MATERIALS: SILK, WOOL, AND BOILED WOOL, WIRE. 6 FEET HIGH

THE FIRST THING I WORKED ON WAS THE TREE OF LIFE. THE WHOLE SHOW CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE I ALWAYS KNITTED WEIRD SWEATERS AND I ALWAYS TRIED TO BREAK THE PATTERN OF HOW A SWEATER SHOULD BE MADE. I HAVE NEVER USED A PATTERN, COUNTED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD MY KNITTING IS FREESTYLE. I LIKE THAT WORD. SO I HAD THIS IDEA OF KNITTING A TREE. SO I STARTED BY BUILDING A BASE OF BOLD WOOL SWEATERS THAT I CUT UP AND DID A HOOK RUG BASE ON CHICKEN WIRE. MY POOR HANDS… IT WAS VERY COLORFUL AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE. THEN I KNITTED THE TRUNK EVEN WITH THE GREEN MOSS IN MOHAIR. THEN I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THE LEAVES SO I FOUND SOME INCREDIBLE ANTIQUE SARIE FABRIC AND MADE EACH LEAF OUT OF THESE BEAUTIFUL FABRICS. IT TOOK ME SIX MONTHS TO DO THE TREE. THE IDEA SEEMED SO SIMPLE.