Re-Use

Rippin' out that ol' olive poncho

In architectural circles, when someone speaks of re-use or re-purposing, they are usually talking about renovating an existing building and using it for purposes other than for what it was originally built. There are many examples of this around our City of Los Angeles. The Rancho Park Bowling Alley on Pico Boulevard near Prosser became the Stanley Holden Dance Studio (all those great wooden floors); the Stadium Theater on Pico and Livonia became Temple Bnai David (fantastic art deco design); the original Nibbler's Restaurant (formerly Armstrong-Schroeder's Restaurant) on Wilshire and Spaulding in Beverly Hills became the Israeli Bank Leumi (lots of dark smokey glass windows). Of course there are countless other examples.

I believe in re-purposing. I've often used cracked Tupperware for non-food uses (storing accessories); cracked coffee cups make cute little planters after drilling a small hole in the bottom for plant drainage; crummy old couch pillows look like new when you crochet a new cover for them.

I've been cleaning out my closet and I came across an olive green wool poncho that I made a few years back. The yarn is gorgeous. I'm not quite sure what the brand is, but I do remember purchasing it at the now defunct Emmaline's Yarn Shop in Kenneth Village, Glendale. Speaking of re-purposing, Emmaline's is now Itza Knitterie (Natalie recently blogged about the shop). Let's face it, the poncho has seen better days. It has gone the way of fuzzy eyelash yarn. The hip and stylish fashion magazines are not showing ponchos right now. It's over. So, I've decided to frog this poncho, even after repeated steamings, and see what I can make with this gorgeous yarn. My original poncho was of the asymetrical variety, knitted in a twisted drop stitch with a granite stitch crocheted border.

The poncho in earlier days

Do you have something in your closet that could be re-purposed? The possibilities are endless!