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Some of these comments were originally made on Ravelry, or other online groups,

and have been copied with the permission of the authors.

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Looking back on the workshop in Maryland at Lahara, and having received wonderful reviews from those who were here, I’ve been thinking about ‘what it all meant’, what was learned (other than having a really great time). I’ve come to the conclusion that Pat and Steve’s ability to inspire creativity in others is their greatest gift.

There was a really wide range of experience and ability in those who were at the workshop, everyone has commented that there was a lot to learn for everyone on that continuum. Rank beginners participated fully, understood the concepts and got the confidence to go forward. Experienced (old?) knitters and crocheters had plenty to put in their repertoire. I realized that I had let daily life become the excuse for not designing (much less finishing) projects that had been roaming around my brain for a while. We had fun, we learned and we made new friends - life doesn’t get better than that!

Ginny

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First let me say that yesterday (Sat.) I drove down with another Raveler to CT for a workshop with Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer (Woolly Thoughts). So, on one hand I’m full of their great ideas for using squares knit on the diagonal (and then shaped, too) to knit stuff. I have a sweater sketched out. One plan is to knit each square in the same base color (blue) and then to double stand the blue with a strand of dyed lace-weight yarn, and dye the strand to a blending range of complementary colors (right now I’m leaning towards burgundy, pink, purple, light blue, and maybe a splash of lime green). If it swatches out the way I imagine it, I should have a subtle shift in color throughout the sweater.

Then still using the diagonally knit square, I plan to knit nine two-color squares, using a base color for half the square and a different color for the other half. I’ve got nine colors, so I will end up with sets of nine squares for each nine colors for an afghan. Then I will make myself crazy trying to decide how to sew them all together.

Suzanne

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I attended the May 2008 workshop at Lahara in Barnesville, Maryland. I’m a crocheter, so I had great fun converting all the knitting instructions into equivalent crocheting. Sure, I had to rip out and do over at least once for most steps, but I still finished faster than most knitters, given how much quicker crocheting is. From the piece we started at the workshop, I just kept adding on along the edges, until it grew into a 14” square!

After I finished, I realized the result was rather similar to your CCC pattern, though some of my shapes are a bit more irregular. Now I’ve just finished your Wind Up cushion cover and have plans to make the Hexaflexagon.

Would I take another workshop with you? YES!!! Would I recommend taking your workshop to all my stitching friends? YES - I already have! I do hope you’ll be back here soon.

CreativeCrocheter

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Just wanted to report on the May 4 workshop in Maryland. What fun! (Although there were some rather painful flashbacks to tenth grade geometry) The slide show is amazing. Applying math to knitting is very akin to the way Elizabeth Zimmerman’s mind must have worked.

I very HIGHLY RECOMMEND Pat and Steve’s workshop!!! I was in the first one in Barnesville, Maryland, the Sunday of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. Definitely worth it, and I’m not a math teacher, nor do I play one on TV. You might want to brush up on your geometry terms before you go, and, as usual, we are two great countries divided by a common language. There ARE differences in terminology between British geometry and American geometry! I found a nice, basic, online dictionary here that even explains the terms from both sides of the pond.

Lisa D

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May 11th workshop

The Woolly Thoughts workshop in New Hamburg (Ontario) was a joy. Karen from Shall We Knit had arranged for us to meet at MeMe's cafe and we all crowded in. What a wonderful opportunity it was for us to spend a few hours with Pat and Steve, to follow along with their well paced presentation that gave all of us plenty to think about no matter what skills we brought in with us. They used their Square to Eternity cushion to introduce us to the art of building with patterns from basic garter stitch shapes.

There was guidance for beginners, encouragement for the timid and lots of ideas for those who wanted to launch out and design for themselves and occasional titbits to entertain the mathematically inclined. But best of all it was just plain fun. Don't miss the chance to go to one of their workshops if you have the opportunity.

Debbie New

Lahara Gallery, Barnesville MD

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