The truth that everything ingenious is simple is alsoonce found its confirmation in the work of Australian designer, artist and needlewoman Prudence Mapstone. Prudence took and came up with a new knitting technique - freeform. Freeform is a new word in needlework. These are not just designer delights, it is absolute freedom, the absence of any rules and restrictions, as well as unpredictability and exclusivity. The freeform technique is one of the most unusual types of knitting, which is based on the principles of irregular knitting and the technology of making Irish lace. From English "Freeform" is translated as free form. The fabric knitted in this technique is more reminiscent of painting than hand knitwear. Due to the unusualness and uniqueness of freeform, it literally conquered needlewomen all over the world. And thanks to the Internet, its popularity is becoming more and more high every day. What is the secret of such popularity?
Freeform features
Despite the absence of rules, freedom of choice of materials and knitting methods, the freeform technique still has some distinctive features.
Taking into account the features of the canvas, made inFreeform technique, it is mainly used for making bags, jewelry, coats, cardigans, vests and other products made from thick and heavy knitwear.
Freeform principle
Freeform is a knitting technique based on the principlemosaics. A whole picture is assembled from separate fragments. That is why knitting should begin with one of the small elements. First, a circle, flower, shell or some kind of spiral is knitted. Then other elements or a small canvas (smooth, openwork, relief) are added to it. These elements should differ in both color and texture. For contrasting elements, an underlining stitch is used. In this way, a separate scramble is created. The finished scrambles are laid out according to the pattern, fastened with pins and connected to each other with a hook or sewn with a needle (from the inside). If as a result, there are voids between the scrambles, they are covered with additional small motifs. When knitting scrambles, it is important to ensure that they are flat and even from the inside. That is, the fabric should not tighten and bubble.
Freeform elements
To give the canvas relief and texturemost often used is a twisted or mail column. This is the main element of freeform. Such columns are crocheted in various ways. They are placed either as a ribbon or in a circle. To knit post columns, 5 to 10 turns are made on the hook, and then the working thread is pulled through them and through the loop from the chain. In addition to twisted columns, there are other main elements of freeform. These are crocheted elements:
- block-column,
- a magnificent column,
- a convex (concave) column,
- rachy step,
- kulechek (popcorn, kukruznoe grain),
- bell,
- spirals,
- seashells,
- bumps,
- berries,
- wings.
The technique of knitting freeforms also impliesthe presence of knitted elements. These are, as a rule, more even and flat fragments of scrambles. They seem to balance the excessive convexity of the fabric. But even whole scrambles can be knitted exclusively with knitting needles. Such elements make it possible to see the texture of the yarn. Patterns for crocheting elements can be easily found in any specialized literature and on the Internet. For knitted scrambles, you can use any traditional patterns and designs from multi-colored yarn. In a word, everything that your imagination is capable of. The freeform knitting technique gives such freedom of creativity as no other type of knitting. Perhaps this is why freeform is winning more and more fans around the world. Each model made in this technique is not just beautiful, but exclusively designer. Freeform is not only a special technique, it is also an art close to painting, where there are laws of harmony, but no restrictions. And any rules act only as a tool for the embodiment of the author's vision of the world. We recommend reading:
