One of my favorite things about knitting is that there’s always something new to learn. Someone’s always inventing something new or refining an existing technique or rediscovering an old technique or something. So if you want to, you can always be learning and growing. I don’t want to do that every day – sometimes you just need something simple to do – but I’m glad the opportunities are always there!
Anyway, last Saturday I took 2 classes during the latest Rowan Connect – embroidering on dropped stitches, and smocking on knitting.
Embroidering on dropped stitches was taught by Fiona Ellis, who is a really good teacher, and also very friendly and soothing. So if you want a relaxing class, she is a good bet! For this technique, you add dropped stitches to your work, and then do pulled thread embroidery stitches on them. It is a very nifty, lacy effect!
The top swatch is what we did in class, and the bottom swatch was me playing around with the technique after class. I tried a different pattern and also making the open area move around on the fabric by increasing and decreasing around it.
The second class was “smocking” on knitting with Lisa Richardson. I’m using quotation marks because we weren’t really smocking in the sewing/embroidery sense to create gathers in the fabric. You wrap some stitches as you are knitting the background fabric to create loops on the surface to stitch under in different patterns. The swatch on the left is the class exercise, with a little added fanciness in the column on the left side. The swatch on the right was me fooling around with the technique after class. I tried doing thinner strips of a secondary color that would include the wraps and then different patterns for the surface stitching.
There are a lot of interesting things you could do with both of these techniques and I think they will be fun to play with. You’d have to be thoughtful about where to use them, because they both provide excellent opportunities for snagging.
The Rowan Connect weekend was a fun time that I would definitely attend again! In addition to the classes, they had lots of other sessions that were free with registration, such as visits with flagship shops, interviews with designers, and looks at new yarns and colors coming out.
Do you ever do online knitting events?
Quite A Yarn 
I admire your readiness to learn, and your application to it ! 🙂
Much the same am I with regard to my crocheting (I do hope that’s not a dirty word on your knitting site !); but my problem is that unspeakably advanced age means that once I’ve learned what I need to know about – oh, let’s say brioche knitting, and diligently done a whole big lot of it … I forget !
Sighh …
My advice is: stay young. [grin]
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Always good to learn new things! Crochet is not a dirty work – that is a good craft as well!!
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I also admire your willingness to learn. I’m always blown away by how much new there always is in knitting. I had forgotten that I once tried that smock stitch and totally failed. Perhaps, another attempt is in order. No, I do not do online knitting events but have gone to VKL, NY a time or two! Much fun.
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Thank you! You use a lot of techniques in your work as well 🙂 Definitely try the smock stitch again – it has a lot of potential uses. VKL in NY sounds like so much fun!
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These are some wonderful and fun techniques. Keep on learning. Well done. 😊
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Thank you so much! I am trying 🙂
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Ooh I’ve never heard of either of these things, how cool!
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I hadn’t either – so glad I tried them!
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I see lots of spider-web-themed items in your future with the second technique! How fun to try something so different. Knitting really does offer huge opportunities to keep learning and growing our skills!
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Hi Ivy! I think you are right – lots of spider-web possibilities with that one 🙂 There are just so many interesting techniques and patterns and yarns… Happy sigh!
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I see lots of spider-web-themed items in your future with that second technique! I love how knitting provides so many opportunities to expand our knowledge and find new ways to create beautiful things. Good on you for continuously learning!
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Always fun to learn new things, and i do enjoy taking classes online (pretty convenient). i enjoy teaching them online, too!
I usually gear my learning to things I want to use in design or teaching. Your embroidery looks interesting, but I don’t think I’d want to have to describe it in a pattern, so my brain says PASS!
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LOL! Yes, this would be a real bear to describe, I think. It might be good to teach general techniques and just send learners to play with some guidance? I do love in-person classes, but online is just so convenient!
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Wow that looks like some very complex stitching, impressive samples!
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Both techniques are pretty easy and yield impressive results – I love doing those!
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