Tapestry Crochet

Thursdays, December 5 and 12, 5:30-8:30pm

Class level: Intermediate. (Participants should be comfortable with starting from a foundation chain, and doing single crochet.)

Age requirements: 16+

Registration fee: $95

Teaching artist: Betsy Tuttle

Tapestry crochet, also sometimes called “colorwork crochet,” can be used to create any design that can be graphed in two or three colors. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of flat tapestry crochet.

Unlike multicolor fair isle knitting, which has floats on the reverse side, this tapestry crochet technique is done by carrying unused colors inside a single crochet stitch, so both sides of the completed flat piece are identical, with no right or wrong side.

Note that tapestry crochet can be done flat or in-the-round. This workshop focuses on the flat technique, but Betsy can demonstrate in-the-round as well for those that are interested.

Workshop time will be spent mostly crocheting a sample piece. There will be breaks for Betsy to talk about what can be made with the technique, give general crochet tips and tricks, and share books books and resources featuring techniques for making colored patterns in crochet.

At the end of the workshop, participants will share their completed samples.

​All supplies are included in the class fee, including the crochet hook, yarn, and wound bobbins. Participants can bring any sugars and cream cotton yarn they already have on hand, but it’s not required.

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Bio:

Elizabeth Tuttle prefers crochet over other fiber techniques because it allows her the most freedom to produce two- and three-dimensional pieces. Her subjects are common architectural details; her compositions derive from her own photographs of public spaces. Tuttle simplifies these images by excluding much of the detail and rendering them in imaginary color. Using single crochet, she develops subtle tone graduations by changing one color for another in each successive row. "My interest is to transform mundane surroundings into the idealized places of my imagination."

Born in 1946, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tuttle lives and maintains a studio in Madison, Wisconsin. She attended the University of Heidelberg, Germany ('66-'67), Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin (BA '69) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, (MS '75, MFA '77). Recipient of the Wisconsin State Arts Board Fellowship ('81). Recipient of Individual Artist Fellowship; National Endowment for the Arts ('83).

Website: www.elizabethtuttleart.com