INTRODUCTION
In our fast-paced, mass-produced world, few things remain more cherished than a personal item that has been made by hand.
Hand Knitting is a cloth-making art form that predates the beginning of the last millenium. Because the fabric is created as the piece is shaped and sized, masterful skill is necessary. However, the possibilities for techniques creation are endless. Therefore, with a craft that has been around and in constant evolution for over one thousand years, we see contributions from regions and / or cultures from most countries on earth with deep historical specialties in different types of knit fabric construction. Some examples include fine lacework from Russia, Germany, Italy and Great Britain; colorwork from the Baltic States and Great Britain; cables from Ireland; twist stitch patterns from the Alpine region of Germany, etc. They also include regional specialties in different types of clothing construction such as shawls, hats, gloves, and socks. Many items also represent specific moments in time with the highest examples on display in museums around the world.
Every knitter enters the creative process in their own way. My fascination has been with hand-knit clothing design. Within that realm, my design journey has always begun with a stitch pattern. For me, there is a particular joy in tapping into visually and structurally balanced stitch patterns created in different cultures and especially in different centuries. The joy of design is in wrapping a modern silhouette around them and bringing them forward into my time and place.
In this book, I have asked a group of students to join me in a series of design Duets as a way to celebrate the rich heritage of our art. The concept for Duets was formed in the Design-A-Longs where participants were asked to begin their design journey by selecting a stitch pattern that spoke to them from a collection that had spoken to me. Their assignment was to use my pieces as inspirations or starting points for their own creations. In that way, we get to see two different design perspectives whose inspirations were gathered from a single stitch pattern as the source. As you examine both the inspiration and the Duets pieces that accompany them, you will see that the end result is a beautiful display of creativity that will inspire a sense of awe and spark your own design imagination.
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