Orenburg lace workshop

Galina with her Orenburg Lace Sampler Scarf

On the weekend, DD and I attended a workshop in Orenburg lace techniques hosted by the Blue Mountains group of the Knitters' Guild of NSW. The tutor was Galina Khmeleva. The workshop was very intense and we were both tired on Sunday night.

On the Saturday we learnt how to cast on (a long tail cast on I had not seen before), knit from a graph and bind off using Granny's Purl Stitch. Galina supplied the yarn for the workshop:  I knitted with a beautiful purple 50% merino, 50% silk blend - gorgeous.

On the Sunday we learnt how to make our borders turn corners, how and why to use stitch markers made of yarn (not plastic or metal) and how to block. The yarn for today's workshop was cashmere!

The weekend doesn't sound like much when I write it like that, but we were very busy all weekend!

The workshop was brilliant. Not only did we learn the techniques of Orenburg lace knitting but also the history of the region. Galina also had some beautiful articles to show us and some gorgeous yarns for sale. I was too busy knitting to take photos.

I bought a magazine with the pattern for her sample scarf (see photo) but I have to wait until Galina returns to America to get a copy of her first book (now out of print). In the meantime, I ordered her second book from The Book Depository.

I am desperate to try some lace knitting but do I have suitable yarn in my stash? No way! Acrylic will not work in this instance (lace needs blocking and acrylic won't be blocked). Because I have no pattern (yet), I want to work with the design in my head but I need a lightweight natural fibre yarn to work with. *sigh*

I do have some laceweight in my stash but I have no idea if my ideas will work or if I will have enough yardage to complete the project. Oh the frustration!