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Starting Over

Kaffe Fassett started his autobiography "Dreaming in Color" like this:

As I set in my studio surrounded by my creative material - fabrics, yarns, paper prints, shelves of books, and collections of decorative objects - I can't help but reflect on the path that led me here.


In mid-June, after the Black Forest Fire, I was looking at the remains of almost everything and I've been following a different path ever since.  All the sudden the blog turned out to be unimportant.  But, it also turns out to be all I have left of some items.  My laptop survived, but none of the backups.  So I have some recent pictures.

Because of amazingly generous family and friends (and friends of friends and strangers), I've started recollecting creative materials and I need to keep track of what I make.  So, here are some of my first steps after the fire.

At first, I was too numb and shocked to do much, but slowly, I've started stitching and being creative.  I still don't have too much time.  Restarting and rebuilding takes time.  But some evenings when I have the energy I'm working on projects.  After 6 months, I'm beginning to have even more time.


My first project was a skinny Shepherds Bush sampler given by a friend.  At only an inch wide it was a good small project to start with.  At the bottom, after the word "home" was a gate.  I changed it to a home.


Deciding to hemstitch was probably not a good decision.  In my distracted state the corners weren't done well and I had to patch over one with some ribbon because I miscut and totally destroyed it.



Next, I finished a bookmark that was in a bag that was grabbed in haste during a rushed evacuation (I was at work and couldn't get to the house before the area was closed off).


It was part of a Stitchalong and was 90% done at the time.  All I needed to do was add the eyelets and finish.

Another project that was saved was my first pair of knitted socks.  One sock was complete and I had just knitted the toe of the second sock.  Given my lack of concentration and the fact that they were on size 0 or 1 needles I knew I wouldn't be working on them for a while (actually, I recently felt comfortable enough to pick them up again).  So, I got some dishcloth yarn at Walmart and knitted a new house from Chalk Legs.


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