Judy Dercum
Dillon, CO USA
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Books |
None.
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| Specialty |
Designing and knitting original, one of a kind wearable art using natural dyed natural fiber. My designs are influenced by the landscapes and cultures of the Southwest. For a number of years I have designed patterns and knit one of a kind sweaters for La Lana wools of Taos, New Mexico.
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| Contact Information: |
3485 Montezuma Rd. Dillon, CO USA
La Lana wools / Taos wool mill
StitchesMarket.com No.
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| Favorite Knitting Book |
Knitting in America, Falic.
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| Favorite knitting reference |
The Principals of Knitting, Hiatt.
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| Favorite Knitting Tip |
Don't worry about the tangles, they sort themselves out.
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| Classes |
Southwest design/ color relationships/natural plant dyeing.
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| Biography |
I have knit for almost 50 years, starting as a young girl, learning from my mother. I knit sweaters for my own children and as I traveled I learned to knit Telemark sweaters in Norway, Arans, Fair Isles and Guernsey in Scotland and England. Later, I designed my own patterns, using the influences of the landscape where I live, the shapes, textures and colors of the Southwest. I picked up the rhythm of the geometric forms of mesas, the colors of the canyons, the mountains and the sky.
To capture these colors I began experimenting with natural dyes. In this I was inspired by Louisa Galenter owner of La Lana wools in Taos, New Mexico.
For a number of years I have been designing and knitting one of a kind Sweaters for La Lana Wools. These sweaters have sold to International clients as well as to celebrities. I Was included among knitters of the Southwest in the book, "Knitting in America".
I was once a national level ski racer, now my passion is hiking and gathering plants for natural dyeing. My children are now grown, artists in there own right, and I love to help others find their creativity by getting into wool and color!
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| What is your knitting mantra? |
COlOR! COLOR! COLOR!
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| What inspires you? |
Landscape, color, culture.
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| Confess - when it comes to hiding your yarn, what are your secrets? |
I don't hide it I live in it. I have a yarn castle!
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| What is your idea of knitting heaven? |
A place where cost is no object and I can use any material I want.
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| How many UFO's (Unfinished Objects)do you have going at once? |
None, I'm obsessive, possibly compulsive, definitely insane about knitting.
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| My yarn stash equals the GNP (Gross National Product) of ... |
the USA, and all those Swiss numbered bank accounts, plus all the off shore accounts in the Cayman Islands.
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| Whom would you like to see accept an Academy Award wearing your creation? |
Julia Roberts, she owns one of my sweaters, better yet she bought a La Lana vest kit of mine. You have to root for a fellow knitter!
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| What knitting commandment do you most like to break? |
Don't tangle your yarn. My yarn is a voracious animal wich I never try to tame.
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| What frequently-asked knitting question do you hate to answer? |
Can I knit it in acrylic?
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| What is your most dog-eared knitting reference? |
Principals of Knitting, although the computer manuals for my design programs would run a close second.
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| When and how did you learn to knit? |
As a child, from mother.
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| What is the most unusual place you've ever knitted? |
Along the Colorado river in southeast Utah at over 100 F. Wool sweaters are definitely the way to deal with that dry heat.
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| How long can you last without knitting? |
What? Not knit?!!!
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| If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one yarn, book, or gizmo would you want along? |
My Needle Master. It has all the needle sizes.
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| How many hours have you knitted non-stop - and why? |
I knit 10 to 12 hour days frequently. Did I mention that I am obsessed by knitting? Bloody fingers indicate when I have over done it.
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| What do you want your knitting epitaph to say? |
It was a tangled but COLORFUL life!!!
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| Who would you like to greet you in knitting heaven? |
Rumplestiltskin, wouldn't you just die to knit with his gold yarn?
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