How Tina Turner inspired this Báinín Wool piece

Earlier this year, a piece I had been quietly working on over the past few months was featured as part of the sustainability talk at Bloom. Styled by sustainability advocate Roxanne Parker alongside an MSGK hand-loomed side-split dress and Conor O'Brien's stunning coat, it offered an opportunity to showcase the remarkable character of Báinín wool and the work of the Galway Wool Co-op.

This piece began with a simple desire: to honour the raw beauty of the Báinín wool. For months, the wool sat on my desk, demanding attention, but waiting patiently for its moment to become something more when I was ready for it.

The collar is hand-knit in a herringbone stitch, one of my favourite stitches for showcasing depth, structure and durability. The stitches overlap like scales or armour, creating a fabric that feels protective, enduring and deeply rooted. In Báinín wool, the stitch takes on a remarkable solidity, showcasing the fibre's resilience while celebrating its raw, natural character. 

For me however, the fringing is where the wool truly comes alive. The contrast between the earthy Báinín and the softness of alpaca creates something both rugged and delicate, a meeting of wildness and refinement that I find endlessly captivating.

It's all a bit punk, really. Real punk. Of the land. Warrior-like. Tina Turner in Mad Max has been sitting on my mood board ever since I first got my hands on this wool..

There is something fierce about it. It doesn't ask to be softened or disguised. It stands firmly in its own character.

One of the things I love most about my work is creating pieces that feel thoroughly modern, and it doesn’t feel more past and present than when using this wool. I remember sending a voice note to stylist Roxanne about going through various design processes with the wool, trying to explain how emotional working with it felt at times.

I couldn't quite put it into words then, and I'm not sure I can now, but there is something about holding it on my needles that stirs something ancient and familiar deep within me.

I still struggle to explain why working with it feels different. It isn't nostalgia, and it isn't sentimentality. There is simply a presence to it when it passes through my hands, or when I walk in to see it strewn across my desk, raw and wild and hard and full of the weight of its own story. The feeling is difficult to describe, but it is one of the reasons I find myself increasingly being drawn to Irish wool.

How to care for your Halos

Out of the box

As soon as your Halos arrive, take them out of the box and give them a good shake to loosen the fibres. Treat them like a new hair do, a little zhuzhing gives them their volume back.

Storage

Your halos can be stored clipped onto the card and slipped on to a hanger. Try not to sandwich them in a wardrobe. Let the air run through them. I keep mine in a net bag - like a mesh or produce bag - hung on the back of my bedroom door with my dressing gowns.

De-limpify your Halos

If they’ve been compacted, for travel maybe, they’ll need a little more tousling. For this you can use a small wire brush. In craft we call it a ‘carding brush’ and in the pet world, it’s a cat hair brush. You’ll see a pic below and can pick one up at a craft shop - or a pet shop. Lightly - lightly! - tease the wool by brushing in soft quick strokes to enliven the fibres, and then give the pom a good shake out. Do this for the full pom, don’t forget the underside.

How to wear your Halos

Halos were originally designed as epaulettes, ie to sit on the shoulders. You can use the crocodile clip for knitwear or t-shirts or items with a wider neck; for jackets, coats, tweed etc, you can pin your Halos on. Make sure you’ve pouffed them up and they’re even before you leave the house! If you’ve more than one set you can layer them up for extra drama, or wear on the hips or as a brooch. The point is to have fun with them.

From a to b

If I’m heading out and unsure about the weather, I’ll pop my Halos in a tote or my net bag and clip them in when I get to where I’m going. Easy peasy.

What Halos are made of

Each pom contains about 50g of supersoft, high quality alpaca blend wool, gathered and finished with a hand-knit i-cord. The poms are hand-sewn and secured with a fine thread, before the clip and pin plate is sewn on. 71% Alpaca, 25% Merino Wool, 4% Polyamide

PRESS RELEASE Saturday 29th May 2026 - Miss She’s Got Knits at BLOOM

Photo by Leon Farrell

MISS SHE'S GOT KNITS was proud to take part in Bord Bia Bloom 2026, with a selection of knitwear and emerging Irish wool designs showcased as part of the Irish Craft Village and MADE LOCAL initiative in association with the Design & Crafts Council Ireland.

To highlight the DCCI Irish Craft Village, a stand-out piece from Miss She’s Got Knits’ new collection was selected by sustainability advocate and stylist Roxanne Parker to dress model Sarah Morrissey. The look showcased the brand's signature approach to contemporary Irish knitwear: expressive colour, tactile craftsmanship and modern design rooted in traditional hand-making techniques.

Alongside the series of specially commissioned images photographed by Leon Farrell, some Miss She’s Got Knits pieces featured at discussions on Irish Fashion held at the Sustainable Living Stage. Led by Roxanne Parker, conversations focused on the future of Irish textiles, endangered crafts, sustainability and the growing role of Irish wool within contemporary design.

A particular highlight was the inclusion of new Irish wool accessories developed with Galway Wool Co-op’s Bainin Wool. Styled alongside a hand-knit alpaca gúna from Miss She’s Got Knits and a Bainín wool cardigan by Conor O'Brien Studio, the pieces represented an exciting new addition to the Dublin-based knitwear brand.

"Working with Irish wool feels like a natural progression," says Birney. "My journey into wool began through a project with Avoca and Galway Wool Co-op, and it has opened up a whole new way of thinking about design, sustainability and what Irish fashion can be. It genuinely feels like something is blooming, and I'm excited to see where it leads."

As Miss She’s Got Knits continues to explore the intersection of fashion, craft and Irish wool, Bloom 2026 served as both a celebration of how far the brand has come and a glimpse of what may be still to come.

Photo credit: Photos by Leon Farrell

For photos/comment please contact karen@missshesgotknits.com

MISS SHE’S GOT KNITS Brings Bold Irish Knitwear to ARC Fashion Show 2026

MISS SHE’S GOT KNITS Brings Bold Irish Knitwear to ARC Fashion Show 2026

MISS SHE’S GOT KNITS made a standout appearance at ARC Fashion Show 2026, presenting a confident and expressive collection that celebrated contemporary Irish design through colour, craftsmanship and modern femininity.

Known for its signature blend of texture, playful structure and statement knitwear, the brand showcased a series of elevated hand-finished pieces that drew attention for their sculptural silhouettes, rich materials and vibrant use of colour. Oversized alpaca knits, sweeping fringe details and striking pink tones sat alongside refined dresses and contemporary separates, offering a fresh perspective on luxury knitwear made in Ireland.

The collection balanced softness with strength, combining artisanal techniques with fashion-led styling. Hand-loomed finishes, tactile surfaces and movement-driven details reflected the label’s growing reputation for creating knitwear that feels both collectible and wearable.

Founder and designer of MISS SHE’S GOT KNITS Karen Birney said the ARC showcase was an opportunity to present a new chapter for the brand, one focused on elevated craftsmanship, stronger silhouettes and a clearer premium identity.

The runway response highlighted increasing appetite for Irish labels that merge originality with commercial relevance, and MISS SHE’S GOT KNITS delivered both. Buyers, stylists and fashion attendees were drawn to the collection’s confidence, individuality and strong visual identity.

With ARC Fashion Show 2026 marking a key moment in the brand’s evolution, MISS SHE’S GOT KNITS continues to position itself as one of Ireland’s most distinctive emerging names in contemporary knitwear.

For press, stockist and collaboration enquiries, contact karen@missshesgotknits.com

JOY TO THE GIRL - Miss She’s Got Knits Christmas 2025

It’s getting oh so close to Christmas and while I do feel a little late to the party, I’m so excited to share a sneak peek of the collection! We finally shot the newest additions to the MSGK universe on Saturday - a two-hour window between showers, when Phoenix Park lit up with a spectacular sunset and everything seemed to finally, come together.

After a difficult few weeks, I breathed and felt a huge wave of relief, and then - joy.

I’ll be honest, I was a little afraid I had lost a little bit of that joy.

So, when it came to sitting down, and curating this Christmas campaign for 2025, these four words just screamed in my ear: JOY. TO. THE. GIRL.

Joy to the Girl, you say?

Yep. I do.

What do you mean, ‘Joy to the Girl’?

I’ll tell you what I mean.

I mean defiant, life-saving, lifting JOY.

Joy in the face of everything counter to it.

I mean burn-it-to-the ground joy.

Rage singing in the car joy.

Running down the hill, wet socked and wet nosed joy.

‘Deliver us from misery’ joy.

Joy we still all deserve to have a bit of, and that we have to carve and fight and care for.

Joy to this girl and you, girl, and to those guys, too.

Grab it. Sing into its mouth.

The MSGK: JOY TO THE GIRL collection launches this Friday, just for newsletter subscribers. Click here to join.

Expect a riot of colour, and a pretty bow or two. And the warmth of human hands and the softness of familiar fibres. And joy.

Mark your calendars, see you there.

*Some details: The drop is very limited; these are ready-to-ship pieces and for most items, there will be only one or two of them ready-to-go. Some pieces will be able to be pre-ordered, however many are knit using colours no longer in production - so when I say limited I do mean it! For some pieces, you will be able to commission them into January. I will do my very best when I’m uploading everything to give details on whether or not the piece can be pre-ordered, and will go by a first ordered first made system into January, :)

ONLINE CHRISTMAS DROP

📅 9am Friday 5th December (newsletter subscribers only)

9am Saturday 6th December (general sale)

CHRISTMAS POP UP

Miss She’s Got Knits will be joining forces with several incredible Irish designers for a very special POP-UP in Dublin City Centre this Christmas. A Christmas week pop up! Who is this gal?!

Here’s the deets:

📍 The Chupi Store, Powerscourt Townhouse, Clarendon St
📅 Monday 15th – Sunday 21st December

Miss She’s Got Knits x AVOCA x Galway Wool Co-op at Ireland Fashion Week

Photo by Jeremy French

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Miss She’s Got Knits x AVOCA x Galway Wool Co-op at Ireland Fashion Week
Celebrating Irish Roots with Heritage Wool at Slane Castle

Miss She’s Got Knits is proud to announce a special collaboration with iconic Irish brand AVOCA and the Galway Wool Co-op, unveiled at Ireland Fashion Week during the Irish Roots show at Slane Castle on Thursday, October 9th.

Designed and hand-knit by Karen Birney, founder of Miss She’s Got Knits, the piece was created for AVOCA using 100% Galway Wool, celebrating the rich textile heritage of the West of Ireland. 

“This piece is more than fashion,” says Karen, founder of Miss She’s Got Knits, “it’s a story of place, heritage, and craftsmanship. Tor me the collaboration represents a proud intersection of sustainable Irish textiles, traditional handcraft, and contemporary design, it was such a pleasure and a privilege to use Galway Wool for this piece.”

The collaboration brings together three passionate advocates of Irish craft: Miss She’s Got Knits, known for its hand-crafted knitwear, playful use of texture and colour and commitment to slow fashion; AVOCA, a cornerstone of the country's textile heritage and home to Ireland’s oldest working woollen mill; and the Galway Wool Co-op, a collective dedicated to revitalising the use of local wool in modern design.

Presented against the historic backdrop of Slane Castle, the garment stood as a testament to Irish heritage, artistry, and innovation. 

For press enquiries, interviews, or high-resolution imagery, please contact:
Karen Birney | Miss She’s Got Knits
📧 karen@missshesgotknits.ie
🌐 www.missshesgotknits.ie
📍 Galway, Ireland

A very special Dublin designer pop-up

Wondering what to do this weekend in Dublin?

Well mark your calendars because from Friday 26th - Sunday 28th September, Miss She’s Got Knits will be joining forces with 9 other incredible Irish designers for a very special POP-UP in Dublin City Centre.

For fans of MSGK, this will be your chance to touch and try on several pieces from the collection, and to browse, in person, a new range of commissionable colours for winter 2025. I will have several gorgeous pieces for you to examine (and fall in love with!) over the weekend; ThePetitePink, TheDaytoNightCardi, TheBigPink and The Harlequin to name a few. MSGK will also be showcasing some new shades and a few new accessories at the event before they go online.

On the day I’ll have a very limited number of one-off pieces for sale, as well as some colourful jumpers and one or two of the super popular stripe vests (literally one or two!) Moreover, I’m hoping that this will be a chance for you to get to know the pieces in person, with no rush or pressure to buy, but should you wish to pre-order something on the day, we can do that!

Powerscourt Townhouse is an ideal spot to soak up some creative magic, especially with so many other great events on in the city with Dublin Independent Fashion Week in full flow and several events leading into the weekend. On Saturday, at 1pm there is be a family-friendly United Against Racism march and gathering planned at the Garden of Remembrance: “This will be a family-friendly day of unity, music, performance, and art – a chance to showcase the strength of Ireland’s diverse communities and the bonds we build together. The carnival is more than a march – it is a celebration of Ireland as it truly is: vibrant, welcoming, and enriched by our migrant communities. We reject division, hatred and scapegoating. Instead, we celebrate solidarity, culture and our shared future.” A great reason to spend the day in the city.

📍 The Chupi Store, Powerscourt Townhouse, Clarendon St
📅 Friday 26th – Sunday 28th September

Pop in for a chat, and browse accessories from @adornbycaoimhe @melissacurrydesign @edgeonly @magpierosejewellery as well as fashion from @ejaygriffin @manleystudio @cobblerslane @fauna.ie and @orla_langan_dublin.

Celebrating individuality, artistry and Irish style one-of-a-kind event you won’t want to miss.

Kx

After five years of designing, re-designing, testing and re-testing…

I hope you’re well and easing into the months of bright blue crisp mornings, falling leaves and new beginnings. For me, September is a month to refresh. The summer wardrobe is put aside for another year, and I get a little bit too excited about layering. Layering season! My favourite. This year I’m pairing soft wool cardigans and light, lace slip dresses. Let me tell you first about my new pieces before I get into the nitty gritty.

After five years of designing, re-designing, testing and re-testing, I’ve finally developed the perfect pattern for TheBigSleeve Cardigan. I know how much people loved the jumper version of this when I first started out, and I often had requests to make it again since. So I’ve been working away in the background, and am beyond delighted to be able to present TheBigSleeve Cardigan for pre-order, for a limited time.

I released my first batch of MSGK beanies for pre-order this weekend, only to realise that I had set shipping to within Ireland only (thank you for the heads up!). So to give my European customers more time to be part of this first collection (which will be ready to post on October 6th) I will close out this batch tonight, September 9th.

Elsewhere, I’m really excited to bring another beauty to the collection with MSGK scarves. I’ve been asked for these over the years and over the last few months have been working away on some gorgeous, colourful options, hand-loomed in Dublin and using the same gloriously soft wool from my BigPink range - I’ll be in touch later this week when these go live!

As always, thank you so much for your support for Miss She’s Got Knits. The summer is a quiet, uncertain time for specialised, hand-crafted businesses like this one, but I hope to be able to continue to create and offer beautiful, unique hand-knits to people who appreciate them.

In the meantime, please do get in touch if there’s anything you’d like to chat about :)

Take good care,

Karen x

PS. Did you know you can secure a winter commission directly with a deposit? Find out more here.

Postcards from Summer ‘25

Raw, wild, fingerprint-unique, my offering for Summer 2025 showcases months of delicate hand-crafting, captured (I hope!) in a joyful, curious way. 

Juxtaposing unexpected colourways and the infinitely inspiring Irish landscape, for Summer 25 I wanted to get out to where I spend most of my non-studio time.

As a trail runner, I'm in the Dublin and Wicklow hills often more that I expect to be. Sometimes running the same stretch over and over (I see you Maulin/Djouce).

I spend hours on these hills at a time, often feeling I know them so intimately... and then they change, and change again. A consistent flux, with the seasons, and the years, they bend and stretch, flourish and retreat. Trees fell, gorse blooms, branches and brambles scar and settle. I film them, in the hope of capturing their beauty, "You've got to come here and see it for yourself". Snow, heat, a silting sun, they scar, they wrinkle, the become even more beautiful, even more powerful. Raw, steadfast, wild and determined, a place I feel at the same time like a child, and immortal, and healed. 

Postcards from Summer '25 reminds me that I'm here, now, and that there's life and joy to be had. Summer '25 is ahead of us, full of promise and possibilities. While we change and grow, so too do the forests and hills, reflecting back on us the raw, wild spirit aching to get out, to climb mountains and flail down hills, to feel grass and soil and sand under our feet and ground ourselves to now and forever. 

I hope you enjoy this corner of thought, and the pieces it brought about. Keep minding your local forests, and supporting your traditional crafts. 

Goodbye Grape! (Last orders on discontinued colours)

Seasons change, children get older, and every now and then I say goodbye to a shade I love.

Sadly, much like my beloved Turquoise, MSGK will be bidding adieu to gorgeous Grape, in order make way for new beautiful shades in the coming months. This one smarts a little I won’t lie! I’ve always loved this deep velvety hue, which worked so wonderfully with a pop of pink or against the darker shades of Teal and Mustard.

MSGK has had some beautiful commissions in this in the past, but I’m excited to share a stunning shade that I think will slot right into its place in the new year.

We will also be discontinuing the bold Burnt Orange after this upcoming order deadline (October 30th).

The good news is that we have a few of skeins of each left in stock, so if you did always have a soft spot for this shade now is your chance to commission your piece. As they say - when they’re gone, they’re gone! Sad face!

Kx

PS You can enquire about TheDaytoNightCardi in Grape or any other colour here, and TheBigPink in Grape or other colours here!

Finally, a new design

I have been mulling over a heavier version of one of my first designs for a long time. My first attempt at a design was two years ago, and since then I've been tweaking, paring back, refining, and changing. It was only recently that, when playing with an idea for something else entirely, I came up with the idea of a Peter Pan collar. Eureka, as they say, a furious knitting session and a couple of hours later (after months of work) and I had it, I was excited. I wanted to share it straight away, and most importantly for me knowing if I've produced something good or not, I wanted so so much to keep it for myself. 

This is my main test when it comes to new designs - do I want it, does it fit with my wardrobe, will I get loads and loads and loads of wear out of it? It sounds selfish to put me first, but it's how I stay true to myself, and true to my customers who share a fashion meets longevity mindset with me. I love to balance chic and luxe with playfulness, which I think this design expresses perfectly. 

'You could wear that as a coat' my mom says when I unveil the piece. Aisling, my sister, is impressed (a tricky customer). I tell them it's only available in two colours (Off-white and Charcoal), with no design changes (except sizing, as always) and mom says, relieved for me and my sometimes scatty brain, 'good, I'm glad to hear that'. (cont. below)

The design process is always tricky, you can spend months (or years!) thinking about something in the background, weeks sampling it, and balancing creativity with realism. Every now and then you find something that works, something beautiful and versatile and luxurious, something that excites you, that you know others would be proud to own.

I considered naming this ThePeterPan, simple and straightforward, until I researched a little more into it. And, as seems to be the case often, I found a woman. Maude Ewing Adams Kiskadden, known as Maude Adams, was an American actress and stage designer, and the first actress to play Peter Pan on Broadway. Together with John and Elizabeth White Alexander she co-designed her 1905 Peter Pan costume, the collar was an immediate fashion success and was henceforth known as the "Peter Pan collar".

A new design, The is hand-knit with double strands of alpaca wool for a heavier, winter-ready feel. I do hope you like it. 

TheMaud is currently available to purchase in Fabiani, Longford, €550.00, coming soon to commission.

HAND-KNIT IN IRELAND.

Moodboard | Beyond The Dunes | SpringSummer 2024

A big goal of mine for Miss She’s Got Knits this year was to dedicate time and energy to designing a full collection; pulling from the past, feeling the textures in the present, led by my heart to ‘create’.

Indulgent? Absolutely. There’s a reason so many independent designers release only one or two ‘new’ pieces a year, but I won’t bore you with that here. Right now, I’m hear to remember my dreamy state of mind when it came to bringing ‘Beyond The Dunes’ together.

For this collection, inspiration came from those endless days of childhood summer. For me, it was my mother (see above!, mam and me under an umbrella not too far from Royal Dublin GC!) and her gorgeous sisters, setting up down in the Dunes in Dollymount, and us not getting home until evening. Only now I see so many elements of strength in a simple day by the beach. What women do.

As usual, the images, textures, stitches and colours stayed swirling around my head for weeks before it all came together on a run.

I found myself pulled towards the sea and on a beach in Gran Canaria, surveying the bikinis and movements of the women around me. Everything in an instant: Effortlessly picking up a child from a standing position, belly laughing with her pal, digging her toes into the sand as she shouted over to the elderly couple, saying something I couldn’t understand, pleading with her partner for just a few minutes alone to read her book. Tender, strong, smiling, pissed off. A simple day at the beach.

I wrote a poem. Actually I wrote two. Just words. On the 17th of March. A few days before a big meeting.

My nerves replaced my mind at that meeting. I couldn’t tell you what was said or how it went, only that it went, and the world kept spinning.

But so, to the sea…

I wanted to evoke the Aran sweaters the ol’ Emerald Isle, but with my interpretation of the sea.

I’ll be honest, we weren’t an Aran Sweater family. My mother and her mother and my aunties all knit, everyone crocheted, sewed… but my own family never went on trips to the west. We did venture to Howth, and I’ve vague recollections of Bray, but I didn’t get to know Ireland until I was much older.

Back to this piece. I chose a deep green (don’t believe what they say about the sea being blue) and went diving for a stitch that spoke to me.

I found two: The Herringbone, and ‘Old Shale’ stitch.

The herringbone stitch, normally seen in tweed in clothing, or in upholstery, creates a solid, rigid base. The old shale stitch, manipulated to increase, evokes the waves.

This is one piece I’m particularly proud of, I can’t tell you how many times I knit and ripped and re-knit this piece. Writing the pattern however, was quite fun. I write in my own language, you might know how much i admire those 'real’ knitters who can read a pattern like a classical musician reads a stave. But it’s not me. I’m a bit jazz when it comes to this.

Have a look below.

Another piece (below), in sand, uses the same two stitches. The Herringbone sits rigid, like a breast plate. With this piece it evokes a classic silhouette, with almost a feeling of armour. The split Shale took hours and hours to perfect, but I know it will provide the base for future, unique designs at Miss She’s Got Knits.

'Beyond the Dunes' is the title of my SS24 Collection. Many thanks for taking the time to learn a little more about it from me x