Freeform

Freeform is different things to different people.  There is no right way or wrong way.  We all have different ideas about how rules can or should be broken as ultimately it’s the end result that matters.  The most important thing from my personal point of view is that we should all follow our own path in whatever we do and create our own style rather than follow in someone else’s footsteps. Learn from others of course, but walk your own path. In other words, strive to create art that reflects your individualism.

I found the fofllowing quote or perhaps I should say (explanation), written by Minami Ishibashi,  one of the artists  on the KnitJapan website.  It describes the philosophy of freeform perfectly!  By all means substitute ‘crochet’ for knitting if you need to – the quote was written by a knitter and I’m not about to change her words in order to make it politically correct.

“Knitting is a process where every stitch contributes to the whole.
By increasing or decreasing the number of stitches, any shape can be created.
The character of the knitted stitch makes the work elastic.
This elasticity is useful when making something to wear.
When it comes to clothes, there are many other factors to bear in mind.
They can’t be too large, too heavy, or too rigid.
With so many rules how do we set our creativity free?
If we relax the rules, and focus on following our perceptions
Then, quite suddenly, many potential qualities of the material are exposed.
From a light and soft yarn to a tough and hard thread
Using hard thread makes your weave tough.
A solid weave can be three-dimensional.
There are no limitations on how we should use colour.
Strong and vivid colours can be used together.
Or we can use only subtlest of white tones.
The size of the work can be limitless.
Provided the work is interesting, no matter how big or how heavy, everything is fine.
Removing limitations about shape, material, colour or size is a real challenge.
What matters most then, is the theme of the work.
Searching for that theme becomes an important task.
You always have to look for it in order to find it.
Sometimes you’ll find it within the quality of the materials, or the techniques you use.
You might just as easily find it in a flower in a field, a pebble in the road or an advertisement poster in a town.
You might just as easily find it somewhere more abstract: in yourself.”

…………………………………………………………………..Minami Ishibashi

If you have never attempted freeform crochet and/or knitting, and wish to try it, let me assue you that you are in for a whole heap of fun. Of course, it’s certainly not for everyone but if you are game, then do please give it a try.
You will need to know the basics of knit and crochet before you embark on a freeform journey but if you have this knowledge it really is as simple as this:

Choose a colourway of several yarns, pick up a crochet hook or a pair of needles, cast on or chain a few stitches and you are off on the adventure of a lifetime, by “taking your yarn for a walk”.
One of the things I like most about freeform, is the total design freedom it allows. There are no patterns, (although I do have ‘patterns’ in my freeform books for fragments as I call them, to help those new to the technique get started – others call them scrumbles) virtually no rules, mistakes become design elements, and best of all, no swatching! In fact you can mix as many crochet and/or knit stitches and yarn varieties as your heart desires without fear of failure.

NOTE: In depth instructions for creating and assembling freeform projects can be found in my books.

Just as I refer to freeform crochet as “taking your yarn for a walk”, I also have a favourite term to describe freefrom knitting, and that is “any which way knitting” which simply means you can go off in all directions.

There  are many different ways to freeform knit:

• You can knit fragments and join them together later – most of my freeform work was done this way
• You can choose to “grow” a fragment – you need to continually refer to a template if working this way.
• You can knit short rows to create shapes within your project
• use a log cabin style of knitting
• you can knit diagonal squares of the same size and put them together in an arrangement of your choosing
• you can knit strips of plain or patterned knitting and join them in a configuration of your choosing
• Note: A template is a shape cut from calico/old sheeting or similar in the shape of a vest, jacket, bag etc. It’s basically used as a guide.

Apart from a never-ending supply of materials, what more does a textile artist want?

Knit fragment

Crochet fragment

Single colour sample

“Solo”

“Abstract”

Detaild of AWWK

“Solo” used the same crocheted fragment, arranged in different ways, stitched to background with surface embellishment added.
“Abstract” is diagonally knitted square with surface crochet added
“Detail of AWWK” (Any Which Way Knitting) is a closeup of a larger piece showing the different angles of knitted sections. Using short rows makes it easy to change direction in knitted fragments

AWWK sample

Magic Ball 2

AWWK Knit and Crochet

The sample on the left shows what a piece looks like when using a ‘magic ball’ to created fabric. All the ends are used for either surface crochet or embroidery – french knots work really well for this. See middle image which has had french knots added
Note: A magic ball is made from tying lengths of different yarns together, leaving long ends, and then knitting or crocheting from that ball.
The sample on the right is what the front of a larger piece looks like when finished.

“Taking Your Yarn For a Walk”

“Any Which Way Knitting”

“Outback”

“Reefscape”

“Grow As You Go”

Images of finished garments

“That’s a Wrap”

“Homage to a Magpie”

“Then and Now” – crochet in freeform style

“Strips”

“Perfect Squares”

“Floating”

“Amber On Black”

“Circles on Circles”

And just for something different, there is always “freeform” jewllery.

“Do not fear mistakes. There are none”
– Miles Davis