crochet flowers Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Renate Kirkpatrick's Freeform Crochet~Knit~Fibre Designs

Maleny Knitfest Time Again July 2019

Hi everyone…The Maleny Knitfest 2019 is almost here; 2 fabulous days of fibre Fun for everyone. Sat, 6th July & Sun, 7th July.

The theme this year is Australiana. As in previous years, Knitfest is shaping up to be a fabulous weekend of gorgeous fibre fun, with workshops, exhibits, trade stalls, competitions & much more… so there’ll be something for everyone.

View the Program Guide here

Check out & book your worksop here, I’m sure you’ll find one to interest you; workshops are filling fast so, to avoid disappointment, don’t leave it too long. If you’d like to know more about this year’s presenters, you can see them here.

For those who enjoy a little challenge, why not give the competitions a go: individuals, groups & businesses can all enter… check out the categories here. It’s only $5 per entry & you can enter as many times as you like… This year there’s even a socks category… Yes, socks…

I will have a trade stall again this year, selling my freeform pieces, my books & patterns & presenting the following workshop:

Title: Crochet Flowers with a Difference. Sunday 7th July 2019, morning session (10am to 12 noon)

About the Workshop: An introduction to crochet flowers worked a little differently. Fun & practical motifs to enhance & decorate your projects: beanies, hats, scarves, thongs & shoes, headbands : turn them into brooches, garlands & lanyards: or anything your imagination can conjure up. The worksop includes 6 patterns, each a little different from the other. Patterns are in both written & graph (chart) form. You can make as many flowers as time allows.

Requirements:

it’s essential that participants have good basic crochet skills
bring along your own collection of hooks & a large-eyed darning needle
I will supply 6 patterns to choose from
I will supply some basic, plain coloured 8ply yarn, however, please feel free to bring along your own favourite colours & yarn

For more information go to the Maleny Knitfest website & you can like Maleny Knitfest on Facebook

So looking forward to a great weekend. Take some time out for some fibre indulgence… hope to see you there, cheers, Renate

Maleny Knitfest 2018 – Fabulous Fibre Indulgence…

Hi everyone…The Maleny Knitfest 2018 is on again & just around the corner; 2 fabulous days of fibre indulgence. Sat, 30th June & Sun, 1st July.

The theme this year is Outer Space/Sci Fi. As in previous years, The Maleny Knitfest promises to be a fabulous weekend of gorgeous fibre fun, with workshops, exhibits, trade stalls, competitions & much more… so there’ll be something for everyone.

Maleny Knitfest 2018 is offering 30 workshops, which you can check out & book here, I’m sure you’ll find one to interest you; I’m told workshops are filling fast so don’t leave it too long & avoid disappointment. If you’d like to know more about this year’s presenters, you can see them here.

For those of you with a competitive spirit, why not give the competitions a go; individuals, groups & businesses can all enter… check out the categories here, It’s only $5 per entry & you can enter as many times as you like…

This year I will have a trade stall selling my freeform pieces, my books & patterns & presenting the following 2 workshops:

(1) Title: 13 Novel Stitch Sampler workshop. Saturday 30 June 2018, full day session (10am to 12 noon,- 2 hr break, – 2pm 4pm?)

About the Workshop: This is one of my most popular workshops, covering the basics through to those interesting stitches you’ve always wanted to try: Clusters, Puff sts, Popcorns, Crab st, Bullions, Bent Bullions, Coil st. Off-set Clusters, & a Clone st Tassel – 13 different stitches in all, not counting chains & slip knots… Samplers are a fabulous way to learn new stitches & increase your crochet repertoire… Stitches are worked over a short 21 stitch row allowing you to move on to the next row quickly. However, I do encourage everyone to work at their own pace.

~ The worksop includes 4 pages of written patterns with 1 page crochet chart (graph), & 6 pages of stitch drawings & stitch instruction. Those of you who don’t know how to read crochet graphs (charts), here is the perfect opportunity to learn.

Requirements: it’s essential that participants have good basic crochet skills

~ bring along your own collection of hooks, (I prefer you to use the hook you’re most comfortable with)

~ I will supply pattern sheets (11 pages)

~ I will supply 8ply yarn,

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(2) Title: Crochet Flowers with a Difference. Sunday 1st July 2018, morning session (10am to 12 noon)

About the Workshop: An introduction to crochet flowers worked a little differently. Fun & practical motifs to enhance & decorate your projects: beanies, hats, scarves, thongs & shoes, headbands : turn them into brooches, garlands & lanyards: or anything your imagination can conjure up. This worksop includes 6 patterns, each a little different from the other. Patterns are in both written & graph (chart) form. You can make as many flowers as time allows

Requirements:

~ it’s essential that participants have good basic crochet skills

~ bring along your own collection of hooks & a large-eyed darning needle

~ I will supply 6 patterns to choose from

~ I will supply some basic, plain coloured 8ply yarn, however, please feel free to bring along your own favourite colours & yarn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information go to the Maleny Knitfest website & you can like Maleny Knitfest on Facebook

I’m looking forward to a great weekend & hope to meet & greet you there…. cheers, Renate

Vintage Earrings inspire Freeform Crochet Bag….

Earlier this year (Feb 2017) I was contacted, through Etsy, by a lovely lady who asked me if I’d be willing to create a freeform handbag, incorporating her collection of vintage earrings. As a rule, I don’t usually take on many custom orders for freeform pieces, mainly because I rarely know which direction a project may go &, even if the customer points to a particular item as an example, no 2 pieces are ever the same. So it’s often difficult pleasing people who already have pre-conceived ideas… Basically, I don’t want to disappoint…

Nevertheless, I was intrigued when she sent me a photo of the earrings &, after discussing preferred colours & forms (her preference for florals & Autumn tones), handles style, basic bag shape & her assurances that I had free range to create whatever I thought best… I decided to give it a go…. & so it began….

The Earring are lovely & certainly lend themselves to floral designs

Pairing up earring with colours & textures

The finished handbag turned out great. My customer was super happy with the result. I too, was very pleased & don’t know why, in the beginning, I was so hesitant. Well, there you go, that’s the creative process. Perhaps this little exercise will persuade you to have a search through your own collectables & see what inspirations you can find….

Cup of Tea, Anyone? Crochet Tea Cosies with a difference….

I have to confess that, over the years of working with yarn, I’ve been a bit of a Tea Cosy snob & had little inclination to create, what I thought were rather outdated items. Who would even want them?

However, after being asked to make some, winning a few of competitions, gifting some & even selling a few, I have come to realise that creating Tea Pot Cosies are as creative as anything else I could create: from lovely, traditional ones to more outlandish freeform pieces. I’ve been told that Tea cosies are not only practical but add decorative joy to any table or kitchen sideboard… & so, I stand corrected… thanks to those who put me right…. – enjoy!

50 Years of Flower Power – a freeform crochet & knit artwork – Call out…

This post is a call out for Prudence Mapstone who is inviting creative crocheters & knitter to join her in creating a unique piece of wall art for an upcoming Sydney (Australia) textile art show. Freeform crochet or knit contributions are sought worldwide: be part of a joint creation to be exhibited at Fibrefest, Sydney, May 1-3, 2015.

You’ll find all the details here

if you’re on Ravelry… check out what other folk have been doing so far

This project grabbed me the moment I came across it on Facebook… as a ‘matured’ hippy it’s right up my alley. And, I’m sure, for those of you old enough to remember: the flower power Combies & panel-vans, caftans & tie-dyed Tshirts, Peace & Love, ‘Make Love Not War’ posters… & what a carefree time it was, it will bring a knowing smile…

So… dig deep into your stash & pulled out all those long forgotten hot pinks, iridescent oranges & lime greens & begin. Patterns aren’t necessary but can be a good place to start, make a scrumple or just a motif, let the colours lead the way…. it’s the best fun I’ve had in ages & I’m hoping many of you will take up the invite… whether young, ‘mature’ or somewhere in-between… & have a go… trust me, you’ll really enjoy yourself…