Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa O’Rourke.
Hi Vanessa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started knitting in high school, for an Agatha Christie play. I learned to knit backstage, in the dark with pencils as needles, from a castmate. After that production I actually forgot about knitting, little did I know it was going to become such a part of my life a decade later. I went to school for theatre, received a BFA in Acting, minor in Dance and moved to Austin eager to join the performing arts community. Within in a few years I was running a yoga-based preschool, teaching after school classes and performing in productions around town. It was during this time that I started to notice my body was slowing down.
I was 25 years old, but I found that I just didn’t have the stamina, energy or bandwidth to do things at the same level as I was before. Over the years, my body continued to deteriorate and while I was in and out of every Doctor office, trying every homeopathic remedy I could find, I was still slipping away. I was down to 109 lbs, my skin was bright orange and the fatigue, nausea and pain came in heavy unpredictable waves that landed me bedbound more often than not. I was eager to find ways to keep myself sane while trapped in bed, here is where knitting came back into the picture. Knitting became my go to support, I found it was the only way I could turn off my brain, just breathe, be and create. I taught myself how to crochet and continued to spend my days away knitting and crocheting anything I could think of. I’ve never been able to read patterns or follow videos, just not something that my brain could follow, so everything I make is entirely one of a kind.
I decided to take knitting and crochet and included my passion for sustainability, love of reiki and added both of those pieces into the puzzle. I found working in secondhand yarn and infusing every stitch with reiki to be such a healing way to process all that I was going through while also helping support a greener, cleaner and more magical world. In 2016 I was finally diagnosed with Addison’s Disease, a life-long adrenal disease that renders me steroid dependent and susceptible to an adrenal crisis, which can be fatal, at any time. This was when Stitchin’ Spoonie came to life. I knew I could no longer work to the same capacity as I once had, so I transformed my love of stitchin’ and turned it into passive way I could support myself and pay for my medical expenses. A spoonie is a term for individuals with chronic illnesses, the term was coined by Christine Miserandino in 2003 based on the ‘spoon theory’.
Over the years I’ve been diagnosed with Adenomyosis, Endometriosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Hypermobile Ehler-Danlos Syndrome, Osteoporosis, Vitiligo, had multiple surgeries and of course we are always investigating any new symptoms. Due to my disabilities I had to retire from teaching, performing, working in person and participating in many of the activities I once used to love. Over the last 9 years I’ve been stitchin’ almost every single day. I’ve shared my work on Instagram, participated in many artist markets and designed looks for multiple fashion shows. I absolutely love working in secondhand material, giving yarn new life and seeing my work bring joy to others.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think one of the most challenging things I struggle with as an artist with chronic illnesses and disabilities is having to style, photograph and share my pieces through social media. I’m so grateful to be able to show my work to people all over the world, but it can be incredibly exhausting to do all that work, especially as someone who has little to no energy to do just daily life tasks. When you’re chronically ill, sometimes you have to choose between taking a shower or unloading the dishwasher, you won’t have energy to do both. Then add in grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions and trying to take care of yourself and your loved ones while also participating in whatever work you are able to do. I absolutely love to knit and crochet, I find it so relaxing and comforting, but having to do additional steps after each piece is created is truly something I struggle with. This is honestly one of the reasons I haven’t developed a website yet. I’d love to do more and share on other platforms, but I just don’t have the bandwidth to do so.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I absolutely love to work with color, and one of my favorite ways to incorporate yarn is through rainbows. Most of my pieces are either color blocked, scrappy rainbows or ombre colors in general. I also love that all of my yarn has come from another individual, each fiber feels like it has another life or story before I even start with it. One of the best things about working in secondhand yarn is that I don’t always get to pick out what I’m working with. It becomes a little bit like a mystery, and I truly don’t know how it’s going to turn out until I get to work. Most of my yarn is either from Secondhand craft stores like Austin Creative Reuse or USE2 Neighborhood Reuse Center or they are donated from other fiber artists. I’ve received donations of yarn from all across the country, sometimes from individuals who loved one passed away and they had a stash of yarn they never got a chance to use. These donations are so special, and I always feel so grateful to be able to work with their yarn and turn it into something that will live on.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m an absolute creature of habit and find that my neurofestive brain loves to revisit the same books and podcasts over and over again. I’ve become a huge fan of audiobooks which allow me to knit and crochet while I listen. I tend to listen to the Harry Potter books and Tana French novels on repeat. As far as podcasts go I’m pretty set with the Handsom Pod and The Office Ladies. Chances are if I’m stitchin’, then one of these is playing in the background.
Pricing:
- Accessories – $5-$50
- Hats – $35-$65
- Tops – $45-$95
- Sweaters – $125-$250
- Dresses – $150-$250
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchin_spoonie/
