Ross wins grand prize for crocheted ultrasound image

FALLBROOK – At the National Knit and Crochet Show, June 22 to 25, Kayt Ross of Fallbrook, took second and third in the Artistic Expression category and first in ‘First Time Entrant’ as well as the grand prize for the design competition which came with a $1,000 prize, donated by Red Heart.

The Grand Design winning piece, named ‘Emily Rose’ after her four-year-old daughter, depicts an ultrasound image of Emily, created ambidextrously in ‘thread painted’ crochet, a technique using multiple yarn strands in different shades of yarn, worked together, allowing a shade range of 3,125 possible colors from only five colors of yarn.

This technique is relatively new to the crochet design world at this level, and received tremendous attention from novices and judges alike. Judges comments included: "… you have created a showstopper!", "As a mother I have to applaud this piece. Amazing from start to finish. What a keepsake!", "Absolutely amazing!" The show took place this year in San Diego.

Ross has been crocheting since she was a young child, taught by her grandmother in England. In recent years her work has transitioned from lacework and clothing, to artistic expression, sculptural crochet, freeform and thread painting.

For her, crochet is a vibrant, versatile medium for artistic expression and sculpture. Ross manages a local Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) chapter here in Fallbrook, open to all crocheters and is for a limited time, teaching free beginning crochet on the first Saturday of the month at her studio Vivacious Art Gallery, just off Main Ave. See www.vivaciousart.com for details.