Introducing Nundle Yarnista: Bunny Devine

May we introduce Nundle Yarnista: Bunny Devine

I come from a long line of crocheters and knitters and hands-on make it yourself type people.  I remember sitting at the feet of my great grandmother - Gammy as she sat crocheting in her massive rocking chair watching her hands move swiftly and deftly over the piece, hearing her blue budgie Charlie-bird singing in his cage next to her. 

 

From as long as I could remember, my Nanna (Gammy's daughter), always had a little cane basket and a knitted piece on the go.  I could tell her mood by how loudly her needles clacked as she worked and as soon as I was old enough, my Nanna gave me some wool and a pair of needles and I was off.  I've knitted since I was about 6.5-7 years old and learnt to crochet with Gammy shortly after.  I loved to sit next my Nanna and knit beside her, although I'm sure now that I must have been quite distracting to her, but it was always our special time together.  Nothing seemed impossible to my Nanna, from, dresses to bathers, cushions to throws.

 

These two strong ladies from country Victoria shared stories, cups of tea and their love through the amazing pieces they made.  I still have all the baby clothes they made for me in soft rainbow pastel shades and my favourite jumper was knitted by my Nanna when I was about 7.  It was a brilliant cherry red pure wool round necked jumper with a white pattern over the chest that looked like big square white teeth to me when I was little.  Alas, I no longer have the jumper as it was passed on when I grew out of it, but I still have fond memories of the brilliant women who inspired and encouraged me.

 

I taught myself to knit pure wool socks about 10 years ago and now I'm the family sock knitter, making sure everyone has thick wool socks for winter, to silk sockettes for the girls in summer.  Turns out, theres been one sock knitter in most generations of my mums family, except it stopped with my Nanna.......... until I found a pattern, and then it flowed like a babbling brook.

 

I knit all year round, but often take a few weeks break after challenging projects and I look to magazines, thrift  and vintage shops and the internet for inspiration.  I'm a member of Ravelry (Vintage Princess) and follow sites like Craft Gawker as well as numerous handcrafted blogs.

 

I will knit almost anything and my most challenging piece to date is a full size canna lily hat which was commissioned by my best friend for her step-mother.  It took me thirteen attempts and I wrote the pattern as I knitted and the thirteenth attempt was the charm.

 

I feel so proud and blessed to have been selected as a finalist in the Nundle Yarns "Most Creative Yarnista".  I can't wait to share my outrageous piece.

 

For now, I'm back off to my non-creative day job, but just know I'll be itching to get home and knit a few more rows tonight.

 

Happy knitting and creating, may your ideas be grand and your work wonderful.

Cheers

 

Ally aka Bunny Devine xxx