collage crochet

photo by Thea Coughllin

as Summer whizzes by, while i try to savor these days to their fullest, i am also looking ahead and preparing for the workshops i’m teaching this Fall. one that i’m SO looking forward to is Collage Crochet at the Taproot Gathering in September. you all know that one of my roles in life is Crochet Crusader, and one of my goals for this class is that it will illustrate many of the reasons i love to crochet…

that photo above? that’s elizabeth, in her spirit session with thea coughlin. it is so delightful to me that elizabeth chose to wear her shawl that i made for some of those portraits, because one is supposed to wear what makes them feel happy, comfortable, and beautiful. that shawl was the inspiration for this class, and is an example of the way i like to crochet best: no monogamy to any one yarn, or stitch, but rather a spontaneous series of choices that can change with each row, or not, as my mood would have it. when i sit down to start a project, i often decide only whether it’ll be a hat, a shawl, a cowl… and leave the rest to serendipity…

Are you ready to play with hook and yarn like brush and paint? We are gonna do that! We’re even going to experiment with some tapestry (colorwork) techniques. All you need to know are the most basic crochet stitches: chain and single crochet, and you’ll be on your way to hooking up a magical wrap that will forever remind you of your time at Squam.

The beauty of crochet is that it lends itself so easily to a playful, freeform approach: mixing yarns, colors, textures and stitches can yield a new fabric every time you pick up your hook!

i hope some of you will be joining me for this glorious day of crocheting, in a cabin in the woods, by a lake. so many people, especially of those who knit, know the very basics of crochet, but have no faith in their ability to dive in and make a beautiful project. this is the ideal opportunity to spend some time getting to know this technique that lends itself so well to improvisation and play!

i’m developing several shawl *formulas* for different shapes of wraps (or scarves, or blankets), all of which are very adaptable, and can be worked until you decide they are done.

all of the choices– fine or chunky gauge, smooth or fuzzy yarns, simple or fancy stitches, tonal or riotous colors, warm and cozy fabric or open lacy fabric– will be yours to make…