When visiting Orcas Island in 2000, one of the first things Magdalena remembers were the sheep on both sides of the road to Eastsound. After moving to Orcas in 2006, she found a pattern to knit sheep blankets, and also learned a lot about sheep, by simply forming them: just standing, jumping, or eating or whatever sheep do.
Magdalena learned how to knit before first grade and was busy knitting clothes for her dolls and her baby brother. She also learned how to crochet soon after, to embroider, crewel and needlepoint, sew and weave, as well as paint in oil –but stopped when she had a very active family. However, kitting always was the preferred activity, it relaxed and refreshed.
Schooled in Germany, England and France before coming to the United States as a student, she became a high school teacher, teaching World History, French and German. She was also Department chair and supervisor of a lesser taught languages program which included Russian, Japanese, Arabic, Farsi and Assyrian. And occasionally she was a teacher of every handiwork including decoupage!
Wool is a wonderful material to work with and it connects the present with a long history of woven, knitted or crochet art in clothing, blankets and wall covering among many other uses. When visitors take home the pillows and blankets I make, I hope a spirit of the island goes along with them, the quiet, peaceful rural nature of Orcas.