Color
Thank you all so much for your comments about Maggie’s October Sweater! I didn’t tell you this before, but I had every intention of knitting it with some PINK yarn I had in the stash, but the pink yarn happened to be stored next to the lovely heather brown, and well, I love me some brown. Funny thing is, after the workshop I went to on Saturday, all I can think about is color color color!
It was the Brandon Mably Color Workshop and it was awesome. I think my knitting life is forever changed.
On the left is the swatch I spent the day working on. I used the postcard on the right as my color guide. The goal was to pull out the light, medium and dark colors from the card and use them to knit the tumbling blocks pattern.
It was hard! I’ve never been faced with such a knitting challenge before – and with these instructions from Brandon: “Do not rip out your work no matter what.” (One person did rip and boy was he mad) About every twenty minutes I had the urge to unravel, but you know I’m glad I didn’t.
I learned:
- How bad I really am at intarsia.
- How to weave in my ends as I go.
- To be not afraid of the color, for color is good.
- That taking a step back from the knitting is very important.
- Kaffe Fassett will not sign your personal knitting notebook, even if you ask all nice. He only signs his books. Makes sense.
This was my first ever knitting class, and I have a feeling that I’ll be using what I learned every time I pick up the pins. It was that good. And Brandon liked my swatch! He said he wanted to just go right up and warm his hands by it. “I considered pinning it to the seat of my pants.” (Just kidding, but I thought it was high-larious when Franklin said it, so I’m saying it, too.)
Now, in pictures (or go see the whole set, with notes and descriptions, on flickr).
What a cool class! I like the last ipicture with the backdrop of all the colorful yarn all over the floor.
Wow, that is so cool – all of it. Love your swatch.
Gorgeous! I want to take a class from him!
oh yes colour is great. all that black can become way to much especially since it suits one less and less with age. i love my boxes with single skeins of all kinds of different colours and have been ‘forced’ to work with some rather blatant colours lately. and boy i enjoyed it even though it was completely lego.
i hope mr. mably tours europe every now and then. i would love to go to a knitting workshop with him. what a lovely experience you have had.
What a cool workshop. I look forward to seeing what comes off the needles next.
Wow! That would be an amazing class, glad you had the chance to go and learn so much.
Lucky you!! I *love* taking knitting classes. Sadly, I haven’t had too many opportunities of late. So I’m getting vicarious pleasure through your post!
Look at all the gorgeous color!
You know that “I love me some brown” too. “What can brown do for you” has a new meaning in my life since I have been married.
Haha.
OH. and the pin on the back of the pants thing KILLS ME.
The colours are just amazing. Breathtaking!
I’ve always loved Kaffe Fasset’s use of colour, it’s so different but works so well. I like your sample – the class sounds like a great way to look at using colours in a different way.
Sounds like it was well worth it! Happy Birthday!
Be sure to bring that swatch on Thursday. So what was the deal with the stripes??
Magnificent photos! What an amazing experience. And I laughed about Kaffe not signing knitting notebooks “even if you ask all nice”.
this looks like so much fn! I love colors—your swatch is great! do you want to knit something really colorful now?
Oh, lucky you! I love that mess of yarn on the floor. It looks like a great time.
Oh, so jealous! I would have loved to be at that workshop.
Your swatch is great, and I love-love-love that big throw he’s holding up. It looks just like a quilt!
All those colors are wonderful, especially the Kaffe Fassett blanket. I’m not sure I’d be brave enough for that kind of workshop!
Thank you for sharing your experience, what a brilliant workshop it seems to have been!!!
How scrumptious! I can see why he’d make the comment about pinning it to the seat of his pants.
Great job–no way would I attempt it!