My first experiments in freeform crochet were sometime in the mid 2000’s after finding Freeform: Serendipitous Design Techniques for Knitting and Crochet, a fantastic book by Prudence Mapstone. I’d crocheted since childhood, but the organic freeform fabrics in this book opened my eyes to the vast possibilities of crochet as an art form. Since then, I’ve learned from Prudence, Myra Wood, Jane Thornley, Hannah Martin, Jenny Dowde, James Walters, and Sylvia Cosh through their books, workshops, or online classes.
For a while now, I’ve enjoyed finding interesting ways to combine freeform with simple knitting or crochet to create very wearable accessories. One such design (seen in the photo above), the Freeform Favorite, is available as a freeform-ish guide that teaches freeform techniques and philosophy. Basic freeform elements taught with specific instructions are balanced with ideas for developing improvisatory freeform skills. It can be used for self-guided study, but I also use it to teach classes for beginning freeformers.
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