakingly stripped back, before being restored and/or reupholstered using traditional techniques. This blank canvas is then covered with a series of hand-knitted panels.

Melanie undertakes the entire process herself and everything, from the restoration and upholstering to the individual, crocheted buttons, is done by hand. The result of this incredibly labour-intensive process is a stunning and unique work of art, destined to be a future family heirloom.

Melanie’s work is now sold at outlets worldwide including Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and Wolf & Badger in London.