Follow that yarn!

How saying yes, opens doors and creates opportunity and meaning in life

I haven’t written one word here since March. And, for good reason.

One morning, I was drawing endangered animals for my 100 Day Project when I realized there were humans in my life that I hadn’t talked to in years. So, I drew that one human, and then picked up my phone and called. That was late February.

That special long-time friend I hadn’t spoken to in 6 years - Omito Abraham Owuor

More than two months later, after saying yes over and over again, my life has become richer and fuller than I could have ever imagined. For one, I restarted my crochet business. For two, I restarted it to benefit projects around the world. For three, I raised over $4,000 for Omito’s efforts in Kenya in less than two months!

I’ve been here before - put myself out into the world, made human connections, and joined efforts. But, for the longest time - six years in fact - I haven’t had the internal energetic oomph or even the desire to do anything but hunker down, introspect and introvert.

It could be Spring. It could be that I’m turning 50 in less than a week. Whatever it is, I recouped that oomph, that spark, that zest for life.

Follow that yarn, say yes, doors will open.

I’m not only a drawer and painter, but I’m a yarn artist. I crochet things. Functional things like hats but beautiful things like hanging wall mandalas. Yarn - the string rolled up into a ball or tangled in a basket - has been my medium for self-expression and self-soothing since COVID. In many ways, the tangled ball of yarn is a metaphor fo me; similar to the spaghetti twisted thoughts which is the name of my Substack.

Recently, though, that day when I decided to pick up the phone and call my old friend Omito, it was like pulling a strand of yarn from that tangle and discovering a brilliant, rich, and long strand. Like Ariadne’s thread that leads her through and into the center of the labyrinth, I have been following this thread the last few months.

Following that yarn has led me to crocheting for a cause, making items to help raise funds for passion projects. It has led me to reconnect with old friends in Africa and here in the US. It has brought me to make new connections with local arts organizations and local sustainable, regenerative agriculture projects.

Basically, that yarn has led me back to my self, the center of the Labyrinth, where me, myself, and I sit as the Minotaur waiting to reconnect.

New Connections

I want to write about this experience. I started to for International Women’s Day and then the hum of life got so busy that I felt barely any additional energy or interest to write. But, that has changed.

I have new connections. I’m meeting new people. Discovering new ideas. And, putting together events that bring people together. Much of this is around art, but some of it is around yarn arts (crochet/sewing) and some of it is around sustainable agriculture. Almost all of it is in East Africa, but more and more, it’s becoming local.

I hope you’ll stay with me.

Likely you subscribed to my Substack because you saw one of my posts on books, reading, or bookcases, or opening doors. I hope you’ll stay. If not, thank you for being here for as long as you have!

A teaser of things to come.

One of the doors that has opened since I started pulling on old yarn strands is connecting with new groups. I’ve been introduced to and am now finding ways to engage with and support a group of sustainable agriculture and artist activitists in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda; one of the world’s largest refugee settlements. Over 170K refugees from war-torn countries have found refuge there. But, life is hard; families barely subsist on $5USD per month. The short story is that I’m now fully engaged in supporting a youth artists organization there as well as a crochet/yarn arts women’s collective. More on both later, but there is something special I am organizing and I want you to know about it.

Nakivale Young Artists Exposition - June 1st

On Saturday, June 1st (9 am EDT) I will be hosting along with artist activists at the Refugee Settlement in Uganda an intimate - albeit online - exposition of young artists’ work and stories. Here is the Eventbrite link. This is meant to be an easy-going, relaxing exchange with young artists. Should you be curious about this door that I’ve opened, you can peek through at this link here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nakivale-young-artists-exhibition-tickets-897907303917?aff=oddtdtcreator. Tickets are $5 each and proceeds will be used to fund materials and supplies for the artists. There is a code that students can use to attend for free.

Here is one of our first artists that we will be showcasing. More on Sharon later.

Sharon, a 20-year old Congolese refugee artist, living at Nakivale Refugee Settlement

I can’t wait to tell you more! But, will end here for now!

Thank you for reading through to the end. Let me know what yarn strands you’ve been following lately. What have you been saying yes to and where has it taken you either virtually or literally!

All the best,

Emily