Shell Stash-A Knitter's View

Shells clustered after high tide on Fire Island Beach

Shells clustered after high tide on Fire Island Beach

Regardless of age, it seems that people, particularly women, who walk along the water’s edge on ocean beaches stop to pick up shells. The type of shells accumulated depend on the beach and time of year. Children tend to go for the larger clam shells (at least on Fire Island) which can be decorated and turned into wonderful DIY projects. While adults are more selective in their collections; they tend to look for a specific type of shell.

I have bowls of shells decorating my apartment from various vacations including some wonderful ruffled clam shells from my honeymoon in the Cook Islands.

As I walked along the Fair Harbor beaches in the early morning hours, it occurred to me that collecting shells was a lot like amassing stash. I tend to pick up one type of shell that catches my fancy.

This year, I was surprised to find numerous snail shells and small sand dollars that were vacated. After being in the Cook Islands where any abandoned shell would be inhabited by a hermit crab (in fact, several of the shells that I thought were empty crept away during the night!), it seemed that the New York based creatures lived more extravagantly when there were abandoned shells to be had.

Colored Clam Shells

Colored Clam Shells

More Fire Island Shells

More Fire Island Shells

Snail shells collected in Fair Harbor, NY

Snail shells collected in Fair Harbor, NY

Like knitting, together these shells form patterns and can be sources of inspiration for future creative projects.

Submitted by Knitted Yarns Editor-in-Chief

One Response to “Shell Stash-A Knitter's View”

  1. Cool!

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