I didn’t care about Irish things growing up. My family wasn’t Irish–they still aren’t, actually–and my community was largely German in origin. There was one Irish person from Ireland in our church who cut our hair; I don’t really remember her talking about Ireland that much and she didn’t have Irish things around the shop.
In college I became obsessed with studying the links between Judaism and Celtic languages, specifically Irish and Scots Gaelic. That was when I started being interested in Knotwork, and from there in all things Celtic.
Knotwork is one of those things that I’ve always loved but only recently realised I could actually create. When I started on Pinterest a couple of years ago there wasn’t much about Knotwork–it was all bathroom fixtures and recipes for desserts. So I started my Me So Knotty board.* And that’s when I found that you can draw your own Celtic knots. It was bad enough that I sat around and doodled knots on my iPad.
This week I have made a possibly injurious discovery. It turns out you can use i-cord (one of my favourite things to knit) to make celtic knots. I did know this a few years ago, but you know how you find something out and think “that’s cool, I’ll have to do that” but it’s not something you’re really into at the time? Yeah. That. When I first found out about i-Cord Knotwork I was in a knitting hiatus phase and so it got filed away and then lost. Now that I’ve found it again I’m chomping at the bit to finish my washcloths so I can start the i-Cord.
But the question is this. With as much as I love all things Celtic Knotwork, and as much as that’s my preferred (i.e. only) jewelry, do I dare do THIS??
Yes. These are necklaces made of i-Cord knotwork. And they’re fun and wonderful. My favourite–and the one I’d likely do a variation of–is the one which uses a chain and just has the knot as a pendant. But still. Fun, yes. Wonderful, yes. Something I’d be caught dead wearing in public? I’m really not sure. I mean, yes, I’d wear it to a celidh or a bookstore or maybe even to our wonderful Irish pub. But just in general? Like, to the doctors’ office or Walgreen’s? I’m already fairly eccentric. I think this might be the thing that pushes me over the edge from “little bit strange” to “That weird lady with the limp and the yarn jewelry.”
Ah. But do I care?
Either way, knotwork is wonderful, knots are wonderful and I love that I can be a Maker.
*I almost wish I hadn’t. It seems like something gets repinned from there every half hour and I get an email telling me so. In other words…I am spamming myself.
Just Another Pretty Farce 
Oooh, thanks! I needed that drawing link. Likely doing something similar on Rob’s book cover.
I have no idea if my family is Irish. I suspect there is some in me, with all the red-heads in my family’s past, and the fact that when I see pictures of Ireland I feel drawn like a magnet, and when I hear Celtic music it pulls my soul.
Anyway, I’m not of the sort that would wear yarn jewelry, but I am totally of the sort that wears the stuff I love regardless of what other people think. My friends definitely find me eccentric, and me wearing necklaces with beetles preserved in acrylic pushes me over the top around them, and I’m fine with that. I’m the girl with “all the earrings” who wears bugs around her neck. So be it :).
Your Celtic artwork is amazing. Of course you should wear it – and proudly. Embrace your creativity!
Your statement about Hebrews and Irish is very interesting to me because they are my two major studies and I never knew the linguistic connection until today, so thank you!
To be sure with your considered.Thank you for your own sharing.