In the world of crochet, Linda Skuja needs no introduction. She is an award-winning crochet designer from Riga, Latvia. She has been featured in numerous publications like Interweave Crochet and Vogue Knitting Crochet, among others, and she will release her first book in September.
I've been following Linda Skuja's work for some time now. Her innovative shaping techniques are unique; we can immediately recognize her work. And even though it's been on my Ravelry queue for a long time, I haven't brought myself to crochet Linda’s pattern yet. It's one of those things that you can't explain! So when a Domestika course with her came up, I didn't think twice and bought it!
What you will learn in this workshop
As in all Domestika courses, we start with an introduction to the designer's work and get to know her influences and inspirations, which is always very enriching. And then we move on to the juicy stuff!
The project is the construction of a bottom-up sweater, crocheted flat separately and sewn in afterward. For those who are terrified of sewing, rest assured there is a unit dedicated to this topic, and Linda walks us through it step by step.
This course is beginner-friendly. Even the basic stitches have videos, as do the rest used in the pattern. After tackling the gauge swatch, we move on to learning the crochet short rows technique. This is the differentiating element of Linda's work. Undoubtedly, short rows are known in the construction of yoke sweaters. Still, her different approach to this technique and the decorative stitches destabilize the traditional construction of a sweater and creates very original decorative diagonal stripes.
We are guided through all the steps and elements of our sweater. So we have videos for the ribbing, neckline shaping, sleeves, and even blocking. Don’t forget to check out the "Content" section. There we can find PDFs with charts and written instructions. I believe that combining visual learning and written instructions improves our abilities and helps us become more self-reliant makers.
Now that I've mastered crochet short rows with Linda's workshop, I can't wait for her new book, which I've already pre-ordered. I'll come back in September to tell you all about it!
