Tuesday 5 April 2011

Orenburg Lace workshop


Galina Khmeleva
On 26th and 27th March, thirteen members of the Blue Mountains group of the Knitters' Guild of NSW, participated in an Orenburg Lace workshop with Galina Khmeleva, a Russian born knitter now living in the USA.

On Saturday we learnt how to cast on, follow graphs and bind off. The beautiful delicacy of Orenburg Lace belies the fact that it is mostly made up of only knit stitches, with a combination of yarn overs and knitting stitches together. It is deceptively simple.

participants working on their first sample (on Saturday)
We were given homework to knit a border of four "teeth" and two simple garter stitch squares of fifteen stitches and thirty rows each.
a participant's unblocked sample #2 (from Sunday) - borders and corner
On Sunday we learnt how to graft without sewing, how to turn corners and how to block our lace.
Galina demonstrates her method of blocking

pinned out for blocking

Late on Sunday afternoon, Galina also gave us a demonstration of using the Russian support spindle.
Russian support spindle

On both mornings and throughout the lunch break, there were books, magazines and yarns for sale and lots of Galina's knitted items for us to admire.
Look at me!

Galina's quick wit and dry sense of humour made the workshops all the more enjoyable. Her recount of the history of the Orenburg region and the lace making industry were fascinating.

Thank you, Galina; we look forward to your next visit.

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