Diamond Girls... you sure do shine

I met with the participants of my Mitered Diamond Adventure modular knitting workshop for the final class session yesterday. I refer to this wonderful and talented group of women as the "Diamond Girls," and there was no doubt about the stellar work they did on their class projects.

The Mitered Diamond Adventure is a knitting workshop I offer that introduces participants to the concept and techniques of modular knitting. We work primarily with mitered squares and mitered diamonds (squares set on point) and the Mitered Diamond Shawl pattern by Michael del Vecchio is our inspiration impetus. Deluxe Worsted Long Print by Universal Yarn, a 100% wool worsted weight yarn with long color changes, was chosen for the project.

After providing instructions on knitting a mitered square in Session I, students practiced the technique and on their homework swatches. In Session II, I presented my "It's Cool to be Square" visual presentation on modular knitting that included garment silhouette possibilities and design opportunities.

Session III was a troubleshooting and review session, an idea exchange, and of course, Show and Tell. For their project, each student chose her own garment style. The projects included wraps, vests, and runanas. Here is a show and tell of their creativity and the progress they made.

Lois completed her mitered square vest.
The long color changes add a striking detail at the neckline, hem and sleeve edges.
CO = 31 sts.     Color: Midnight Blues

Sharon designed a ruana by opening the front of a poncho silhouette.
The larger squares focus on the color changes of the yarn.
CO = 51 stitches.     Color: Purple Sky

Left: Irene designed a long wrap in a "V" shape.
The hemline shows off the points of the mitered diamonds.
CO = 31 sts.   Color: Midnight Blues
Right: Pat chose a long, rectangle wrap using mitered squares.
In contrast, the edges of this wrap are straight.
CO = 35 sts.   Color: Hawaiian Sunset

Jane's circular wrap took some calculations! Graduating sizes of diamonds
cascade from the neckline. CO = 25, 31 and 35 sts.   Color: Sea and Sand.
Jane kept the color values more consistent by cutting out the navy from the color sequence.

Susan hit the "sweet spot" in the color change sequence.
The colors in her modules are very consistent which accentuates the symmetry of her design.
CO = 35 stitches.    Color: Purple Sky

Left: My (Veronica) design is a caplet.
The center double decrease miters make right angles in the front and back.
CO = 35 sts.   Color: Autumn Equinox
Right: Sharon chose a mitered square vest. The smaller units create a different color pattern.
CO = 27 sts.    Color: Sea and Sand

Aren't all these pieces Fantastic?!? 

When I was planning and creating this workshop, I wasn't sure where the exercises might lead the student. I wanted workshop participants to get a good understanding of modular knitting techniques and the process for knitting and assembling the units, but to also provide an encouraging and creative environment in which the knitter could take a step or two beyond the pattern, if she/he chose.

The fun and excitement for me (as a teacher as well as a knitter), is having the opportunity to take an adventure down a path less traveled... even if it requires some detours and problem solving. To be able to see sights that were not on the original itinerary and experience the joy of discovery... that's half the fun for me.

These garments far exceeded my expectations. And I feel confident that I achieved my goals. Thanks to my students for taking this Modular Knitting Adventure with me. You are all shining stars!

"More color... More fun!" says Crayola

Did you get out your "Big Box of 96"...
                                with the built-in sharpener...
                                                        and hard boil a big pot...

of  eggs ???

The coloring of the eggs is an annual Easter event at our house. As Crayola puts it, "More colors... More fun!" We like to mix and double dye with all the colors. 

Upper left: multi-dipped.  Center top: shibori.
Far right: pre-marked with Crayola crayon. 

The hand dying techniques this year included multi-dipped (over dying), pre-dye patterning with Crayola crayons, and shibori (using a rubber band for the resist). Only two eggs were lost due to premature cracks.

Dyed eggs are drying. Baskets await assembly.
Chocolates are standing by.

Even though Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes, my husband draws a "baseball dude" egg (complete with a baseball cap on his head) or, this year, a self-portrait. This self-portrait egg does not do justice to my DH's gorgeous blue eyes.

The Larry egg.

Happy Easter!

Modular Creativity and Design

Designing and dtermining the knitting sequence.

The second session of the Mitered Diamond Adventure modular knitting workshop was full of inspiration, design, creativity... and a few calculations.

After learning the modular knitting techniques and determining their preferred cast-on method and double decrease, workshop attendees gathered their swatches and commenced with designing. Hands down, the preferred cast on was the knitted cast-on, and preference for the double decrease was a split between a center double decrease and the slip 1, k2tog, psso. Knitting, as I tell my students, is all about choices!

Design
This phase of the Adventure was to choose a garment silhouette. For this workshop, we're using the Mitered Diamond Shawl pattern as a roadmap, however students are encouraged to try a different garment style using the shawl pattern as an inspiration springboard.

To provide some design, color and texture "food for thought," I presented a digital slide show (using Keynote on my iPad and connecting it to a projector) of the various shapes, color and texture options that can be used for modular knitting. We are working primarily with mitered squares and diamonds (squares on point), but modular knitting can be done using many other geometric and tessellating shapes. There is also a wealth of design, pattern and texture potential with this technique. The presentation sparked ideas for their projects and their modular knitting adventure took off.

Here are some of the sketches and layout mock-ups they are working on.

Using "line" as a design element.
Miters can go in a single direction or different directions. 

Mitered square vest.

Mitered diamond wrap.

Calculating unit size and garment width.

Knitted swatches and a mitered diamond ruana or poncho layout.

Mitered square vest.

One of the considerations we discussed was determining the sequence of knitting the modules. If the diagonal of the miters are going in different directions, which unit do you knit first, second, and so on? It's like putting a puzzle together and following a recipe. You have to add the correct ingredients at the proper time.

ATCs: Batter Up!

Whether you think of baseball or breakfast when you here the words, "Batter up!"... you know you're in for something good.

The theme for the March FiberAntics ATC swap was "Batter Up!". And, although several of the ATC artists mentioned to me they thought this was a difficult theme for them, I think the results hit a home run all the same.

With the fantasy baseball league drafts completed last weekend and Opening Day coming this week, the people in my house (like my DH) are on the verge of being engulfed in another season of baseball. So, it wasn't that much of a "stretch" to put a baseball spin on my ATCs. Pancakes are also a popular weekend breakfast with my husband, who often gets creative in the kitchen by tweaking the buttermilk batter recipe each time he makes them. With this collection of Artist Trading Cards, we may have to update the menu and experiment with some new recipes.

So, sit down to a hardy breakfast, peruse this month's ATCS, and enjoy the season whether you are a baseball fan, a baseball widow or you're just a fan of the beautiful spring weather that accompanies this time of year.

Great job, ATC artists, for getting out of the dugout, stepping up to the plate, and digging in your heels to find creative solutions to the March ATC theme. The sign of a true creative person is one who works with the given ingredients, stays in the kitchen (despite the heat) and delivers a fabulous meal.

On that note, April's ATC theme is "Fast Food," followed in May by the companion theme, "Slow Food." It's a doubleheader!