2006 Zelda K

Zelda K

Gambier, OH USA

The journey begins. I display the yarns and beads from all around the world on a cloth covered tray. Through a labyrinth of color and texture I move with eyes and fingertips, feasting. First one yarn speaks, and then another....another.... One by one they speak, and the first piece is conceived. The yarns continue speaking, crochet hooks and fingers respond as directed, and the first piece is born. Only now do I learn its name -

"Garden Paths."

   The remaining yarns clamor for attention. So I return, repeat the process, and a second piece is conceived and born - "Sunspots." And a third - "Sea Bounty." Much fainter now, but still I hear the call of the remaining yarns. Yes, I think I can see another piece taking shape.... - "Skyways," leaving just the right amount of materials for one last piece - "Earth Cycles." And the journey is complete. Each scrap of yarn, each bead in its chosen place. Nothing added, nothing left out. I didn't plan it that way, that's just the way it happened.

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2006 Virginia West

Virginia West

San Diego, California USA

I love to crochet!
I learned the basics as a child and taught myself to read patterns from library books, and I've been crocheting ever since. Working with yarn makes me happy! I'm also a self-taught knitter and hope to incorporate some knitting into my freeform projects.

"Do What You Love"

This was my first piece for the 60-OddChallenge and I tried to use as many different yarns as I could. I used about 40. I embellished it with wire spirals and beads and added the title which is printed on a little wooden popsicle stick. The piece measures 9" wide x 8" high.

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2006 Vicki Collins

Vicki Collins

East Bentleigh, Melbourne, Victoria AUS

I am a computer programmer who has been knitting and crocheting for over 40 years but I have only been freeforming for a couple of months. I love all crafts, especially knitting and cross stitch, I enjoying travelling and I read voraciously (mainly science fiction). I also like listening to modern and 60s music and play keyboards in a band with some people from work.

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2006 Susie Bowring-Miller

Susie Bowring-Miller

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

http://www.geocities.com/susanbowmil/

I have dabbled in painting and drawing from my earliest days and although I was interested in following a career in 'Commercial Art' I was encouraged to stay on at School and become a teacher.   Rebelling against  that idea I left school and became a secretary instead!  Although not a job that I cherished, I have enjoyed it and it has stood me in good stead over the years.
During the 'Secretary' years and whilst raising a family of three I undertook two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree at  University until the Newcastle Earthquake in 1988.   Then followed five years of hectic work in our home based building business.
In 1995 I was finally free to take some time out for myself and undertook a two-year "Advanced Commercial Needlecraft" at TAFE.   I believe that this decision was synchronistic to events in my life and my increasing love of textiles and fibre.
A decision to join the Newcastle Creative Embroiderers' & Textile Artists Inc. group opened up an entire new world for me, creating new textile challenges and passions in free embroidery, felting and fabric dyeing.  It was during this time that I discovered (with great enthusiasm) the Textile Fibre Forums held at Mittagong and Geelong each year.
I finally returned to University in 1999 to start a new degree in Visual Arts and while taking eight months off for personal reason in 2001,  I rediscovered Crochet, a subject I "Absolutely Loathed" during my time at TAFE.
This wasn't JUST CROCHET, though........I had stumbled across "Scrumbling" or Free Form.
To my delight, NCETA, Inc asked me to a tutor in Free-Form Crochet at their residential workshop held in Kurri Kurri TAFE in May 2002, where sixteen women became immediately addicted!
I n September 2003 I was invited  as a tutor in freeform and sculputal crochet along with other tutors Jenny Dowde (who dreamed up the idea), Prudence Mapstone and James Walters.
Since then I have been busy teaching in my home town and make more art!

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2006 Susan Settle

Susan Settle

Fairfield, CA USA

http://www.freeformcrochet.com/

I want to thank each participant, because each and every contribution to this traveling exhibit is special and unique, whether it was created by someone just beginning to free form, or a seasoned pro, and I know that each piece will contribute something special and worthwhile to the exhibit, so congratulations, everyone!
   Now for a little information on my piece... I didn't start with any preconceived idea about what I was going to create. I find when I begin to free form, if I wait to see what develops, something always happens to "tell" me how the piece wants to be created, and I then follow that lead.  This particular piece became a dragon!  It was a challenge to create him when I kept running out of the yarn I was working with, but I had all the different yarns spread out in front of me while I was working, and the next one kept popping out at me, so it went fairly quickly once I began working.
   In the East, the dragon is viewed as a benevolent, revered being.  I have been familiar with dragons from the time I was a very young child, when my Mother, a Chinese Brush Painting artist, created a story about a dragon that she painted as the story unfolded.  In my Elementary School years, I was so proud and thrilled when she would come to my class to tell her story, paint her dragon, and ignite the imaginations of so many young people around her. I'm so thankful I've had the honor of watching her do this for so many years, for hundreds of students.   So this piece is dedicated to my Mom!!
   Susan Settle
(One of the Moderators for the Free Form group)

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2006 Susan Dilger

Susan Dilger

Hollywood, CA USA

http://susandilger.com
http://susandilger.typepad.com

Susan is a jewelry artist who is looking forward to her transition to the full-time world of jewelry and fiber art in Taos, New Mexico after many years in the retail industry.


"UNLEASHED"

I LOVED working on the challenge, as it gave me an opportunity to explore different colors and yarns in combinations I wouldn't have dreamed of! I also felt the connection with all my fiber sisters from around the world!

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2006 Shirley Lines

Shirley Lines

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

liness@shaw.ca

I am a fiber artist with a special interest in wool and wool fibers.  As well as crochet, I knit, quilt and spin.  I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with my DH of 27 years and our 3 year old Alaskan Malamute, Denali.  We also have 2 grown children who have moved away from home but are still close enough to visit.

"Tidepool"

This piece almost evolved on its own. After I separated the yarns bycolour families I was drawn to the rich blues and greens that reminded me of the ocean, seaweed and marine life.  Hence the name TIDEPOOL.

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2006 Shelby Allaho

Shelby Allaho

Kuwait City, Kuwait

wearcrochet@yahoo.com

I have lived in Kuwait with my husband since 1997, although I am originally from the USA. I have a degree in fashion design and before moving to Kuwait, I worked as an embroidery designer and digitizer.

I was lucky to be taught to crochet by my grandmother who was an avid crocheter. Twenty years later I discovered freeform when I purchased "The Crochet Workbook" and found the International Freeform Group. Since then I haven't stopped scrumbling! I now offer workshops on beginning freeform through the Kuwait Textile Arts Association.

"Undersea Garden"

My inspiration for this piece came from the yarn. So many beautiful colors and textures! I believe the biggest challenge was working with only 5 yards of each. It took a little more planning to obtain a good balance of color and texture, but in the end it all came together as if it was meant to be.

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2006 Shane Sakata

Shane Sakata

Honolulu, Hawaii USA

I am a thirty something Canadian now living in Hawaii.  My mother and grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was little and passed along the passion to me.  I have been creating my own patterns for a few years now and enjoy freeform crochet as it is a way to further explore my creativity.

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2006 Sally Morrison

Sally Morrison

Wadsworth, OH USA

Sally's Shop 330-334-1996

This is my first serious attempt at freeform. I am 70 years young and own a spinning and weaving shop for the past 30 years, so I have used patterns forever. It's nice to try something different. The challenge was a good push to try and create something new. I hope to keep on growing!!

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2006 Ruth Marler

Ruth Marler

Hampton, Middlesex UK

http://www.craftypeople.net/ruth-marler.html   
http://www.craftypeople.blogspot.com/ 

'm a fibrey/textiley/crafty butterfly who flits between making costumes, knitting, crochet, pewter repoussee work, spinning, rag rugging, dyeing, wet felt making and freeform versions of any and all of the above.

"SPRING FIRE"

I was immediately drawn to the fiery reds, oranges and yellows.  The season begins with a simple yellow flower and the suggestion of foliage.
As the temperature rises, sparks of the brightest hues dash off towards the next season.

"EYE OF THE PEACOCK"

Blues and purples arrange themselves in the form of an embryonic paisley reminiscent of the eye in a peacocks tail feather.

"AQUEOUS VORTICITY"
Multi-hued and murky tones mesmerize and draw the eye to the centre of the vortex.

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2006 Prudence Mapstone

Prudence Mapstone

Brisbane, Queensland Australia

http://www.knotjustknitting.com

Long-time knitter and yarn collector, who was once just a spasmodic crocheter until I started adding crochet to my random knitting, to create freeform wearable art garments.

My package of yarns arrived in the mail on the day before I left for a 2 week visit to New Zealand.  For me there is always the temptation to raid my stash and take far too much yarn with me when I travel, even though I know that I am sure to add at least a little something to my luggage from every wool shop that I pass (or go miles out of my way to visit!). Receiving such a wide variety of small skeins for this challenge came at an ideal time, and I worked on my pieces in various motel rooms along the way when I wasn't feeling too tired after a day of workshops or demonstrations.  On the first night I sorted all the yarns by colour, and put them into three separate bags, but I only had time to complete 2 pieces by the exhibition deadline.

I have always found teals and purples very easy to work with, and my first piece developed almost automatically.  I set myself a little bit more of a challenge with the 'brights and lights', since I often tend to avoid pastels, and rarely combine them with stronger colours.  The third bag of yarns, which will travel with me on a future trip, is still waiting to be used, but I know I will also enjoy combining all the stronger greens with the remaining deep, warm colours.

As is my usual practice, each of the pieces here combine both crochet and knitting, and involve very many yarn, stitch and direction changes.  After the initial first small section for each patch was completed, the works were further developed by joining directly onto and into the piece, so that no sewing was involved.

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2006 Pirkko Vega

Pirkko Vega

Toronto, ON Canada

http://www.pirkkovega.net/
http://pirkcrochets.blogspot.com/

I had to learn to knit and crochet at school. My mother guided me to creative knitting and crocheting when I was a teenager.

I have knitted and designed clothes, for adults, and for children; knitted toys, mainly dolls. I have crocheted items from coasters to bedspreads. I still consider dolls to be my main interest in knitting and crocheting.

When I have a break in my needlecraft projects I draw and paint. Art has always been close to my heart. My latest art course, a few years ago, at Ontario College of Arts and Design was "Form and Structure". Free Form creations truly blossomed from that time.

"Angel"

"Unknown Planet"

"Shuttle"

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2006 Patrice Walker

Patrice Walker

Washington, DC USA

http://yarnoverpullthrough.typepad.com/

Patrice Walker, a native of Washington, DC, has been crocheting for over 40 years. Her mother, who taught her how to crochet when she was about 10 years old, also taught her how to knit, embroider, and sew. Always eager to learn new fiber arts, Patrice taught herself macramé and rug-hooking in her twenties, but decided in her early thirties that crochet would be her primary mode of expression. After joining the Crochet Guild of America in October 2004, Patrice discovered free-form crochet and was immediately smitten. She believes that working from commercial crochet patterns for so many years provided the foundation and the confidence she needed to step off the cliff's edge into the exciting world of freeform.

"Comforting Colors"

One of the big lessons I came away with from this experience is how "unpredictable" freeform can be. Once I got all the yarn separated into two main color groups, I was a bit overwhelmed and procrastinated for a few days, unsure if I was up to the task. But finally, I just jumped in and started "scrumbling" with one of the color groups which contained my favorite colors (I needed to fall back a bit into my comfort zone to help push me forward). I made those "itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny" motifs, and when I had a good number made, I started arranging them on my 8" x 8" piece of cardboard that I'd prepared to size the final product. Boy was I disappointed! I just couldn't figure out how to get what now appeared to be disparate colors (even though I was working in roughly one main color group) into a pleasing ensemble. So I put everything away, sat down in front of the TV and sucked my thumb. Then, as I was getting ready for bed, an idea hit me out of the blue. I actually "saw" in my mind's eye (that's how creative ideas come to me) a picture of some of the scrumbles arranged together. Problem solved! I knew how to finish the project. I could never have predicted when I started that my piece would turn out the way it did. I felt like an artist with a paint brush, combining colors and stitches into a great work of art. It may not be exhibited in an art gallery, but I can honestly say that it is MY work of art. Despite the unpredictability of the project, it has strengthened my trust in my own creative process and made me a bit more comfortable when facing the unknown.

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2006 Nancy Nagle

Nancy Nagle

Philadelphia, PA USA

www.nangellini.com

I have been creating fiber art for the past few years, but making art of all sorts my whole life. I love color, texture and playing with designs. I especially love to experiment, and crocheting (and knitting) allows me to make countless variations to an idea, design or motif. I often find a piece evolving into something completely unexpected. It is hard to make the same thing twice because the work takes on a life of its own and sometimes "asks" to go in a different direction. I do my best work when I am not thinking about what I am doing, and just going on intuition. It is exciting to see what emerges.
In March of 2005 I opened a store to sell my fiber art, as well as exotic yarns and Pop Art paintings. It is an interesting combination and I am having great fun with it! I currently host knit/crochet circles and am surrounded by colorful and wonderful people and things.

Regarding this challenge: I received 60 odd pieces of yarn from 60 odd fabulous fiber folks and this is what happened. I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience and I thank everyone who participated!

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