I fell in love with Leila’s designs years ago, drawn in by her beautiful stitchwork and witchy aesthetic. I've had the pleasure of getting to know this amazing person over the last couple of years, and I want to share her story!
- xo, Ana
Part of my journey over the last few years has been coming out of the broom closet, and integrating my practice as a witch with fiber arts. Do you identify as a witch?
I'm glad you asked, and I do. It's been a journey in itself to state that without hesitation, for a number of reasons: I grew up with a deep interest in witchcraft, astrology, and tarot, but always felt a bit of an outsider/imposter to the Western European-based pagan traditions that were most commonly covered in the literature available to the average teenager in the 90s. I have kept it hidden from public view for most of my life. It wasn't until relatively recently, when I started digging into my indigenous roots in earnest, that I realized my Native Hawai'ian ancestors were actually witchy as fuck. Their intimate understanding of and reverence for the natural world and the cosmos, and the ways in which they expressed this in chant, ritual, song, dance, and storytelling—their very relationship to the land, and to time and space, on an individual, societal, and spiritual level, intergenerationally—it's just such a staggeringly profound revelation to me. My understanding of "witchy" expanded beyond the deities, spells, and rituals I had grown up with as a near-solitary practitioner. That reconciliation of the history and traditions of my practice and my personal identity was a major turning point in my life, to say the least.
You have such a gorgeous collection of patterns you've created! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started designing?
Thank you, Ana! I started designing in 2008 on a whim. I self-published a cowl, then a pair of mitts, and then a shawl. Soon after that, I think mostly by luck/chance, I began working at various yarn companies, which spanned the next ten years. My favorite part about that experience is getting to meet and work with so many talented, wicked smart people—designers, technical editors, writers, and knitters—who have become lifelong friends, and who helped me grow in my own design work (particularly garment design). Within the past year I've returned to independent publishing—specifically so that I could be more intentional about who I work with and support in any collaborative endeavor.
As a fellow lover of Ravens (for those who haven't seen me in person, I have a raven tattooed on on my left forearm), I'd love to learn more about your connection to Raven. Would you be willing to share part of your story?
I've had a lifelong love of ravens. They weren't common in the areas I lived in growing up, so whenever I saw one it was a magical event for me. I would take those sightings as messages. I have always had what some might call a "morbid obsession" with death, and our relationship to it, and the concept of the pyschopomp really resonates. Impartial guides between the realms of the living and the dead...what an important role! Lore has not always been kind to the raven, but I love any and all raven stories. They are special kin. Their distinctive call is one of my favorite sounds in the world.
In my 20s I ended up marrying a wonderful person whose surname was a derivation of the word "raven." We eventually parted ways, but when it came time to update my legal name I decided to mark the point I had arrived at in a forward way: instead of reverting to my maiden name, I chose a new last name for myself—Raven. Names are incredibly powerful things.
I'd love to see your tattoo. I have two ravens at my upper chest. They aren't related to Odin's Huginn and Muninn of Norse mythology, but symbolize my Gemini rising nature, which I have definitely leaned into much more as I grow older.
Thank you for sharing this story. I am heavily involved in psychopomp work too, and one of my cats is named Munin! Can’t wait to dive more into this with you in the future.
You recently launched Aroha Aloha, a new collaboration with Francoise Danoy to highlight the work of indigenous fiber artists. What do you want folks to know about this project?
The designs for this project are coming from a completely different place than my previous work (which was equal parts "would I knit this" and "would anyone else knit this"). Reconnecting to my Hawai'ian heritage is a work in progress that was sparked by the Mauna Kea protests that reached a fever pitch in 2019, and my ancestral antenna, like so many others, was "activated" by a call from our most sacred of mountains to protect it. The work I'm publishing under this collaboration with Māori designer Françoise Danoy serves as a prism to reflect that intimate process of learning and reconnecting. The development of these designs is being organically informed by that learning process, which is a departure from how my designs typically take shape. I wrote a little bit about it on our blog.
I wasn't sure if it would resonate with anyone, or if knitters would find it interesting, but the response to part one of our three-part series so far has been immensely heartening. Like Frenchie says, we all have a story to tell. I think there's a universal connection each and every one of us can relate to about the healing that can happen when you seek to have a better understanding of yourself in relation to the world around you—and that each one of us is a waypoint between history, and the future. It's humbling and also empowering.
Part 2 of our Mana Wāhine series is releasing in April, and part 3 is coming later this fall.
I am super excited to collaborate with you on our new Mauna Hat kits featuring Harrisville FlyWheel. Can you tell us about this new design?
I chose triangle motifs in the Mauna hat to represent the mountains and people of Hawai'i. The protectors of Mauna Kea created a symbol formed by raising your hands and making a triangle between forefingers and thumbs—Kū kia'i mauna: Guardians of the mountain. On a more personal level the motifs also represent my exploration of relationship to my family, my heritage, and my home.
I featured FlyWheel because it's one of my favorite sport weight wools...it's excellent for colorwork and the characteristics of its soft, woolen-spun fibers have a lofty texture that isn't found in worsted-spun yarns. I also aim be much more intentional with the yarn choices specified in my patterns, and having known the Harrisville crew for many years, I can confidently work with their materials knowing that they are produced from a good place, by individuals who truly care about what they do. I'll never forget how kind they were to let me hide in the back "panic room" (aka stock room) of their Rhinebeck booth when I needed a breather from the crowds—which is where I believe I first met you, Ana, when you pulled the partition back to beckon me out. :)
And I’m so glad I did! You’re one of my favorite people. Thank you so much for chatting with me and sharing your amazing story! As always, I look forward following your work and upcoming project.
Thank you, Ana! It is truly a pleasure to be invited to this space to talk with you.
