I began knitting in 1977 to stave off boredom and have never stopped. After a while I came to see knitting differently, as design rather than as function. Then I started seeing everything differently. Everything became potential material for art. The materials that inspire me most are leftovers. Whether I am cooking, gardening, buying clothes, or making art, I most enjoy using bits and pieces that others have left behind. I find materials left by others at artist retreats, I use fabric from clothes that have been discarded. I find natural materials when on walks, and I pick up things left on the side of the road. I have a large collection of stuff and I spend significant time reorganizing it. Nothing pleases me more than finally finding a use for something that I have saved for twenty years or finding that odd items left on the table will work together for my next piece. Putting odd bits together in unexpected ways is my joy.
— Deborah Levine
