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Thursday, January 21, 2010

I am a knitter - not a Knitter!


Peaches & Jeans Peaches and Jeans


According to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee in her humorous book of knitters' anecdotes, Yarn Harlot, I am a knitter - not a Knitter!  While I've been knitting for MANY years, here is a list of Knitterly stuff that I DON'T do (or don't know HOW to do!):

  • Garments/Home Decor: Sweaters (made many, but no more!), skirts, dresses, vests, socks, gloves / mittens (I NEVER make anything that requires TWO!), blankets, afghans. and more....!
  • Techniques: color blocks, cables (I used to do them!), steeks, Fair Isle, buttonholes, short rows, Intarsia (don't even know what that means), I-cord, and the list goes on and on!
So I'm not sure that even qualifies me as a "knitter!"  But when I juried in to Port City Pottery & Fine Crafts a few years ago now, I admitted to the jury that I was "just a knitter - not a fiber artist!"  God bless the lovely women around the table who promptly admonished and corrected me with "Oh, no, you are NOT just a knitter! You're an artist!"  They were the first ever to help convince me that I am an artist, a fiber artist.  To them, I am enormously grateful.

Little Purple Sassy Sac Revisited Little Purple Sassy Sac Revisited!

And to all the Knitters of the world who do all the types of garments and home decor that I don't do or all the patterns and techniques I can't or don't want to do, I am grateful that you are there too.  I drool over the lovely patterns I see in books, magazines, and online for special wearables that I would LOVE to have, but I would love to have them only if someone else knitted them for me.

More Purple Cachecol!More Purple Cachecol

What do I do?  Well, I use basic knitting and crochet stitches to design and create accessories.  I use color and texture and a variety of these very basic stitches to develop many freeform fashions.  Freeform is really my passion.  I hate using patterns; I dislike symmetry, but I do like both vivid, vibrant colors, as well as neutrals.  Browns and blacks together are my favorites; teal, turquoise, and aqua are yummy.  I hate purple, BUT.....I have recently been overdosing on purples, and believe it or not, I am not so unfriendly towards those tones any more - or at least at the moment.

Snowy Cachecol Snowy Cachecol

Here is a list of knitterly things I DO do:
  • Knits and crochet: scarves, bags, cacehcols (scarflettes), wraps / shawls, belts, jewelry, wrapped cord necklaces, freeform crochet neckwraps, many freeform accessories, scrunchies, and more! 
  • Felting: hand or wet felting, nuno felting, Artfelt, 2- and 3-D accessories (bags, scarves, brooches, cuffs, jewelry) for personal or home use.

Raspberry Frilly (Z)Raspberry Frilly - recently sold!


Examples of all of these can be found on flickr in my various sets by such names as:
  • Loopies and Frillies
  • Nuno and Felt
  • Cachecols and Scarflettes
  • Hair Ornaments
  • Bags (Loop, Sac Sauvage, Sassy Sac, Avatar)
  • Home Decor
Hot Red Felted Clutch Hot Red Felted Clutch - Sold today!

I may not be a KNITTER, but I am a knitter with style and imagination.  I'm inspired by the Jane Thornleys and Janice Rosemas and Jan Wutkowskis  and Knitting Gurus of this world and so many fine Etsy artists.  I love freeform and organic objects, the colors and sights of nature, and my loyal friends and family who encourage and support my habit.

I'll leave the sweaters with short rows or steeks and other larger projects to Stephanie and others.  And thanks for making me appreciate what I CAN do!  Interspersed amongst this post are some newer examples.
The Cotton Ball LoopyThe Cotton Ball Loopy



3 comments:

On Slender Threads said...

From one knitter to another . . . thanks!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Interesting to read what you think of your talent. This is kind of like the Crafter or Artist debate I used to steer clear of. I dabble in crochet..don't want a pattern...I sew some for my own satisfaction...I bead a lot...I HATE to design to sell, though I used to.

Your work is marvelous...not only your designs but your use of color in your designs.

Eva Maria Keiser said...

Wonderful crochet designs!

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