Classes at Yarnosphere! October 12-13th, 2013

 

Join me at Yarnosphere!

Join me, Joan McGowan Michael, at Yarnoshpere! Yarn show October 12-13, 2013.

I’ll be teaching my very popular Whip Your Knits into Shape workshops and my fun Bead Embroidery for Knits class!

-With Whip Your Knits  Part 1, students will work in teams to take complete measurements of your own bodies and I will show you how to apply that knowledge to getting the best fit possible in your knitted garments. Alterations, the application of short row shaping, ease, and marrying different sizes are all discussed in this class. We keep this class small enough for me to give everyone the personal attention they need, so sign up early to assure a spot.

-In Whip Your Knits Part 2, students will use the measurements taken in Part 1 and transfer them to brown paper to make a basic hard pattern of their body, then using this new pattern to easily design a custom sweater on graph paper. Again, small class size assures personal attention, so reserve early!

–Bead Embroidery for Knits is where I get to pull out my small but fantastic collection of 50’s beaded sweaters and we re-create one of the beaded motifs on a swatch which we later turn into a fancy eyeglass case! This technique is great for more than just knits; decorate a tee shirt or jean jacket or even Christmas ornaments

It’s going to be a great knitter’s weekend in Orange County and I can’t wait to see you all there!

Vintage-Inspired Beading

I’ve always loved the beaded vintage cardigans from the 1950’s. They were luxurious, opulent, and surely reserved for the most special of occasions.

I saw them from time to time during my childhood: the flash of a folded shell when an aunt opened her drawer. A cardigan in the window of a resale boutique while driving by. The bolero on a friend’s mother who was leaving to go to dinner. It seemed to me beyond glamorous to own and wear one of these exotic beaded beauties.

It wasn’t until I was all grown up and had acquired a few of these garments for myself that I was able to get a good look at how they were adorned. I then realized that what seemed like it would take a tedious application of each bead one by one and would require at least a lifetime was not that way at all! A couple of evenings would be all that was needed to duplicate this rich look.

I teach a class on how to do this and students seem to just love it.  I share my small collection of beaded sweaters for inspiration, and we learn several techniques of beading during class. For many students, the lights really go on as to how many ways they can use this new skill to embellish anything from a common T-shirt to jackets, felted bags, holiday ornaments, etc.. The list is endless!

Here, a few photos of my beaded sweater collection to inspire YOU!

The first photo shows three of these sweaters.

 The second, a close-up of the black sweater using oval shaped beads, rhinestones and rounds as well as sequins in a leaf design.

The third sweater uses octagonally cut bronze  beads  on cashmere in a floral spray motif, one that I chose to duplicate.

The fourth sweater shows a fantastic use of several types of beads to indicate shading and some 3-d techniques to give dimension to the flower centers.

The fifth is my version of the bronze floral spray used on my Beauty and the Beads Jacket. The pattern includes complete instructions on how to do the beading.