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Charlene Schurch
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Charlene Schurch has lived all over this country from the suburbs of Philadelphia to Milwaukee, to New York City, and she now resides in the great state of Florida. Her stitching interests are just as diverse. Charlene loves knitting, spinning, weaving, crochet; she even loves to dye yarn.
Charlene comes from honest fiber heritage. Learning to knit at the age of four, her Mother Anne was as Charlene would say, a grazer when it came to her crafting talents, braiding and hooking rugs, crocheting, knitting, and quilting. Her Mother was not only talented but patient, but Charlene was most interested in the knitting part, knitting her first sweater by the time she was ten. When I met Charlene, honestly I didn’t know that much about her. I knew that she had a new book out ‘Sock Club: Join the Knitting Adventure’, a book she co-wrote with Beth Parrott, a dear friend. I was also aware of her other sock books, ‘Sensational Knitted Socks’, and ‘More Sensational Knitted Socks’. I had no idea of her other books, with interests like mittens, hats, girls & dolls, and her love for her Czech heritage.
Charlene’s thorough research has allowed her to bring us ancient patterns from the Komi people of northeast European Russia. Not an easy task, starting at the New York Public Library, Charlene soon realized a translator would be needed. In compiling these knitting patterns of the Komi people, she learned much and put onto paper what was otherwise an oral and visual tradition. Her book ‘Mostly Mittens: Traditional Knitting Patterns from Russia’s Komi People’, is now in its second revised edition. The patterns are compelling and very ethnic.
Charlene knits a variety of things, she also spins, weaves, dyes and crochets. When I was interviewing her, I saw her shawl that she had just finished. Charlene takes three to four trips a year to teach. I asked Charlene about yarn, if she had a favorite; her reply was: “it’s either about the knitting or it’s about the yarn”. For Charlene, it’s definitely about the knitting; she has a very pedestrian taste in yarn and says that the basics are much better for the photography.
Charlene lives in a rather remote area of Florida, near Fort Myers. It’s not that remote, she does live in a neighborhood. Her husband is retired and they are enjoying life. Charlene is on her second career; from a computer programmer and sales executive with AT&T, to a knitter/teacher/author. Charlene and her husband don’t have any children, but a lovely Maine Coon cat named Lucy. Although Charlene learned to knit very early, and she knit through high school and college, it took a little niece in the family to be born, to really start that fire that has brought us so many classic books from Charlene Schurch. From the ‘Sunshine State’ of Florida, Charlene you’ve given us a lot with your vast talent. Thanks for the interview, and I plan on making a pair of mittens in the fall!
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