11 Skeans

23 x 26.25 cm

Found black and white photograph, wool ("Froehlich Wolle - Swiss"), pg. 141 from a book on Animals in their geographical environment, origami paper, found (black) paper from a photo album

Note: this work was a bit wider than my scan bed so the entire work is not shown. The part on the right extends out a bit more.


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I started this work yesterday and last night had a dream about it...

The first time I learned how to knit I was working in a small shop in North Berkeley, right by the Solano Tunnel, called "Nine Patch". I have very fond memories of this time. Elaine runs the shop, (which is still around) specializing in selling quilts, baskets and knickknacks, including socks and stockings of all kinds. (I think that is when I got into patterned socks.) Needlesstosay there was a lot of down time. I sat in there with a colleague. Throughout the day with not much to do after the regular tasks of stocking and cleaning, my colleague was always knitting. She had a special knitting technique...she wrapped the wool around her pointing finger of her left hand (as Janice is doing here) - she said that was the "European" way of doing it. When I asked, she taught me how. Pretty soon we were both knitting together - drinking tea, and selling the occasional thing here or there. It was so very gemütlich.
Knitting has always been an incredible point of departure for me. I think because it is hard for me to sit still and do nothing - here was/is the perfect solution - I am forced to sit still but actually can be productive at the same time. And it is like anything you do with your hands - there is instant satisfaction. In addition it is a very meditative activity and everything around me always quickly gets covered up by the wool I am using.