ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

Switzerland – June 19th 2011 – Stein. Freeform Intarsia Knitting, 3 hrs. 2pm to 5pm

Netherlands – July 10-15 2011 , Knitting in Nature, Swalmen – Knitting in Nature Knitting in Nature – Miriam Tegels FreeForm Intarsia Knitting

New Zealand – November 2011 (date to be advised) – Auckland – 2 workshops Mishi Yarns

New Zealand – February 2012 (date to be advised) – Auckland – 2 workshops Mishi Yarns

Miriam Tegels is the Guinness World Record Holder Speed Knitter 2006.

She is speed knitter extraordinaire and a teacher of many knitting skills from lace, double knitting, knitting with beads, illusion knitting and more as well as convenor of this wonderful knit retreat which is held in a gorgeous woodland setting with accommodation at the Groenewoud Countryhouse. The Finnish style Lodge is situated in the wooded area of Swalmen (Mid Limburg), right on the banks of the river Swalm.

Link to the “Knitting in Nature” knit retreat. Do check out the workshops included as well as the wonderful activities available in this gorgeous location.

Further Information including links to photos from previous retreats here

I am delighted that I am able to teach my workshop “Freeform Intarsia” at Miriams wonderful knit retreat. Come and let your knit inhibitions fly away.

Come and let your imagination fly.

Throw your inhibitions to the wind & have fun doing it.
Together we will create a knitted square or two using free form intarsia techniques. The resulting piece(s) can be used to create a bag or cushion cover. The workshop will be an introduction to intarsia knitting and techniques, as well as an encouragement to explore using freeform techniques and of course playing with colour and fibres.

You will be encouraged / challenged to knit in a free form way with many colours.

Workshop pack:

• Yarn (at least 12 colours) in sufficient quantities to knit a freeform design square or rectangle.
• 4 page Booklet – Basic Intarsia Information – Instructions & Hints
• Knitting terms translation sheet English to Dutch
• Graphed free form design to start your own free form piece. Each participant will have a different design.
• Instructions of how to use the resulting piece as a section on a cushion cover or bag.

There will be additional yarns available should they be required.

I will bring completed examples of a cushion and bag so that you can see how your unique and freeform intarsia knitted piece can be used.

I will also bring examples of free form intarsia from simple – a waistcoat, to dramatic – my “Great New Zealand Cloak – Island” and I hope that I will inspire participants to add freeform knitting to their knitting repetoire.

Participants should bring their own 4mm needles, sewing needle and scissors.

ConnieLene Knit Biography

I have been a knitter since I was a child and am most passionate about colour. I began to create with many yarns and colours in the 1970’s and my first exhibition and the fashion parade which included 3 of my pieces was in 1989 in Auckland, New Zealand. A second followed in Hawaii in the same year. I have continued to participate in exhibitions wherever possible.
I most often create garments using the freeform intarsia method – using many, many yarns and colours to create each piece and thereby guarantee that each piece is unique. Generally, I do not work from a graph or even a picture, just from an idea. I consider the shape of the garment to be the canvas, and the freeform design I knit inside the framework or canvas is the art of knitting.

I love having the opportunity to encourage people to knit with many colours so my patterns often include simple intarsia information just in case a knitter might want to try the intarsia technique.

I am a member of Ravelry & The Knitting Guild of America. My TKGA membership is as Teacher / Designer.

Exhibitions include the following:

• WoolOn Creative Fashion Event, Alexandra, New Zealand – October 2010
• WoolOn Creative Fashion Event, Alexandra, New Zealand – October 2009
• Alpaca Exposition 2009 – Fielding, New Zealand – September 2009
• Colour Play Exhibition at the Randolph St Gallery – Whitecliffe School of Fine Arts & Design. September 2007. My unique knit designs on the gallery walls alongside the work of BFA Fashion design students from Whitecliffe. The Vogue Knitting Tour of Australia and New Zealand 2007, hosted by Nicky Epstein attended.
• “Gumbo Ya-Ya” 2002 – This was an exciting multi-media exhibition of paintings, sculpture and knit garments, held at the Yvonne Rust Gallery, The Quarry, in Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Spinning, Weaving and Woolcrafts Society Exhibition held at Victoria University, Wellington
• The Great New Zealand Cloak -1992 Certificate of Merit: Judged by Lucy Goffin, Textile Artist, Great Britain
• Leather and Wool to Wear – 1992
• Wool to Wear – 1991
• N.Z. Wool Capital Fashion Design – 1990 Nominated: The Peter Dunkerly / Woolrest Knitwear in Fashion Award Exhibition at the Century Theatre, Napier
• The Wearable Art Collection
• The Fashion Parade – 1989 – My work was included in an exhibition and parade in Orewa, New Zealand, followed by a parade in Honolulu. All the artists and designers were from Rodney District, north of Auckland.

Published:

• HotHive Textiles Warming the Cold Balls of Haarlem January 2010
• Expatica Newsletter 2010
• GrownUps Article “A Knitting Nutter ” March 2010
• Textile Fibre Forum Vol. 13, issue 1 No.39, 1994

Recent Interviews:

• Podcast – Interview with Grannyg on crafternoon tea – September 2010
• The English Breakfast Radio, Amsterdam, with Leandra Julien – January 2010

I have been knitting for more than 50 years. Did you notice, I said that out loud. I have probably been knitting for more than 55 years, as the actual start date is lost in mists of time.

When I was a much younger knitter, Feather and Fan was used for baby things like shawls, matinee jackets and bonnets. I used feather and fan stitch when knitting for my own babies.

Since that time, until now that is, feather and fan stitch and I have not crossed needles and yarn together (or paths or swords).

I have rediscovered the beauty and the simplicity of this stitch pattern and am now designing pieces using it.

I really love the effect of it with the variegated yarns above and now as you can see, I am knitting with a cream yarn looking at the affect of the stitch on the edges of the knitting.

But my circular needle on which is sitting my wrap all excited and ready to go – BROKE – and I do not have another spare 4.5mm circular needle. And yes, I know the wrap is being knitted in cream; I know it looks like baby stuff, but when it is finished, if ever, it will look like a gorgeous, warm, sexy, delicious, and feather light wrap and I am or was enjoying the wavy affect on the edges.

BUT it is raining and the wind is blowing, and to purchase another such needle will mean adding lots of layers and walking about 20 mins along narrow Haarlem streets, across a draw bridge over a canal (the Spaarne) and along and along to the wool shop Kleinvak van der Raad where they do not mind my lack of Dutch and probably giggle at some of the yarns I buy to try. But that is okay.

And today I just do not feel like it. In short I am really and truely hacked off. I might have to open the wine!