Crochet Craft Club No. 6 | 1.19.24

We made it to Friday, y’all. This week was exhausting, so I’ll keep this intro short.

Here’s some patterns + a feature on Ukrainian folk artist Polina Raiko.

crochet: Zig a Zig ah Shirt by Lauren Willis

This crochet top pattern by Lauren Willis is trending on ravelry right now. It’s so cute!

The Zig a Zig ah Shirt is an all-gender pattern that can be worked in sizes XS-5XL and in a bunch of different lengths. I love how it gives a vintage bowling shirt feel.

crochet: Dumpling Kitty by Sarah Sloyer (free!)

omgg this adorable amigurumi pattern by Sarah Sloyer is too, too cute. This cutie kitty would look perfect sitting on a desk, bookshelf, or car dashboard.

Imagine making 150 of these and having them take over your house. Perfection.

knit: Polina Pullover by Teti Lutsak

This gorgeous pullover pattern by Teti Lutsak is inspired by the folk art of Polina Raiko. I love the minimalist, sweet motif. Imagine the color combos!

Keep scrolling if you want to learn more about Polina Raiko and her beautiful home. 👇🏻

knit: The World’s Simplest Mittens by Tin Can Knits (free!)

I’m having this tragic problem where I want to read in bed, but my hands get incredibly cold while holding my book outside my pile of 5 blankets.

A pair of The World’s Simplest Mittens sounds pretty great right about now…

featured maker: Ukrainian Folk Artist Polina Raiko

Polina Raiko (also spelled “Rayko”) didn’t start painting until she was 69 years old. After experiencing intense, subsequent life traumas, she picked up a paintbrush and began creating lush, colorful murals all over her home in southern Ukraine.

She only painted for six years, but her unique and beautiful paintings soon became part of the fiber of Ukrainian folk art. People from all over the world would visit Polina’s house to see her work. She never received formal art training, but her motifs and color palettes became a part of Ukraine’s artistic and cultural heritage.

It’s a beautiful story with a tragic ending.

Sadly, Polina’s masterpiece has been most likely destroyed due to Putin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. On June 6, 2023, Russian forces deliberately destroyed the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, causing an immense humanitarian and environmental disaster.

I believe the area of Oleshky is still occupied (correct me if I’m wrong, please). While I don’t believe anyone from outside the area has been able to go in and assess the damage done to Polina’s home, some photos did surface that showed evidence of flooding and destruction.

“Most likely, we will lose it…Her main and the only artwork was this house. We have lost her heritage and her physical presence,” art historian Oksana Semenik told The Guardian in June 2023.

Polina’s home may not be with us anymore, but her legacy lives on. Photos, videos, and other artwork inspired by Polina’s style are still with us. I think preserving the ephemera of Polina’s work is the least we can do.

I found several photos of Polina’s murals on Spaces and a nice, comprehensive feature on Polina via DestiNations.

There’s a 2003 walk-through of the home with Polina herself that you can watch.