Struggling with my cultural identity…

Several months ago, during busy season at the yarnshop, this tall guy stepped into the store. He immediately caught my eye because he was wearing a button down shirt made out of beautiful traditional Javanese batik fabric.

When he stepped towards our desk to inquire about gift certificates, I immediately asked him about his shirt. He told me that he regularly travels to Indonesia and that his wife’s family is from Java, Indonesia.

After our brief encounter in the yarnshop that day, I hadn’t seen this man anymore until very recently. He invited me to have dinner with his family, his wife was going to prepare a traditional Javanese meal.

I could not have foreseen that accepting his invitation would entail entering into a part of my life I hadn’t touched for a very long time: my Javanese Heritage..

A story untold…

When people ask me where I am from, I reply: “I am from Amsterdam, the Netherlands”.

When I detect in their eyes that they are a little bit puzzled by my answer, I quickly add to it: “But I was born in Suriname, South America.”

Finally, I will add: “However, my ancestors are from Java, Indonesia.”

My nationality is Dutch, my heritage is Javanese-Surinamese, and I have been living in the United States of America since 2005.

Usually, this is all the information you get from me. However, there is a whole history behind me being from a Javanese-Surinamese background. A history that traces back to as far as 1512. A history that involves colonialism, spice trade and human trafficking.

A history that has affected my family deeply…

Let us not talk about the past. Let us focus on the future.

When I was a little girl, I remember my Uncle and Mother talking about my great grandmother. I was busy playing with my toys, but caught bits and pieces of the conversation about my great grandmother:

“She was drugged… shipped from Java to Suriname…hard labor on sugar cane plantation…she had to leave behind a baby daughter… never saw her family in Java again”

On another occasion I remember hearing my Father talk about Suriname:

“Not going back to Suriname…political situation unstable…staying in the Netherlands with my family…let’s make sure our children integrate seamlessly into Dutch society.”

In another conversation I overheard my Uncles and Aunties saying:

“What has happened in the past is in the past. Let us not talk about it anymore. It is the fate of our people. Let us focus on the future…”

And thus, dear reader, this knitter carries a story untold. A story that I have carefully put away in a room in my being. I have locked the door to this room firmly and lost the key…

Integrating into western society

For as long as I remember I have been trying so hard to fit into western society.

I have done my utmost and more to fit into Dutch society and ever since I moved to the United States of America, I have done my utmost and more to fit into American society.

But the thing is… I am undeniably Asian…at least my looks say so…

Dear reader, this knitter is struggling with her identity right now  in so many ways. It is a layer in my existence which I find difficult.

Who am I? With which culture do I resonate the most? Dutch? Javanese? Surinamese? American?

As I raise these questions, even more questions arise. Questions about my family’s past… and I realize that I have a deep yearn to tell the story untold.

I have the feeling that a tidal wave of my complex heritage story is hitting me hard…I think I am ready to go more deep into this layer.

OMG. Somebody please hold my hand.

Thank you for reading and until the next entry…

Exploring My Layers

Lately, I have been exploring multiple layers in my existence…

Most of the times, I have a lot of fun doing this exploration. I dive into an adventure without hesitation and totally submerge into it.

A good example for that is my knitting.

Let’s say my knitting is a layer in which I feel comfortable, and in which I have achieved a lot in only three years. One can conclude that I have been very passionate about my knitting.

At some point, one can even say I have been obsessed by knitting. This obsession, however, has been slowly but surely wearing off over the past 2 months. And because of this, room for other “layers” in my life have been presenting themselves to me.

The layers in my life in which I find infinite joy

One of my passions which give me infinite joy is dancing! I am particularly drawn towards a music genre called “deep house”.

Whenever I hear this deep house genre music, I feel free and dance. How I love being in this layer!

And oh, how lucky am I that my husband is a passionate deep house DJ. When he drops the deep house beats, dear reader, I just cannot sit still and dance to the break of dawn. No kidding.

And guess what… lately, my husband has been dropping the beats big time in a nightclub in downtown Portland. So I have been occupied with a lot of dancing over the past months or so. Sweeeeeet!

On the dancefloor, this knitter feels so incredibly free. I can absorb the music freely, and let go of stuff that is bothering me. I dance, feel free and am oh so happy.

The layers in my life in which I find difficulties

There are areas in my being I don’t like to touch. I keep the doors to these areas closed and do not give it much thought.

Giving these areas thought, means I have to plough through certain layers in my existence that may cause sadness and hurt. And who wants to plough through that? Not this knitter.

However, when one least expect it, a long lost key to a door that has been locked firmly, might be presented to you.

Or, to make it even more mysterious, when one least expect it, a mirror in which you haven’t looked in for a long time, might be presented to you.

I never would have thought, that this long lost key, and this mysterious mirror would present themselves in the very yarnshop that I work at…

This key and mirror, have kept me from writing for so long on this blog. It is until today, that I have struggled to get behind my laptop and write a blogpost already!

Have I tickled your curiosity? Good. Come back in a couple of days. There will be an interesting blogpost. I promise.

Thank you for reading and see you back here in a couple of days…

Interview with artist Sarah Cruse

Last year, at the end of Summer 2008, I remember knitting at the Teahouse Townshend on Alberta Street, when suddenly my eye caught this wondrous painting of a breathtakingly beautiful peacock against a black background.

I was visually attracted by this painting, it made me stop knitting and I just gazed at the colorful peacock feathers which magically transformed into molecular-ish cell biology depictions.

My eyes were interlocked on this mesmerizing peacock painting… I simply couldn’t look away.

When the exposition was no longer up at the Teahouse,  I was sad in my heart…

How happy I was when I walked into the Teashop a few weeks ago, to see that the same artist had returned with her work!

This time I did not hesitate; I took one of her cards, looked her up online, and after reading some passages on her blog, I contacted her hoping that the wondrous and magical Sarah Cruse would grant me an interview. And she did!

A wondrously gentle and colorful magical world

I cannot tell you how honored I was when Sarah Cruse invited me to her studio somewhere in SE Portland. Immediately, I sensed a very friendly and gentle atmosphere. Sarah’s smiling face and friendly voice made the interview the more pleasant, the soft and fluid motions of her hands encaptured me tremendously.

During the whole interview I had the feeling I landed in some magical realm where soft  feathers would caresse my cheek and little sweet secrets would be whispered in my ear at any given time.

Allthough an Indiana girl at heart, Sarah Cruse decided to leave Indianapolis where she was raised and head West. An adventurous uncle who lived in San Francisco, was her true inspiration to come to the West Coast and to become a painter. 

In the year 1999, Sarah relocated from Idianapolis to Portland, Oregon. “When I first landed here, I felt so far away from home “, Sarah recalls. “I remember how the scent of the city of Portland caught me and I was so taken by the overgrown yards in my neighborhood .”

Sarah’s transition into the city of Portland hasn’t been an easy one: “I had some difficult times, but after 6 years I was able to make a positive environment for myself.”

Choosing between writing and painting

Sarah always has had huge creative drives and her interest and passion were mainly focussed on writing and painting. At first she chose the path of writing: 

“Writing seemed to be more financially reliable than painting, but I found that the more I strayed away from painting, the more drained I felt”.

In the end Sarah decided to make a career as a painter which is easier said than done. Making money to pay the bills by doing what you love may sound very romantic, but reality can teach you otherwise.

“I realized that I needed to market myself and my paintings. Often times this was simply terrifying to me; I felt overwhelmed and discouraged…”

Luckily, upon advice of a good friend, Sarah took action and dived into social media; she started a website, a blog, and an etsy site: ”I needed to know how to do things differently. I am trying very hard to market myself!”

In the end, Sarah found a way to incorporate her love for writing in her paintings. In her artist statement she writes:

“Over the years my writing has left the page and reached out to the canvas. I write on my paintings, under my paintings, and on the back of them too.”

Where does Sarah find inspiration?

When I ask Sarah where here inspiration comes from she answers: ”There are lots of different places where my work comes from. I receive visuals through meditation. I am inspired by magic in nature and the words come to me through poetry.

I love imagination and the mysterous realms of spirits. I receive messages around me, surrender my control and I realize that I am a small part of this big thing.

 Sometimes I paint stuff, and I don’t even know exactly why… It just comes out.”

The way I see Sarah and her work

Sarah has allowed me in her sacred space for which I am very thankful. I can still see her sitting comfortably in her chair, or should I say, her throne?

While watching her talk, she reminded me of a latent wise Queen, a channeler of messages from the Ethereal and Magical World. 

Her gestures are gentle yet so grand. But above all, Sarah Cruse strikes me as unpretentious and so incredibly kind.

Her work reminds me of Magic Realism in literature…think “House of Spirits” by Isabel Allende…

In an often time disenchanted world, Sarah Cruse’s work tells us that there is still magic, all around us, all the time.

Find Sarah Cruse online:

Official Website: Sarahcruse.com

On Etsy: Sarahcruse on Etsy

Blog:    Sarah Cruse Art Love Word

On Twitter:  Sarah Cruse on Twitter

On Facebook:  Sarah Cruse on Facebook

Find Sarah Cruse in the real world through the month of June:

LITTLE URBANITES
Modern wares for Babies and Toddlers!
www.littleurbanites.com
916 NW 10th Ave
Portland
(503) 227-8729

TOWNSHEND’S ALBERTA ST. TEA HOUSE
2223 NE Alberta St
Portland
(503) 445-6699

3 FRIENDS COFFEE HOUSE
201 SE 12th Ave
Portland 
(503) 236-6411

BLUE MOOSE
vegetarian cafe:
4936 NE Fremont St, Portland

Thanks for reading and until the next entry…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Powerful Creative Energy

Those of you who have been following me on Twitter know that over the past few weeks I have been riding a high and mighty wave of Powerful Creative Energy.

It was so forceful and fierce, so magnificent and grand, and I seized the opportunity and jumped on it! Boy did I ride that wave.  

Looking back, I realize, that this wave announced its presence when I started to knit my poppies…

The Power of the Poppy

Over the past few weeks, I have only been knitting poppies. Little did I know that knitting these sweet and delicate flowers, would invoke an energy so powerful and so creative that it almost seems unreal to me.

Ah, let me tell you what I have been up to lately…

Meeting with Webdeveloper and Webdesigner

I have dropped the message here  that I am ready to bring this blog to the next level. Regular readers of Getting Purly With It know by now that when I start a new project, I go in full force and with no hesitation nor fear.

Several weeks ago, I contacted a Webdeveloper Company called Bottman Brothers based in Portland, Oregon to have a first meeting to see if we could possibly work together. 

Webdeveloper Andy Bottman listened to what I had to say and asked me the right questions. When I left the meeting, I had a good feeling about it and we made a second appointment.

During this second appointment, I held a presentation about what I am about, my image, and my vision for my website. Ah, dear reader… you should have seen me walking in the rain on my way to the meeting: vintage inspired dress, fishnet stockings and black high heels while dragging my wheeled Tumi bag, filled with my designs, patterns and presentation.

The meeting went well and I truly believe that I was able to convey clearly to Webdeveloper Andy and Webdesigner Didi how I want my website to be.

They are working on it as we speak!

Meeting with Professional Photographer

My photography ain’t bad… ain’t bad at all… But I have to be honest to myself, at some point I am going to need a Professional Photographer. 

Through my co-worker Jenni, I hooked up with Photographer Joelle from FS Photographers last week.

Again, I had to prepare for our meeting and convey as best and as clearly as possible what my ideas are and what I want in photography that is put up on my website.

This meeting went fantastic, I was really vibing well with Joelle! 

Meeting with Graphic Designers

Finally, last week, I had a meeting with my graphic designers Patrick and Holly from McGuire Barber Design to tell them about my future plans.

Thanks to them, I have been able to put out my Sally Hat Pattern and the  Kassandra Cowl. I have enjoyed working with them immensely and look forward to future collaboration.

Every time I have a meeting with Patrick and Holly, their little baby daughter Anastasia is present too. I SO ENJOY THAT LITTLE BABY GIRL AT OUR MEETINGS!

Raaaah!

Oh man… what can I say. I am all pumped up and I just cannot wait to show you the results of my collaboration with these skilled and talented people. 

Guess what?

Webdesigner Didi is a knitter. Graphic designers Patrick and Holly are knitters. Joelle is a knitter… whaaaaat????

Inspiration, passion, creativity and synergy have been swirling around me big time and I am telling you…I owe it to the poppies!!!

During “Last Thursday” on Alberta Street, I stumbled upon this image of a techno poppy fairy. I immediately liked her and squeezed out my last bit of money to make her mine.

See, she’s so me!

Thanks for reading and until the next entry!

Yarn Lustings and Photography

I still haven’t been knitting much other than my poppies… 

Still love to make them, they still make me smile and tickle me beyond belief.

Having no major project on my needles does not make me lust any less over yarn though! Come on let’s take a look what yarn I have taken home with me, simply because I could not resist.

Yarn that makes this knitter purrrr like a little kitten

A few weeks ago, me and my co-workers Jenni and Adrienne set out to visit some yarnstores in Portland. At the yarnshop “An Abundant Yarn” in Sellwood, I ended up buying some wonderful wonderful light worsted weight alpaca by the brand Cascade Yarns:

A good latte, a danish pastry and some Eco Alpaca, 100% Undyed Baby Alpaca…purr purr!  I am thinking a nice cardi come wintertime!

Next up some yarns from the brand Malabrigo…

Look at this wonderful Malabrigo Laceweight colorway Velvet Grape:

Hmmm hmmm, how delicious. I have no clue what I am going to make with it. All I know is that this colorway simply rocks my world. 

Also delicious is Malabrigo’s sockyarn. Sally bought some skeins and let me tell you, it simply flew out of the yarnshop! So soft and silky feeling…meow!

Say what? You didn’t get yourself some?

Eh…what can I say? You snooze, you lose!

Ah…that magical thread called yarn. I will always keep on lusting over it.

Playing around with my camera

Lately, I have been spending time with my Nikon DSLR D40 again. Just like when I was a newbie knitter, this newbie amateur photographer is soaking up all the knowledge she can get her hands on!

It’s a steep learning curve for sure, but I am having lots of fun! 

Yesterday, I let my poppies pose for me, luckily they were willing subjects.

Hmmm…what will happen if I shoot them at aperture f/6.3 with shutterspeed 1/60:

Cute. I like. But I want the background more blurry! Silky and Smooth green background! What to do, what to do? 

Hmmm… let me open up the aperture some more…say like f/1.8:

Yay! I am finally getting it!

And now that I have figured out how to do that smooth and silky background, I of course am obsessed with it!

Topping off with some goodies I got at T-spot

I had heard about this fairly new yarnshop in Manzanita at the Oregon Coast and of course I had to go visit last week!

It was a sweet find and I had such a nice talk with the owner Olga. She just made my day with her sweet and uplifting energy. 

I will write more about Olga and her precious T-spot store but for now I am going to leave you with some goodies I took home with me:

Some loose leaf tea, several bars of delicious out of this world chocolate, and a superpower stringdoll called Purl. 

Now wouldn’t this make for a great great gift for your secret yarn exchange pal??? Some chocolate, tea and yummy yarn all cutely wrapped up in a box… oh yeah…

Again, more about Olga and T-spot in a later post!

Thank you for reading and until the next entry.

You have not failed, my sweet sensation…

Me and my husband spent a few days at the Oregon Coast to celebrate our 4th anniversary. We had a fantastic time in which we shared many romantic moments and reminisced past anniversaries.

What struck me the most though, is how at peace I am with myself. And while dreaming away in front of the Pacific Ocean, I remembered a time where confusion and pain had nestled in my being.

Are you a loser or a winner?

8 years ago, in the year 2001, I believed I was on a good path and riding a high and mighty wave; I had just made promotion within the company which had employed me only several months before, I was making great progress in my Economics Studies, my paycheck was so fat I hardly could believe it and me and the boyfriend had decided to finally live together.

Still, this strange nagging feeling wouldn’t leave me be… weeks went by and I couldn’t figure out why this annoying feeling of sadness wouldn’t leave my side.

Pretending all was well, I simply kept on going, and each day my spirits would get lower and lower and my heart grew heavier.

I finally got to a point where I had to admit to myself that I was not happy. Not happy at all. But does this means then that I have failed? That I have failed in making my life a succes? That I have failed in choosing the right studies? That I have failed choosing the perfect career? That I have failed yet once again in choosing the right partner?

“No no no… I am not a loser. I am a winner. Snap out of this state that makes no sense and get on with your life!”, were the words I would say to myself every morning… and I kept on going and going until I was completely depleted and burned out.

How burn out took me down hard

Have you ever reached a point where there is absolutely no energy in your body?

Have you ever reached a point where your body just shuts off and you have absolutely no control?

Have you ever reached a point where all you can do is feeling so miserable that you cannot even shed a tear for yourself?

There I was, a 29 year old woman, curled up like a baby in my bed with the blankets pulled over my head trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me.

I felt like a loser. I felt like a miserable worthless piece of flawed human being. I felt like I had no spine. I felt like a complete failure.

Very quickly, everything spiraled down and I fell into a deep deep depression.

I wanted to make sure nobody would see me like this, including my family. I was ashamed… so incredibly ashamed of my miserable state of being…

I withdrew myself from the outside world and I remember how loneliness and despair gathered around me like a thick cold fog.

I felt so lost…

You have not failed, my sweet sensation

If I could travel back into the past, I would reach out to this young woman who was completely burned out, confused and in pain.

I would kneel beside her, caresse her cheeck, wrap my arms tightly around her and whisper softly into her ear:

“You have not failed, my sweet sensation… You are a passionate, bright and intelligent young woman that has lost her way. Your path of finding your way back home will be long and difficult with ups and downs. You need not be afraid…gather the strength to rise up again… “

And so I did, dear reader… I found the strength to rise up again and find my way home. I did not do it all by myself. Over the years I received help from loved ones, I received help from a pshychologist, I received help from a naturopath, tapped into a gentle spirituality, found answers in an underground music genre called “deep house”, encountered the strangest and most colorful characters who all showed me what path to choose, traveled to far away places and, and, and… so much more…

And finally, eight years after that lonely and desperate moment in my life, I can fully say that I have found my way home…

Sweet sensation

Today, I leave you with a song called “Sweet Sensation”. Right before we left for the Oregon coast I listened to it and the lyricks struck a cord with me:

Oh, what sweet sensation
Lord, what strange emotion
You got love and devotion
And I won’t forget your touch

 

Thank you for reading and until the next entry…

Since I met you, Baby…

In July of 2001, my Mother brought me to the Island of Java, Indonesia. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to see the land where my Great Grandmothers and Great Grandfathers are from.

I was, however, so depressed and therefore so tired, that all I wanted to do is sleep. When my Mother suggested to visit Java’s neighboring island called Bali, I whined: “Mom, I just want to go home. Please?”

Luckily, she persuaded me to go to Bali before we were to head back to the Netherlands…

How Bali completely energized and mesmerized me

I was running on empty, my energy was thoroughly depleted, and off we went to Bali.

As soon as I set foot on that wonderful magical island, my whole being rejoiced. Bali’s creative energy and gentle spirituality peeled off this nasty layer of worry and distress that had been wrapped around me.

My energy bloomed beautifully, my head was finally turned to the bright sun and all I could do was SMILE. I met many interesting travelers, who all lead a life so differently than mine.

They would tell me their adventurous stories and their hunger for making art and their need to be free spirits tickled me beyond belief. I adored them. I simply adored them… and I realized that I was too chicken and too square to lead a life as adventurous as theirs.

When I told one traveler that I was to afraid to be free he said to me: “Girl… why do you keep your door so firmly closed? I can see your magical and powerful light seeping through.”

When I looked at him wide-eyed, he simply laughed: ” All you have to do is throw that door open wide,  with all of your might! But only when you are ready for it. And that day will come.”

Counting shooting stars

Then one night, I find myself on a beach counting shooting stars  with an American guy I met in a post office. Yes, you read that right… I met my husband in a post office somewhere on the island of Bali. How’s that romantic for ya?

With this guy I had the most magical and fun time of my life for only one day and one night. He was to leave the island in just a couple of days after we hung out together and offered to stay longer to spend more time with me.

Believe it or not, but I kindly declined. I strongly felt the need to be by myself and to explore Bali by myself for there was a lot for me to think about and to figure out. 

I vividly remember how he looked at me somewhat disappointed and said: “Okay, I will leave as you wish. But next time when we meet, and you send me away, I will not listen to you.”

Dear reader, all I did was raise my eyebrows and think to myself; “Yeah right. You live in New York City and I live in Amsterdam. We ain’t NEVER going to see each other ever again.”

We parted ways the next day when he left for New York City. That was at the end of July of 2001.

My whole life has changed

Little did I know back then, that this guy from New York City would marry me 4 years after we first met on the island of Bali. 

Little did I know back then, that my whole life would change from being square and locked into false securities into an adventurous traveling life.

Little did I know back then, that meeting this man was the start of a journey of finding myself, and tapping into a marvelous creative and artistic energy.

He did not come into my life, swept me off my feet and saved me. Absolutely no such a thing!

What he did and has done ever since we met, is providing me with a good environment to explore myself and to let me find out myself to what greatness one is capable of. He lets me be ME by carefully nurturing my path so that I can flow in freedom.

Since I met this man, my whole life has changed…

Our 4th wedding anniversary

We will celebrate our 4th anniversary coming Tuesday, May 19th…
And I am so excited!

I will leave you today with a song covered by UB 40 and Lady Saw.

The way Lady Saw breaks it down to UB 40’s lead singer Ali Campbell… I can identify!
The way Lady Saw shakes her shoulders while she walks of the stage at the end of the song… I can identify!

It’s so me!

Thanks for reading and until the next entry!

Many rivers to cross

In the year of 2001, when I came to the realization that my life was not going the way I wanted it to go, I fell in a deep depression. I took action and quit my corporate business job, decided to also quit my Economics Studies, broke up with my boyfriend and distanced myself from my family and friends.

It was a hard time for me.

I remember how one of my ex-co workers sent me a card and this is what she wrote:

“Nancy, you are embarking on a difficult journey in which you have a lot to overcome. Girl, you will have many rivers to cross, but please know that there are many bridges that will get you were you need to be.

It will be a long and difficult journey, but in the end it will be all worth it.”

And a long and difficult journey it was, dear reader. And my co-worker was right. In the end it has been all worth it.

Arriving at a place where I feel comfortable

Yes indeed I have crossed many rivers. I have even crossed that big huge pond when I left Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to come to the United States of America and marry the man I met on the Island of Bali.

I have followed my heart and it brought me here where I am today. That sounds very romantic, and in many ways it is, but in also so many ways it is not.

Leaving all that is known to you, to build a new life in a new country from scratch, is a huge river to cross.

I am very happy to tell you that I finally have arrived at a place where Past, Present and Future all have come together. And at this very point, where Past, Present and Future are presented to me in a clear way, I have come to the realization that more than ever I feel comfortable in my own skin and am ready to show you more of myself.

Feeling empowered because of YOU.

This blog is mainly about yarn and knitting, but dear reader, I have so much more to write about. I have so much more to say and I have so much more to show you.

And I am ready to do that now, because I have arrived at this amazing energetic figurative place in my life, where everything makes perfect sense.

Thanks to YOU, I realize that what I have to say has meaning.
Thanks to YOU, I realize that my words are heard and being read.
Thanks to YOU, I realize that I am able to inspire .

And that my dear reader, is a very empowering feeling. For giving me that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Taking this blog to the next level

When I told you in my last post that my blog needs a different look, it forced me to really take a good look at myself.

I won’t bug you with what came up after some self analysis. That I will share in a later post.

What I will tell you right now is that I have been talking to a Web Developer and Web Desinger at the company Bottman Brothers, here in Portland.

With their help I am building an “inspirational vehicle” and I cannot wait to take you to many many fun places, and to share with you many inspirational stories.

I am SO READY to take my work to the next level, and look forward to do this together with YOU!

I would like to make it known that any feedback that you have for me is GREATLY APPRECIATED. Positive as well as negative feedback from you I welcome with open arms. It will help me formulate in what model I will build this “inspirational vehicle”.

So… give it to me STRAIGHT. I can handle it. But please don’t make me cry.

THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!!

Thanks for reading and until the next entry!!!!

Yours truly, and forever thankful, 

Nancy Ricci

 

 

 

Evaluating Getting Purly With It

Over the past few weeks, while I was without knitting project, I have had a plenty of time to think about this blog I started in April 2007.

I embarked on this blogging adventure because I just could not stop thinking about knitting and needed an outlet. Inspired by bloggers such as Eunny Jang, I decided to to give it a try to. See how I would like it…

And here I am, 2 years later, completely baffled that you all have visited my little blog over 68,000 times.

Ever since I started, I never did anything to spruce up the look of this blog. I figured content would be much more important than anything else, and paid no attention to “looks”.

Methinks it is time for some sprucing up around here. Let me ponder about this one a bit more and I will get back to you!

As for knitting: Army of Poppies

After a couple of weeks of being without project, I finally picked up my own Poppy pattern and just started to knit. What joy they give me…

Although simply and small, this little poppy gives me so much joy knitting them. I just feel good making them and I have to refrain myself from screaming everytime I finish yet another one.

Many a times, somebody would walk up to me and ask me: “What are those? Why are you knitting those? What will you use them for?”

If people see me knit a scarf, sweater or hat, all is fine. When they see me knit a poppy, eyebrows are raised and questions are asked.

I am make my poppies for no particular reason. I make them because they make me happy. And I am going to knit a whole army of them and set them free in the world around me. My brave little poppy soldiers will be spreading their cuteness and love all over the place!

What will you use the poppies for?

How about using the poppies for embellishment on a gift basket? Cute or what???

A close up you want? Sure:

Sigh…so precious they are to me!

Thank you so much for purchasing the Sally Hat Pattern!!!

You guys, I just want to give you a shout out for purchasing my Sally Hat Pattern at CloseKnit’s… So many of our costumers purchased it and I am so thankful for that. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!

One more thing…

Just one more thing before I sign off… I guestblogged over at Rythm of the Needles! Was so much fun… Thanks so much for letting me be your guest, Joanne! Same here, glad to have met you on Twitter!

Click below to read that guestblogpost:

Nancy Ricci for Rythm of the Neeldles

Thank you for reading and until the next entry!

Encounter with “Jazzknitter” Ilisha Helfman

Just the other day when I wandered into the knitshop on my day off, I met a colourful lady who literally made my mouth drop and almost left me stupified. She had picked out this book out of our books section called “Knitting Art, 150 innovative works from 18 contemporary artists”, flipped it open and told us that she was one of the artists featured.

Gingko leaves by Ilisha Helfman

Needless to say that we were all impressed and honored that artist Ilisha Helfman, who calls herself “the Jazzknitter”, graced our little yarnshop with her presence! Of course I seized the opportunity and asked her if she would be available for an interview. Luckily, she agreed and invited me to her studio in the Pearl District in downtown Portland.

One more note before we go any further: I can hardly call this entry “Interview with Ilisha Helfman”. Dear reader, one cannot simply “interview” and therefore pin down a person like Ilisha Helfman. Soon enough in our conversation, I just laid down my pen and paper for it was impossible to keep up with this colorful, high energy, passionate and free spirited artist that she is…

Colorful and free spirit: the Jazzknitter

 

Seashell collection by Ilisha Helfman

When jazz comes to my mind I think of free jazz musicians that improvise as they go, nothing is planned, no written notes, just free flowing improvisation of music and the musician takes it were the music wants to go. There is no better way than to describe Ilisha Helfman’s knitted art than the aforementioned: nothing is planned, no pattern, merely free form knitting where the artist “follows her thread” as she calls it herself, and let the yarn be what it wants to be.

Forest collection by Ilisha Helfman

There are however, several parameters or rulesets so you will, that are applied to the way Ilisha works with variegated yarn and knitting:

1. Collect the color in one place
2. Let it curl if it wants to, let it be a design element
3. Never repeat yourself
4. Whatever comes out, use it
5. Be open for surpise and capture the moment
6. Watch closely when something interesting happens and recognize it

The work that comes from her hands are simply delightful and so incredibly sweet. I am a lucky person to have seen her adorable projects in person!

Ilisha also told me that she makes sure that when knitting an art project, she always faces the right side of her work. Always knitting in garter stitch from the front side in preferably purling, she does not turn the piece but rather change hands. 

Don’t you just want to see her in action????

How about a workshop at CloseKnit, Ilisha?

Ilisha told me many many more interesting things about the way she works. I could spill the beans here but wouldn’t it be much more exciting and interesting to hear it from the artist herself? And wouldn’t it be such an adventure to try to knit the way she does?

Peacock shawl by Ilisha Helfman

Well, I am happy to tell you that Closeknit and Ilisha are talking about organizing a workshop in which Ilisha Helfman tells you in detail how she works and in this workshop, you will try to free form knit yourself. Ilisha will teach you to be a “Jazzknitter” yourself and how to follow that thread and let it be what it wants to be. 

Are you up for this adventure? I know I am!

Details are to follow in the near future. Keep on checking back, I will let you know when, where, what time this unique workshop with Ilisha Helfman will take place!

You think we are done? Ilisha does so much more than knitting..!

Barely recovered from all the beautiful knitted art I was exposed to, Ilisha and her husband Joe Freedman took me into the back office of their studio and simply showered me with all the art that they make. What inventive and innovative artists they both are!

Ilisha designs miniature objects for dollhouses, attends miniature shows and has a business called Hestia House. She sells her miniature creations online through Hestiahouse.com.

What better way to showcase her work than through these pictures:

Dollhouse by Hestiahouse

Miniature paper objects by Hestiahouse

Miniature rugs by Hestiahouse

Is your head already spinning? Mine is… but hold on, one last thing! 

The most beautiful cards I have ever seen…

Ilisha and her husband Joe would not let me go without showering me with some delicate paper gifts. Using laser cut techique, Ilisha and Joe create these elaborate, intricate and fine paper cards/art:

Trying to write about Ilisha Helfman and her husband Joe Freedman is very difficult for me. I mean, how in the world can one capture free spirited people that in no way can be catagorized? 

I tell you how I felt when I entered into their studio, which by the way was filled with sounds of more than a dozen singing canaries. I felt like a little kid holding a butterfly net in my hand, trying to capture two sweet butterflies that were swirling around me showing me their magical world. Of course I miserably failed capturing the butterflies called Ilisha and Joe but hopefully I have showed you in this blogpost just a tiny little bit of their magical world…

Were to find Ilisha and Joe?

Visit Joe Freedman’s and Ilisha Helfman’s website at: www.leafdisplay.com 

Visit Ilisha Helfman’s websites at: www.hestiahouse.com and www.followthethread.com

Their studio Leaf Display is located 1780 NW Marshall St. in downtown Portland, OR 97209 and you can call them at 503-719-5150.

Portrait of Ilisha Helfman:

Thank you for reading and until the next entry…

Most of the pictures in this blogpost courtesy of Ilisha Helfman and Hestiahouse.com