| SIGNATUR HANDKNITS |
| Ideas, Classes & Events for Feb/March 2010 |
What's inside:
1. Turramurra Designers A great success, and there's more to come
2. Australian Calendar Shows, Classes and Open Days
3. USA Calendar Stitches shows, ETC and yarn store classes
4. New Designs Lava Drape: Stunning Intarsia from Swing Swagger & Drape
5. Knitting Classes Let me explain what they're all about
6. Feedback & Links Have your say, and find out more |
| Swing Swagger Drape and Winter Downunder |
It was great to see many of you at Designers and Creators at Turramurra in November.
Below right Dave Jones with his hand crafted Australian Timber, Dave delivered the fabulous cocktail cabinet to his left to it's new Sydney home before driving back to his Gallery in Yarrahapinni on the NSW North coast. Four ladies from left to right Brett's Mum Florence sporting her 1990 Signatur Thai Jacket, center myself with Deborah Cameron and right Laura Moult, who runs the studio in my absence. |
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| Deborah Cameron of Sydney's ABC morning radio launched Swing, Swagger, Drape at the Designers and Creators show in November (2010 Sydney April + Canberra May). Deborah is a knitter herself, if you have been following my newsletters, Deborah hosts the Knit In each year at the ABC studio. I introduced her to Margaret-Anne (cancer fund raiser), so we may hear more from Margaret-Anne on ABC radio. |
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| Jane Stapleford and her beautiful Gang Gang admiring Carol Page and her stunning hand-made shoes |
| Visit www.sigknit.com |
| Amazing people - I meet some amazing people in my travels. At Turramurra Designers and Creators I met Margaret-Anne Hayes. Margaret-Anne lost her son to cancer, at 68 years old she started running to raise money for research. She reached $30,000 mid December, she turns 70 on 7th Feb 2010 and her goal within her 70th year is to reach a total of $70,000. Having met Margaret-Anne, with her boundless energy, I doubt it will stop there. Margaretanneh@bigpond.com |
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Above left Carol Marando glass Artist, who has just completed 3 weeks as Artist in Residence at Sails Resort, Uluru. Carol gave me a peek preview of some of her pieces inspired by Australia's stunning Red Centre! Centre lampwork disc necklace with woven and plaited coloured wire.
Right Lyn Hart's beautiful porcelain pieces (Lyn is wearing one of Carol's necklaces!) |
| Australian Calendar for 2010 |
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The full details and addresses are listed on the website at Shows and Classes.
Canberra at the beautiful Canberra Hyatt Friday & Saturday 12th & 13th March 10am - 5pm.
Belisa Cashmere, Penny Shilling, Ahroni Jewelry and Pages Shoes will be joining me again.
Australian Designers on Show 26th - 28th March, brings Australian fine artists, jewellers, knitwear designers and woodwork artisans together at Turramurra Masonic Lodge, corner Pacific Highway and Turramurra Ave (2 mins from railway)
Melbourne Amora Riverwalk at Richmond Thurs 29th noon to 8.30pm & Friday 30th April 10am to 5pm
Have lunch in the courtyard with a glass of wine from about $25 - Belisa, Penny and Ahroni are joining me - I hope Carol from Pages Shoes will also join us.
Canberra Designers & Creators 28th - 30th May, 35 artisans at Old Parliament House
Blackheath Creators & Designers Friday 30th July to Sunday 1st Aug
at Blackheath Communtiy Centre - 30 artisans ( 2mins from railway station)
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| USA Calendar for 2010 |
Stitches West - 25 - 28 February - Santa Clara, CA - classes
Stitches West ETC - 1 - 2 March, Santa Clara, CA - this is a two day workshop Mon & Tues
Classes in Oklahoma City - Gourmet Yarns, 16 - 17 April.
Stitches South - 22 - 25 April, Atlanta, GA - classes
Knitting kits - at Stitches shows you are welcome to visit my class room - 15 minutes after class finishes.
Join class members in trying on designs, with the option of ordering knitting kits - see schedule of classes. |
| Swing Swagger Drape - What's it all about? |
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| "For Jane Slicer-Smith, it is an approach that begins with colour and inspiration, then builds in shape and silhouette to arrive at designs that make sense. For you, it's a collection of refined knits with great fit and timeless style." |
| LAVA DRAPE - ULURU-INSPIRED and GREAT KNITTING |
One my favorite spreads from the book is the Lava Drape - it is so Australian - set against Uluru in Australia's Red Centre. The colours are reflected in the coat itself. When it's worn wrapped left and right it makes you question whether it's a sweater with a cowl neck or a separate scarf? Centre reveals the styling with a high-waisted fit in the back only, knitted front edge to front edge. We'll have additional colour combinations available on www.sigknit.com soon.
Kit (without the book) Aus $150 - conversion - including postage: USA US$185
Book maybe ordered through Signatur and will be mailed from Australia, USA or UK |
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Since the Lava is such a fabulous graph I thought I should use it some more.
I had been playing with a concept of the Lava pattern for some time, and the Drape was the perfect canvas to show this great Intarsia design. I then created two more designs from the graph - in total contrast the boxy little Lava Jacket (right). And why not something for him? Not everybody has the time to work Intarsia, so for the sweater I contrasted the free-form Lava design on the front with the striped back. (Had there been time I would have loved to create a striped sweater) I did do a Striped Jacket - pages 22 & 27) |
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| ABOUT KNITTING CLASSES - USA and Australia |
| Mitres by Design - Mitres have to be one of the simplest ways of achieving rewarding and colourful results. It is simply garter stitch with a centre decrease, worked in two colour stripes. The class steps you through picking up stitches, joining colours as well as weaving in ends as you knit. I have used mitres from Capelets to A line coats and as garment trims - stunning results from a simple technique. |
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Intarsia - join me in a world of colour. From the basics of simple Intarsia and fairisle, reading graphs, reading your knitting, and joining colours. We take a look at proportion and colour balance within a design, as well as incorporating swing and drape when designing. |
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| Buttons - hand made buttons are the perfect complement to a hand knit creation. From simple one colour clay buttons: round, square, or triangles. Tips and tricks to create evenly shaped and sized buttons. |
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| Fit & Style from colour selection and knitting techniques to garment shaping and fit. Explore the process that make a design uniquely wearable; graduated mitres, shaped panels and intarsia. As you knit, I show the garments that show the keys to successful design for all shapes and sizes - changing needle sizes and A-line silhouettes. You will work with your own body measurements as you explore the Swing Swagger Drape fit. |
| Knitting Classes - Australia |
Canberra - Sun 14th March & Mon 15th March - venue to be confirmed
Melbourne - Sat 1st & Sun 2nd May
Uralla Wool Room - Fri 21st to Sun 23rd May
Sydney - Dates to be set |
| Send us your ideas and feedback |
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| If you'd like to ask a question about anything in this newsletter - or anything all, please email Jane. Thanks for your support - Laura, Petra, Meg, Sue, and I look forward to seeing you in the knitting circle! |
