Rome City, Indiana, is the site of this year’s Iwannaknit ReTreat (June 2-4). This is a new venue for the gathering, and this year, Lea-Ann offers a number of classes for hand-knitters.
My workshop, “A Garden of Color, Design, and Shaping Techniques,” is for hand- and machine-knitters. The difference will be in the size of the finished pieces. As promised, I am going to document the construction of my class sample here.
The photo I chose is one I took last year of the Indian and prairie paintbrushes near our home. You can choose any garden or flower photo: one of your own or from a magazine or book. The fun part about a class like this is finding a way to interpret the photo in knitting. In the process, you do learn valuable design lessons.
My yarn collection is divided into color families, so I placed the photo on top of my green yarns. The best color matches sort of popped out at me.
Then it was on to the pink collection. I found lots of pinks that were pretty good for the flowers in the background. Those brilliant pink ones in the foreground were a problem, but I finally found the perfect color—all four yards of it! I have some ideas for working with this limited amount. We’ll see how they work in practice.
I rounded out the colors with a surprising (to me) choice. I assumed the grasses in the foreground were a light brown. But no, they are really a yellowish gray.
The Ultimate Sweater Machine is out and ready to go, so check back tomorrow to see the knitted background.
I am also teaching “Color Composure,” for people who would like to learn more about color, but would rather not hear about theory. Find information on this workshop here for knitters, and here for crocheters.
A Garden of Color, Design, and Shaping Techniques
Class Description
Choose a picture of a flower garden, and we will interpret the picture in knitting. In the process you will learn to compose with color, knit shapes, and solve design challenges, taking into account the limitations and opportunities of knitting. Go home with a lovely flower garden wall hanging (12″ square for machine knitters, 6″ x 8″ for hand knitters). In a gently encouraging way, Suzann will show you how to think through a design idea, adapt common knitting techniques to make stems, leaves, rocks, and flowers, compose your flower garden, and embellish it. The skills you learn will improve your confidence and ability in all kinds of knitting. You’ll start with a discussion of inspiration for our flowery scene (photos, postcards, magazine pictures—bring your own if possible!). Knit the background for the wall hanging, and begin knitting plants, rocks. Continue on with composition, embellishment, and finishing. Put the knitted pieces together and knit more if necessary. Then mount the knitting onto batting and backing, and bind it. Add finishing touches of beads, buttons, seashells, and trims.
SUPPLIES FOR GARDEN OF DESIGN CLASS
- Paper and pencil
- Photograph of flowers or a garden or flower scene
- Yarn in colors and textures from the photograph (bring yarn leftovers, any weight)
- Tapestry needle
- Sewing needle, pins, scissors
- A 12 x 12 inch piece of quilt batting (OR you can buy this from Suzann for $1.00)
- 1/4 yard of cotton cloth that looks nice with your chosen yarns
- Optional: buttons, beads, trims, other bits and pieces to enhance your picture