Year of Projects: Crochet Master Class – Freeform Knitting and Crochet with Margaret Hubert
(This post is part of my Year of Projects: Crochet Master Class series. You can find my other posts in this series here.)
Two weeks ago, I spent my Sunday at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio as part of their Crochet Masters weekend. After taking the wonderful Tartans & Plaids class with Jenny King, I had some time to browse the store.
Samples of fall-themed Lion Brand Yarn projects on display.
A glimpse of the Mochi Mochi Mochi Mochi Mochi installation by Anna Hrachovec.
(You can see more of Anna’s designs here, learn more about the display here, or visit the Mochimochi Land website here.)
My afternoon class was Freeform Knitting & Crochet with Margaret Hubert. I had the pleasure of interviewing Margaret back in June, and have been a big fan of her many books and patterns for a while. Margaret is the fashion crochet master in Crochet Master Class: Lessons and Projects from Today’s Top Crocheters
I recently had an exploration into freeform crochet as part of my Crochet Master Class project and wanted to see how Margaret would teach the subject. I’ll admit that I only did a bit of the homework. (Yes, I was a bad student!) I was having trouble imagining how all of these pieces would come together. I’m a bit on the fence about freeform crochet – sometimes I think it looks like junk, while other times it looks phenomenal. Margaret’s freeform work seems quite inspired, so I was anxious to take the class with her.
Margaret's a very generous teacher. She gave each of us an extensive handout...
... and our choice of awesome button.
(My button from the back.)
It turns out that Margaret does some planning to give her freeform a more orderly appearance. She shared three techniques she uses for making freeform clothing and other projects.
I ended up doing quite a bit of work in class – and not just because I hadn’t done all of the homework!
Margaret advised us to have a "focal point" for our freeform pieces, and I made this flower to serve that purpose during class.
I changed my idea about what I wanted to make and decided to work on a small case for my digital camera. Silly as it seems, since I lost the case a while back, I have been alternately putting it inside of a fingerless cuff or a stray sock on the occasions where I’ve taken it out of the apartment. (Like many crocheters and knitters, most of my projects are for other people and the items for me seem to fall lower and lower on the to do list.)
Here's the start of my camera bag.
Margaret’s teaching style is very hands on, and she spent quite a bit of time with each of us. She also demonstrated different stitches and, because she brought so much of her own work, she could show examples of many of the techniques she was teaching. Margaret’s lovely samples included some sneak peek projects from her upcoming The Granny Square Book: Timeless Techniques and Fresh Ideas for Crocheting Square by Square
I ended up buying a copy of her Learn to Free-Form Crochet
I confess, I'm addicted to DRG technique booklets!
I used Donegal Tweed by Tahki Stacy Charles (stash yarns) for the class, so I felt I should purchase something in the shop. I was glad that I could see the book in person because I had been looking at it online. I’m pretty happy with it so far! I haven’t made much progress on my camera bag since the class, though – too many higher priority WIPs in the queue.
For more Year of Projects posts, visit When Did I Become a Knitter.
To find more blogs participating in Blogtoberfest 2011, visit Tinnie Girl. For Blogtoberfest 2011 giveaways, visit Curly Pops.
Freeform crochet looks amazing, I miust admit, I’ve never heard of it before. And I’m very envious that you saw the MochiMochi installation, I’m dying to see it!
You will be even more envious, Emma, when I tell you that I’ve seen it several times! It is really cute.
Sounds like you had a ball. What an awesome looking button !! How’s your plaid project coming along?
It’s going well Dorothy, thanks! I hope to have it finished pretty soon so I can post pictures.
What a great start to your camera case. It must be great to learn so many new things, if not a bit mind-blowing! Quite by chance when I took the kids to the library on Friday I picked up the master class book. I didn’t realise it was the one you had blogged about until I looked at it properly at home. I love the very colourful work (like the example on the cover) can’t remember what it’s called now. But I reckon I will be extending the borrow!
Oh, yay, Faith! Isn’t it an awesome book? I’m sure you will have a lot of fun with it. I believe the cover picture is overlay crochet.
I can understand your being on the fence about freeform but it seems like you’ve done your homework diligently. That button is so beautiful and I really love your camera case. Good work!
wow. Freeform can be can be so beautiful. I’m not ready to leave the safety of patterns quite yet, but enjoy looking at examples. Your camera case will be lovely!
Thanks, goodpurlgonebad! I have to actually pick it up and finish it first, though!
Looks and sounds like you had a great time.
Thanks, Sandy, I did!
Sounds like a super class
I definitely had a lot of fun, Alittlebitsheepish.
What a neat way to think outside of the box. It’s great that you had a fun and wonderful time.
Thanks Kepanie, it was a great class.
What a great event–and the button? I love it!
*smiles*
I love buttons, Kim, so that was definitely an awesome addition to the class!