Olga Jazzy workshops

Olga Jazzy with her Asanagi shawl

Do you know the feeling, when you open a package and then it contains exactly what you had hoped for? That's how I felt the other day when Katrine stood in front of her desk and said "guess who's visiting and hosting workshops with us!"

"At Önling we have many heroes within the world of knitting,
but Olga Jazzy is one of our favorites."

At Team Önling we are so proud to say this: Olga Jazzy will attend 3 workshops with us in June. The 15th, 16th and 17th of June. Olga Jazzy! Here at Önling we have many heroes within the world of knitting, but Olga Jazzy is one of our favorites.

If you don’t know Olga Jazzy, have a look at her Ravelry profile: https://www.ravelry.com/designers/olga-buraya-kefelian or her website: www.olgajazzy.com.

Olga Jazzy Aranami shawl

Olga Jazzy is highly focused on the details of how different masks, stitches and patterns will match the rest of the design - how a shawl looks its best when it has the exact same cast on edge as the cast off edge. Olga also focuses on how to work with the materials in a new way. She has designed shawls with large circular holes, which you knit without breaking the yarn (without breaking the yarn!).

"Olga Jazzy is highly focused on the details
of how different masks, stitches and patterns
will match the rest of the design"

In her work for Brooklyn Tweed (yes, the Brooklyn Tweed), Olga has created some of their absolute classics in the Capsule Collection. Among other, her Nobu pullover has been on my “to-knit-wishlist” since I saw it for the first time. I'm crazy about the way she has played with the shape of it and how the twists emphasize both the shape and the design. I have to knit it soon!

"So if you want to challenge yourself,
learn something new and turn yourself into a better knitter,
then this is your chance. "

We are so lucky that Olga is visiting Önling’s showroom to teach us all. There will be 3 different workshops from June 15-17. If you are thinking "English patterns – that’s not for me" that shouldn’t be the reason for you not to join – we are there to help you! Both Katrine and I, Mette, will join all 3 days and assist with everything, both with translation and with all the new things we are going to learn. with all 3 days and help it all, both with translating and with all the new things we will learn. 

So if you want to challenge yourself, learn something new and turn yourself into a better knitter, then this is your chance. There is a limited number of seats at each workshop, so there will be plenty of time for everybody to really learn all the new techniques we are presented with. So you have to be quick, if you want a spot :-) 

Olga Jazzy is often inspired by Japan. She has lived in Japan for many years, which is reflected in her very clean design. However, the desire to knit originates from her childhood in Belarus, where knitting was a big part of her upbringing. Olga's mother was a tailor and Olga got pocket money to draw patterns for her mother. She says herself that her understanding of shape and design derives from that. Olga also states that her design process is different from others’. She begins with a knitting sample for a pattern, which she wants to test and then she develops it into a piece of garment. So she does not begin by saying "I want to make a sweater" but with a sample, which then turns into a sweater. It's an incredibly organic way of working and it's very inspiring when somebody turns the process upside down like she does.

Another thing that Olga Jazzy is known for is 3D knitting. She uses the yarn to provide the knitwork with another dimension and many of her designs are based on this. We are particularly excited for Olga’s Novelty Cable workshop the 17th of June, where we are to combine the two things – cables and 3D, as we have to learn how to make the cable stand out even more.  

Olga Jazzy is incredibly skilled at designing in brioche. She plays with decrease and increase and how you can use that pattern to add some other expressions. I am excited to improve my skills at brioche on her workshop, June the 16th.Olga Jazzy Boshoku cowl

The final thing to mention is her design Asanagi: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/asanagi-wrap. There are several people who have knitted it at our knitting salons and it looks so good in Önling’s yarn No. 2. The design is interesting because of the combination of the knitting technique and the colors, which results in something very beautiful and unique,. This design is the topic of our “Modular Knitting” workshop, June the 15th.  that go into a higher unit and the result is something I have never seen before. This design is the subject of our "Knit in Modules" workshop d. June 15th.

Olga Jazzy Asanagi wrap  

It will be 3 exciting days in June - both because we are going to be together and learn a lot, but also because we get a visit from one of the coolest and sweetest knitters in the world. The three workshops are planned as follows:

15/6: Modular Knitting
16/6: Brioche and Beyond
17/6: Novelty cables

Mette Lundstad, design- and knit enthusiast at Önling.