Happy Monday! Today we will hear from Okeyele-Olatunji Elizabeth, a Craft Yarn Council of America certified knitting teacher who started Tunnizze Creation to teach children knitting and crochet. One of Tunnizze Creation’s stated missions is to pass on knitting skills to 20,000 children across Africa by 2030.
Textile Society of America (TSA): Let’s start simple: what is a favorite textile memory of yours?
Okeyele-Olatunji Elizabeth (OOE): Watching cotton boll grow in my compound! This was a fascinating experience because I didn’t plant the seed; it spilled over from my neighbour’s yard and grew into a big plant! Once the flowers drop, the cotton bolls [the mature fruit of the plant] begin to form. These bolls are initially green and develop over several weeks, gradually growing larger. The bolls mature and turn brown, eventually cracking open to reveal the fluffy, white cotton fibres inside. I enjoy watching this amazing process and happily harvest the cotton by hand!
TSA: Now let’s dive a bit deeper into your practice. Does your work tend to reflect a communal process or more of an individual practice (or both?)
OOE: Passing on knitting skills to young learners is inherently a communal process as it involves collective learning, community building, collaborative group projects, skill sharing, social interaction, diverse perspectives, and a close-knit environment! The “Train the Trainer” workshop classes I organize foster a sense of community by passing skills from me to teachers, who then pass them on to their learners. These learners, in turn, share the skills with others, creating a continuous cycle of knowledge sharing. I have a saying that if we want skills to outlive generations, we place it in the hands of children.
Another of our programs is the Tiny Hats for Tiny Babies. This requires a communal effort, as hats are knitted and crocheted by children and some volunteer adults. We donate these hats to the Abiye Maternal Foundation to gift mothers of preterm babies, helping to keep the babies warm and give them a fighting chance. I recently received an acknowledgment from doctors who received the hats for their neonatal units.
Teaching also extends to me as an individual, as I teach from a place of passion—something I truly enjoy! To keep others motivated to learn, I need to stay internally excited. I achieve this by knitting and working on exciting projects, which I happily share with my learners to inspire and motivate them.
TSA: I can see how important children and future generations are to your work; what are some lessons you would pass on from your work?
OOE: It’s important that we teach the younger generation about textiles, particularly in Nigeria, my home country, to ensure our textiles survive now and thrive in the future. The world has evolved into upcycling, giving rise to a circular economy where textiles are designed for durability, reuse, recycling, repair, and repurposing. Everyone can play their part in preserving the beauty of textiles in their community by:
– Integrating textiles into the elementary curriculum to foster early appreciation and understanding.
– Promoting local production and self-sufficiency.
– Investing more in eco-friendly textiles.
– Using natural dyes and materials.
TSA: Do you encounter any misconceptions when working with children? How do you address these?
OOE: The greatest misconceptions are:
– “Knitting is only for girls or women.”
– “Boys won’t be interested in knitting.”
– “Knitting is not masculine.”
These misconceptions often stem from outdated gender stereotypes and cultural biases. To address them, I share stories of real-life examples, such as Jonah Larson, who uses crochet to support his community in Ethiopia, and men in the fiber world like Louis Boria. I arrange for my young learners to watch videos of these individuals on YouTube.
I especially commend the boys who sign up to learn knitting and enjoy listening to their shared experiences about how they feel about the skill they are learning.
TSA: What textile-related resources would you recommend?
OOE: I especially love books and articles written by Cat Bordhi on implementing knitting into school curriculums. Additionally, articles on all things craft, found on the Craft Industry Alliance page, are great go-to resources for me.
TSA: If given the power to master any skill instantaneously, what would you choose?
OOE: I would choose the skill of growing natural fibers on a larger scale and making yarn from them, and, of course, teaching it to the younger generation. I would guide my young learners through fields of cotton plants, observing daily as the cotton bolls bloom. Additionally, I would demonstrate the process of shearing sheep and making wool, all while answering the countless questions from my eager young learners.
TSA: Are you actively collecting textiles? Please share something about this collection or about the process of collecting in general
OOE: Yarns! I can’t seem to get enough of them! I especially love yarns from natural origins like silk, linen, alpaca, and wool. I was recently sent 100% wool yarns from Rwanda and organic cotton blends, which I have been happily sharing with many young learners. So far, they have been distributed to over ten schools in Lagos and Abuja.
I even save woolen knits from thrift stores, happily unraveling them and making them into balls of yarn. I am addicted to reading cloth labels to find out the fiber contents!
TSA: What projects should we be looking out for from you?
OOE: Passing on knitting skills to young learners across Africa. 20000 of them by 2030 with my business tunnizze creation( www.facebook.com/TunnizzeCreation)
I recently spent some time teaching learners in a Montessori environment that I found fascinating! I am eager to work with more learners that have been exposed to the beauty of textiles!
Bio:
Elizabeth, fond of saying “if you can think it, you can create it,” has dedicated herself to helping numerous young people turn their yarn dreams into reality. Known affectionately as the Chief Imagination Officer, she brings to her work a background in textile technology from Yaba College of Technology, a Craft Yarn Certificate, and Knit Levels 1 and 2 certifications from the Craft Yarn Council in the US. Complementing her technical expertise, Elizabeth holds a Mini MBA from Tekedia Institute and recently earned a Professional Diploma in Education, firmly believing that learning is a lifelong journey.
She actively contributes to the Center for Knit and Crochet as a board member and was honored with the Golden Scissors Award in the Emerging Leader category. Through her organization, Tunnizze Creations, Elizabeth channels her passion for creativity and education. A devoted mother to two remarkable boys, she finds joy in gardening during her spare time.
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