[Nfb-krafters-korner] our speaker tonight bio

[Becky Frankeberger]

H. MORGAN HICKS brings to fiber artists and designers a lifetime of
student-oriented education and training in textile color and design,
fabric-making techniques, specializing in knitting, crochet, and needlework
applications. 

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology specializing in aesthetic
traditions and art education at the University of Oregon, and an M.S. in
Engineering, Technical Writing from University of Washington.  

Being a crocheter and embroiderer since childhood, Morgan took up hand
knitting with ease and accomplishment while employed at Eugene, Oregon's
Yarn Shed. He has had the privilege of working with Elizabeth Zimmermann and
Barbara G. Walker, expert hand knitters, designers, and authors. Upon
graduation, he relocated to Seattle and established Sweaters by Design, and
since 1983, has launched lines of original sweaters for specialty clothiers
and boutiques. With the purchase of his first knitting machine in 1985, a
steady stream of original fabric designs, articles and publications,
innovative solutions for machine knitters, and many extremely popular color
and design courses began that continues today. Many of these designs are the
foundation for his innovative hand knits and crochet creations.  All Points
Yarn was opened in 2008 on a Friday the 13th in May to continue and focus
his creativity and teaching.  To view a small selection of pieces of his
design work, visit his Gallery page. 

An award-winning, credentialed fiber artist, and now, store owner, Morgan
Hicks has been a favorite instructor affiliated with the Fashion Design
department of the Art Institutes International in Seattle where he presented
courses in fashion marketing, portfolio development, computer-aided fashion
design, and business writing.  He received a Master's degree in Engineering
specializing in Technical Communication from the world-renown University of
Washington where he was awarded an Outstanding Teaching Award. Morgan has
published over 50 articles and numerous designs in North American knitting
periodicals, including KnitWords, Machine Knitters Source, Knit 'n' Style,
and Machine Knit America, and is the creative force behind the Design
Compendium CDs, the Mosaic Knitting Companion CD, and the Passap E8000 Cross
Reference.  He is the inventor of the Leg Extensions for knitting machine
stands, the "Claws-free" Fabric Weight for machine knitting, the  Tandem
Knitting Bracket, and the creator of the Simplified Color System for textile
designers. He works tirelessly as a source of inspiration to hand and
machine knitters, and crochet and needlework consumers the world over to
provide technical solutions to their project or design problems.  He is an
inspiring, enthusiastic knit fabric designer, having produced thousands of
beautiful motifs for machine and hand knitting and crochet, a developer of
new stitches and techniques for crochet and machine and hand knitting, as
well as pursuing the ongoing interests in historical and new technology in
fashion. 

His interests include archaeology and anthropology, fine arts and fashion
history, science and engineering, landscape gardening, travel, and the
culinary arts.  He was a contributing writer for KnitWords magazine until it
ceased publication in 2010, and has demonstrations, classes, and workshops
at national hand- and machine-knitting seminars, such as TNNA, Newton's Yarn
Country festivals, knitter's cruises, and the West Coast Men's Fall Knitting
Retreat.

He is currently the owner of All Points Yarn in Des Moines, WA where he
offers a full-range of personalized classes and color/design workshops from
beginning to advanced knitting and crochet, machine knitting, fabric and
needle felting, dyeing, embroidery, and needlepoint.