Celebrated textile artist Kaffe Fassett speaks to knitting, quilting and other textile enthusiasts at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga. Using inspiration from practically anywhere, Fassett creates colorful works of art in his textiles. The presentation is part of a weeklong series of workshops on textile art.At 6 feet, 2 inches, Kaffe Fassett is not the typical picture of a knitting guru.
“That was the start,” he said, “shocking people that you’re not a tiny little gnomish woman.”
His journey began on a train. While traveling in Iverness, Scotland, he’d purchased skeins of wool, in 20 colors, and on the way back to London, where he resides, asked a fellow passenger to teach him to knit.
The first thing he ever made was a raglan-sleeve sweater. All 20 colors were included.
“I’ve had two lessons,” he said. “They were 20 minutes each. I just knew. When I saw these yarns, they were the most exquisite echo of the landscape of Scotland, which was the most beautiful landscape I’d seen, ever,” he said. “I’d never seen any bloody interesting knitting using color. Everyone’s going around using beige and navy blue. What is wrong with people?”