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 February 2007 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: WNY Caregivers How to Knit a Bunny By Gail Nicholson
Gail Nicholson: How long have you been knitting? Erica Stuckwisch: I came to knitting late. I didn’t learn until my junior year of college in 1995. I honestly don’t know what I did before I learned — it’s such a mainstay for me, I’d even say that knitting is a big part of my identity. GN: There is so much detail in your work. Do you find that you gravitated to the finer work over time? ES: There’s a level of complexity that keeps me engaged in a knitting project. I started out writing my own patterns from the get-go. My first project was a pair of green and white striped above-the-knee socks. I found a commercial pattern for the foot, but I couldn’t find anything for that long a leg, so I did the math and wrote the pattern. I’ve been using finer yarns to knit socks since the beginning, but the kind of lace knitting I’m using in my current shawl is something I picked up later. As for detail, I’m very detailed about fit and finishing-knitting darts into close fitting sweaters, designing sweaters with shaped armscyes and sleeve caps for better fit and movement. A lot of that is informed by my job as the draper at Studio Arena, where I make the patterns for all the costumes we build there. I also learned a ton of great techniques at my old knitting guild in Rochester — cast on’s, cast off’s, picking up and knitting on sleeves, bands, and so on, instead of sewing them on later. GN: And does this take patience? ES: It’s funny, people often assume so when they see me knitting, but it’s a matter of perspective. I knit things that have enough pattern or shaping or something to keep me interested through the whole project. What I don’t have patience for is those long garter stitch scarves that people mistakenly start beginners on. GN: Tell us about the shawl. ES: I’m making the shawl for my wedding in May. I had purchased all the cashmere I could afford (about four ounces) at the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival two Septembers ago. This past summer a good friend and co-worker gave me a gift of about four ounces of soy silk — a new fiber produced from soy beans, and I always have angora combed off of my satin angora rabbit, Rusty. Once my fiance and I started planning the wedding, I realized that I did want to make something for it, although not the dress. At some point I realized that all three fibers might be really great together, so I used my spinning wheel to spin a fine single thread of each fiber, and then plied the three together — cashmere, angora, and soy silk. They ended up making a lovely yarn that showcased the nicest qualities of each. I’m now knitting it into a lace shawl that I’ll wear for the wedding ceremony and reception. GN: How did you come up with the idea of using the fur from your rabbit? ES: I got my first angora rabbit about six months after my beloved lizards died. I had also learned to spin a few years before that and had friends who got all the wool that they wanted from their small flocks of sheep. Of course you can’t keep a sheep in a city apartment, but I had another friend with a house rabbit named Willow. Until I met Willow, my only experience was with rabbits kept in outdoor hutches, who tend to be lonely and possibly scared or angry because of their situation. I was amazed to meet this little rabbit who used a litter pan and ran up to guests looking for treats. When socialized in the house with the family, a rabbit who is already intelligent and has a great capacity for affection, can also become fully domesticated — playing games with people and running right up to anyone with a favorite treat. Once I met Willow I was hooked on rabbits. From there it was only a short jump to an angora rabbit who would provide me with luxury fiber to spin — and take up much less space than a sheep. My rabbit Rusty is a satin angora, an especially shiny breed of angora whose fiber I haven’t even seen available in the garment industry. He sheds every three to four months. With what he has shed over the past three years and what I have brushed off him between sheddings, I may have as much as two pounds of angora saved up. I hadn’t gotten around to spinning much of his angora before I started this project, but I knew the angora would harmonize well with the softness of the cashmere and the shine and drape of the silk. The angora is what gives the yarn it’s rusty color and it’s halo. GN: I look forward to seeing the finished piece. Thank you. back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
