'We Knit Waterloo' show inspired by history of shopping streets

Telling the story of the area as home to one of 19th-century London's most historic street markets to today's more recent regeneration successes it also celebrates the culmination of WE KNIT WATERLOO – the area's community knitting initiative – with some knitted and brightly coloured cozies for the trees on the square.

Launched in October 2015, and supported by the Mayor of London's High Street Fund, We Knit Waterloo is a colourful approach to shop signage aimed at 'knitting' Waterloo's historic high street of Lower Marsh and The Cut back together.

The project featured a series of Knitter-Knatter meet-ups (after-work knitting socials) in local cafes and shops to design and create individual hand-knitted panels for the many shops, cafes and restaurants found along Lower Marsh and The Cut.

Local business owner Emma Carmichael of the Travelling Through... bookshop and cafe said: "The We Knit Waterloo project has been a great initiative embracing the true spirit of Lower Marsh and The Cut in wool.

"What's not to love about a collaborative project which adds colour, unique designs and woolly banners to our windows!"

Helen Santer, chief executive of business improvement district WeAreWaterloo, said: "We are very fortunate in Waterloo to have such an interesting high street, and this exhibition is a great way for us to celebrate its history as well as how the area has evolved in more recent times. We Knit Waterloo is about knitting the historic high street back together. It celebrates the local community and the many different retailers and businesses which give the area its unique and vibrant character."

Knitted panels are on display in the following shops:

Arena Hair
Love & Scandal
Book Warehouse
Cut Flowers
Ian Allan Bookshop
Riverside Remedies
Mailboxes Etc.
The Young Vic
The Old Vic
Yardsmen
Calder Bookshop & Theatre
Paws Charity Shop
Gramex
Four Corners Cafe
Travelling Through...
Little Marshans
The Camel & Artichoke

The exhibition will be in place until Monday 9 May.