Traditional Aran Island knitting - Pam Dawson

From the time she was in her early teens, Pam Dawson wanted to become a professional singer. She studied music and voice production and attended numerous auditions at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, but in her own words 'never had quite what it takes!'.

Quite by chance, she was offered a job with a spinning company and an enjoyable hobby, that had helped to fill in the hours between auditions, became a full-time career. In 1966 she became Assistant Editor of Vogue Knitting Book. The Magazine ceased publication late in 1969 but the experience had been invaluable as it gave her the chance to write her first technical book, 'Vogue Guide to Knitting and Crochet'.

In 1970 she became a founding member of the successful 'Golden Hands' part-work, went on to produce the first books ever published by the same company and later served as knitting and crochet editor on 'Fashion Maker' and 'Golden Hands Monthly'.

Since then Pam Dawson has written books on knitting and crochet for numerous publishing houses and taken part in television and radio programmes.