FEATURED SELLER: Egunia

FEATURED SELLER IS SERIES IS BACK!!! I think you'll love meeting Ela.


Tell us something about yourself 

My name is Ela and I have two stores on Etsy: Egunia - where I sell hand knit or crochet items. They are made by me, my mom, my sister and my aunt. And in my other store Aprilla Witch, I offer hand spun yarn. 


What do you do besides creating?

I work as a librarian in a middle school and I love it. Besides crafting, books and reading are my other passion. I love the fact that my job is related to something that I enjoy. 


What made you want to become an artist?

Sometimes I blame it on "antsy hands". I can't sit still and do nothing. My hands reach for the knitting needles or the spinning wheel on their own. But seriously: since childhood, I have been around people who've been hand making things. When I was just a few years old, my grandma taught me how to knit, and knitting quickly became part of my life. All women from my family enjoy crafting. My mom knits scarfs and ponchos, my grandma who is over 80 years old is a master in sock knitting and my aunt Mira crochets gorgeous table cloths, lace curtains and doilies.  My sister loves patchworks and quilts pillow and all kinds of other items. We enjoy giving "products" to each other. Thanks to that my mom and grandma knit with my yarn and I'm using curtains made by Mira.

Describe your creative process

I usually work impulsively. For example, I may be cleaning up here and there and all of a sudden a yarn ends up on needles. Cleaning up gets ditched and I'm knitting a brand new hat. I like small project because I can see the effect of my work immediately. However a lot of the time because I don't plan, I tend to give up on those projects quickly too.Sometimes, I get to work through my weaknesses and take on a larger project. I especially enjoy when I know that I'm making a gift for somebody important to me. Then, I incorporate my good wishes for that person in my knitting and the best part is when the face of the gifted person lightens up upon opening of the present.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I really enjoy learning and exploring new techniques. Two years ago I got into spinning yarn (the first lesson was with my aunt Stefania). I fell in love with sheep wool so much, that I've started craving having my own sheep. That dream came through this year - I'm just waiting for my "girls" to grow up enough for me to get their wool. And since I'm making my own yard, why wouldn't I use it to make my own fabric? So right now, I'm learning how to weave and that's my new passion that I'm planning on excelling in soon. And in 10 years? The time will show...


What inspires you?

I have rural roots and I love folk art. I appreciate its simpleness and functionality. Everything used to be made to serve a purpose and their beauty often is part of their form. When I knit a hat or a scarf, I tend to think about their purpose. When I spin, I'm wishing on the yarn to become a part of project. 

What are your favorite stores on Etsy?

I like a lot of different Etsy stores. Check out my favorites here.
In Sunflower's earrings, I would feel like a princess and I will probably buy one of the awesome ties from Tie Story for one of my almost grown up sons.

If you would like to find out more about Ela, please check out her blog: „Guzik z pętelką”



If you enjoy this series and you are part of the Poletsy Team and would like to be the next one featured, please contact me via convo. Feeling Artsy