Back in January, on Molokai, I spent my first week as the Artist in Residence mostly just soaking up inspiration.

And taking ALL the photos! (Join me on Patreon as a free member to get access to all my Molokai residency posts.)

Once I started to have a feel for the energy of the place, I began to sketch and paint and started to swatch a little bit. (I brought yarn especially for swatching.)

One of my little abstract beach studies, painted on a postcard, was such a simple expression that I wasn't sure anyone else would like it nearly as much as I did!

But I knew, even as I finished painting it, that it was the start of something more.

Creation is often cyclical for me, though, yes, it can sometimes be more like a big bang!

The Sibyllinity Scarf, for example, was one of those designs that nearly wrote itself.

And it would be a beautiful reinterpretation of my little abstract seaside painting! All it would need is a gradient set of teal blues instead of peachy pinks, right?

(Psst, I bet Leading Men Fiber Arts has one if you wanna try it!)

I have a bit of a soft spot for color blocking.

It's fun.

You can do a lot with it or keep it simple.

And there are endless different ways to use it.

Of course, this painting makes it really easy to imagine a few possibilities!

White or a really pale shimmery blue + dark brown or black for contrast + punchy teal blue.

Bam! You can't lose.

I sat there after finishing this little painting and thought about it becoming a large scale abstract painting or a simple color blocked tapestry or a cool color blocked crochet design—it could easily be a scarf or a shawl or a blanket... even a cowl! Or a garment.

Like I said. Endless possibilities!

Well, it took me nearly nine months to reimagine it in fiber, but this past weekend we spent a couple days at the beach and I decided it would be a perfect project to work on.

So I pulled out that little painting, now matted and enclosed in plastic to protect it during its display time at my local library, and sorted through some fiber, and gathered up my battery powered spinning wheel and accessories, and packed it all up for the beach!

Here's a first look at the inspiration alongside the fiber:

And here's a look at spinning under the trees on Hale Koa Beach!

It was amazing.

I wrote more about it and shared tons more photos over on Patreon.

If I could make a living at it, I would totally spend all my time spinning and crocheting on the beach, ha ha!

What a dream life that would be indeed.

I really do love how this tapestry turned out. Seascape II, I'm calling it. Simple, I know. But that's what it was always intended to be.

Of course, it may not mean nearly as much to someone else as it does to me.

From the first seeds of the idea during what was a very special time for me on Molokai.

To the simple little beach study painting.

To the months of percolating, lol.

Imagining it as a crochet design, like the Sibyllinity Scarf, or even as a blanket.

To finally making the decision (nearly on a whim) to gather up some fiber and spin it into a yummy little skein of handspun yarn to turn into a sweet little tapestry!

I mean, just look how cute this mini-skein is!

And the hand-wound ball of yarn, too, of course.

I think my pictures from the beach are way better than anything I've taken of the finished tapestry so far back home, lol. It just isn't nearly so pretty here in my poorly lit house, ha ha! Or even in the backyard or out under the trees, where I'm constantly surrounded by chickens.

Hopefully I'll be able to take it back to the beach sometime for a quick little photo shoot of the completely finished piece.

In the meantime, I'll be enjoying her here at home and yes, probably submitting her to an art show or two! (I've already added her to my portfolio, of course.)

So tell me...

If YOU were to take this bit of inspiration and turn it into a crochet pattern, what would it be?

What sort of stitches or techniques would you use?

How might you reimagine this in crochet??

And if you have your own picture that you'd like to use as inspiration for a project, but you're not quite sure how to do it, hit reply and let's chat! I'm pretty good at brainstorming. 😉

Cheers!

-Connie

P.S. I took the shawl to the beach, too! Got a few more rows done and fought with the wind for a mediocre picture, lol.