Stitches Midwest 2011 Friday

Friday we had two classes. Our morning class was with Gwen Bortner again - this time we were taking a class in her specialty - Entrelac.


We enjoyed our class very much, working our way through a little circular project.


Pretty cute, huh? We were assigned to finish it up after class and then to felt it. I managed to finish it while we were in Chicago, but I didn't felt it until I got home.


But I think it looks quite charming felted and it seems to work well too to keep the drinks cool.


I can't even remember what we had for lunch that day. I think we drove over to Panera an old standard. I do remember thinking my salad had been better the night before. I did eat my sour dough role at Panera though and it was WAY better than the bread the evening before.


Our afternoon class was on mitred knitting with Jane Slicer-Smith. Her book Swing, Swagger and Drape is very beautiful and full of A-line jackets and garments with wonderful mitred knits. Since I had already studied this technique with Horst Schulz, I was much more interested in her insights on designing with mitres.


She gave us help with learning how to reduce numbers of stitches in garments and also in ways to add structural elements in places where firmness is needed.


This jacket changes the number of stripes in the squares as one moves up the garment.

The color of this blue piece is rich and saturated.




We learned that we could also turn the garment and work squares the other direction.


This red piece for example, switches directions.


After class we were exhausted mentally, we decided (with much difficulty) to go eat at a Thai restaurant. I was so tired, I guess I forgot to take any pictures there. The food was decent and we tried a variety of things and even had left overs that we could eat for lunch the next day.