ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

Dear dear Meredith, you did spark an old memory, one nearly lost in the mists of time when you sent the modern intarsia crochet photo to me on facebook.

And what did it remind me of? Well my very simple freeform intarsia waistcoats that were created in the very late 60′s and early 70′s. I also crocheted a freeform full length dressing gown for my wee boy. The dressing gown was so big I had to fold up about 4 inches as a hem and let it down as he grew as well as extending the arms. If I find a photo I shall post it here.

The waistcoats were mostly created with natural yarns and as I never had sufficient yarn of any colours to complete a piece in one colour or even in balanced stripes I did my own freeform intarsia. Of course I had no idea what intarsia was back then. I simply created with many yarns in a free form way.

The photos from that time were pretty awful, but then they were from a wee camera from the late 60′s early 70′s.

I will add more photos as I find them. I know I do have one of the dressing gown as well.

Mormor (mothers mother in Danish) can you knit bird pictures?

moi: yes I could, but I don’t.

Why?

moi: I don’t usually knit pictures.

Why not?

moi : Because I don’t like knitting pictures.

Why? Is it too hard for you?

moi: no, it isn’t too hard. Bird pictures are knitted using the intarsia method. I knit intarsia often. In fact, I love knitting intarsia. I just don’t knit pictures. Okay.

If you knit intarsia and that knits pictures why don’t you knit birds?

moi: Intarsia is the method I use to knit with many colours. I could knit pictures if I wanted to.

Why don’t you then?

moi: because I don’t really like knitting pictures.

Why not?

now you can see where this is going can’t you?

If you knit intarsia you could knit me a sweater with a bird on the front, couldn’t you?

moi: I could but you would not wear a sweater with a bird on the front, would you? and I don’t really like knitting pictures.

but you could, couldn’t you?

moi: yes I could but you would not wear it.

I would if you knitted me one.

moi thinking: this is a boy aged 8 going on 9 (in June) – would he really wear this sweater more than once? Would I really commit to creating one? I hate sweaters with pictures, I really do.

moi out loud: would you like me to knit you a winter telly watching blanket – that could have a kind of bird on it.

Yes it could, but I would wear a sweater with a bird on the front that you made.

moi thinking: this boy will go a long way

moi out loud: what say we stick to a telly watching blanket with a kind of a bird on it, would that be okay?

Yes it would, but I would wear a sweater with a bird on the front that you made.

moi thinking: oh no you wouldn’t.

Am I wrong? This is a boy who is passionate about birds, plants and animals. It is an honour to think that he would wear a sweater that I create with a bird on it. But he is nearly 9 and loves robots, cars, the planet, swimming, rugby and cricket and plays a mean game of sequence, tries chess, and thinks his mormor is too old to dance, climb hills and ride bikes. But he thinks I am good enough to knit a bird picture on a sweater that he will wear.

What should I do?

I have spoken at times of the cloak that I created back in 1992 – very nearly 20 years ago. This cloak has been in exhibitions, it has been tried on by many people, it has been photographed on many people. Sadly it is showing its age.

I am attending the knit retreat “Knitting in Nature beginning tomorrow, and I am taking my “Island” The Great New Zealand cloak with me to show to the other knitters there. Why? Well I am teaching a workshop on Intarsia Knitting and this is one of the best examples I still own of my intarsia creations. I hope that seeing it will still inspire someone of the group to try freeform intarsia knitting after they complete the workshop.

In late 1992 or early 1993 the cloak was in an exhibition at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. The judges there decided that it was not suitable to be sold due to the fragile nature of the creation. I think 20 years of display and wearing is not bad for a creation of a fragile nature, using around 90 or so different yarns from wool, mohair to linen and a variety of fancy fibres. I actually think it has done rather well. And I am so glad it was not listed for sale as my family and I have loved it and worn it, as well as exhibited it.

I think “Knitting in Nature” may well be its last journey because it is rather thin and frail in some sections now, and we will store it away gently on our return to New Zealand and hope that we can still bring it from time to time and say “we remember this piece very well” and put it away again.

I am feeling rather sad that this piece that has been such a big part of my life is not going to be worn again BUT that does mean that it is time for another creation.

If you were to take a class from me somewhere in the world what would you want to be included in that class or workshop?

I am giving a workshop at the Knit Retreat “Knitting in Nature” in July here in the Netherlands Freeform Intarsia workshop detail. Would you be interested in such a workshop?

If you have viewed my galleries you may have other ideas for a class – please let me know what they might be as it will help me to plan for class options for 2012.

Please use the contact form here to email your suggestions.

Your help is very much appreciated.

I have been planning to write a book of my intarsia knit designs and the complete “how to” of intarsia as well – from working with a chart to your own free form creations, from working with 2 colours to many many colours. It is slow in coming together although I have some designs ready to be knitted, and I have much of the basics of intarsia established already – BUT – how to proceed?