KNITTING PEACE

Perseverance at its Best

2012-02-01T04:43:00.000-08:00

I love sharing about my knitting team and all they inspirein me. It’s amazing for me to experience how women who are incarcerated withtheir children, can put forward their best face and truly give meaning to thephrase “making the best out of any situation”.

One of my favorite knitters Alejandra is a young woman,mother of 2 who is studying accounting while incarcerated. Her children don’tknow where she is, they have been told she is working abroad because Alejandradoes not want them to feel sad or scared.

When Alejandra first started work with us, I was amazed ather perseverance. She clearly knew only basic knitting, but really wanted to bea part of our team. The first piece she knit was a charcoal grey alpaca wrap, which she must havere-done at least 5 times, because each time she felt it wasn’t quite perfectenough. I loved her enthusiasm and the fact that she took it upon herself toalways to her best.

Two years later, she is not only one of my best knitters, butalso my go to person whom I count on to train the other girls, and keep thequality of their work up to par. During this time, she has saved enough money tobuy herself a little private space within the jail, where she spends her day inprivacy, knitting, reading and making the best out of her situation. Her littlespace is very clean, the walls are adorned with pretty wrapping paper, and allof her possessions are neatly folded and stacked on a shelf. She has picturesof loved ones on the wall beside her little bed, and a nice size TV and DVDplayer where she has watched The Secret, Eat, Pray, Love and anything else I give her.

Her supposed release date was December 20^th oflast year, but Bolivia is very bureaucratic and many signatures have to be signed,papers get shuffled, put away and many times lost in translation. Therefore sheis still waiting for her release date, however lucky for us she will only bemoving a short drive away from the jail, and we have decided that she willcontinue to work for Knitting Peace from the outside as well.

I am excited to experience her continued transformation, andlook forward to helping her along the journey.

~Namaste

Recreation and Work... One in the same?

2012-01-20T12:59:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I was working as a financial analyst in LosAngeles, and one day as I sat in front of my computer, counting the minutesuntil quitting time, it occurred to me that there had to be more to life thanspending a third of it performing tasks which I did not enjoy. That moment, althoughbrief was my aha moment, in which I was literally able to observe myself fromthe outside and clearly see that I had been living someone else’s life, who’slife I was living I did not know, but it certainly did not feel like mine, itfelt as if I had completely missed the target.

This epiphany lasted only but a moment, however it completelychanged my outlook on life and all of a sudden I realized how limiting it wasto dislike a major part of my life, all for the perceived comfort of a steady paycheck. How had this happened? And what did I need todo to become one of those people that seemed to have everything at theirfingertip? I literally had no idea;however something in me was dying to find out.

A short time later, I came upon a quote that said “Make yourrecreating and work, one in the same”. I can’t recall whose quote this was, butI am in eternal gratitude for his or her clarity and wisdom. This was theanswer to what I was seeking, and all the guidance I needed. It was so simple,yet I had missed it for so long. All I needed to do was focus on what I lovedto do, and find a way to get paid for it.

It sounds funny but never underestimate the power ofintention. A few months later, I started my own company in which I now designand make knitwear clothing. The plus of it all is that I decided to work withincarcerated women in Bolivia, which is where I now live, happily married andenjoying my life with all of its trials and opportunities for growth.

If you would like to know more of what we do, go to www.Knittingpeace.com

~Namaste

Homemade cookies from jail

2012-01-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

Well over a year ago, Eulogia who is an integral part of myteam of incarcerated knitters suggested I hire her husband Victor to knit for KnittingPeace. At first, I have to admit I was hesitant, it seemed logisticallycomplicated, and I wasn’t sure he knew how to knit. You see, Victor is alsoincarcerated. He is in Chonchocoro, which is the high security prison in La Paz,located about an hour outside of the city. I have no idea why he isincarcerated; however Eulogia is allowed to visit him twice a month.

She assured me his knitting skills were just as good as orbetter than my girls, and she proved herself worthy of her word. Victor is notonly a really good knitter, but he has on more than one occasion gone withoutsleep in order to meet our deadlines.

At Chonchocoro some of the inmates have cel phoneprivileges; therefore Victor and I have had the opportunity to speak, althoughwe have yet to meet face to face. He is a very gentle and sweet man; he lovesto knit for us, and takes our work very seriously. On many occasions he hasdelivered his work faster than my female knitters, making sure he has thingsready for me when Eulogia goes to visit him. She happily delivers him the yarnI give her, and on her next visit brings back the finished pieces. Thelogistical nightmare I had initially feared is a no brainer and I am verypleased with the results.

Victor shared with me that he is also taking baking lessonsand learning how to make all kinds of sweets. Upon one of Eulogia’s returnsfrom visiting him, she not only delivered a beautifully knit piece, but also asweet little bag of anis and orange cookies which Victor had sent me. They weredelicious, and filled with the sweetness of gratitude, and I happily ate themall in return.

~Namaste

A Merry Christmas in Jail

2012-01-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

This past Christmas season was very special for me and KnittingPeace. Mainly because I finally had the opportunity to stay in Bolivia for theholidays, which up to know I usually spent in Los Angeles, selling our goodsand participating in gift fairs. However this year was different, I spent ithere, with my team!

We were all very excited, and although I couldn’t puttogether the celebration my girls deserved with a tree, Santa, champagne,gifts, etc (let’s not forget the girls are in a jail), I was able to go intothe jail during non visiting hours and have a special intimate gathering withmy team, where we shared tea, chocolate milk, Christmas Paneton and cookies. It was the first time in a long time we hadthe opportunity to gather around a table and chat.

I started off the gathering by sharing my gratitude withthem for all of their hard work, diligence, perseverance and inspiration. Iexperienced tremendous growth in each one, on a personal and team level thisyear, and am extremely grateful for all of their effort and support. Each team member received a Paneton andchocolate milk to share with their children on Christmas day, which theygreatly appreciated. I also gifted them pictures I had taken of them throughoutthe years of working together, which they asked me to write an inscription on.

Towards the end of our sweet meal, the girls surprised me witha showering of gratitude and beautifully spoken words of excitement for what isto come, love for the work that we do, lessons received, and mountains ofjoy. Each woman shared freely whatKnitting Peace has meant to them, and all that they had achieved. In thatmoment I was able to perceive a group of women sitting in their power, and I almostforgot that I was in a jail. I realized that each and every woman sittingaround that table was free; in their hearts and in their minds they experiencedthe freedom to be in peace and outside of the limitations of the walls of that jail.

~Namaste

Empowered business women and true success

2011-11-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

For a very long time, my interpretation and vision of a successfulbusiness woman looked like Miranda Priestly from the movie The Devil WearsPrada. In other words I held the belief that in order for me to be successfulin business I had to be ruthless, stern, completely dedicated to my work and let’sface it, kind of a bitch.

Now, although I love my work, and have the ability tobe stern, those other characteristics are not traits that I believed describeme very well, I considered myself to be more of the sugar and spice andeverything nice kind of girl.

Being aware of the large gap between how I thought I neededto be and how I thought I was, brought forward the fear that possibly I did nothave what it took to be successful in business,and that I may be “kicking oxygen” as we say in Bolivia.

Ironically, last month I was invited to go to Arequipa Peruto participate in a Empowered Women seminar and workshop organized by Yente, anon-profit organization from the Netherlands that has the intention ofstrengthening female entrepreneurship via missions, matchmaking, networkstrengthening, exchange of information, it’s an online community for womenentrepreneurs.A total of 20 women from Bolivia where chosen to participateand travel to Arequipa for this 3 day event and to my surprise I was asked torepresent Bolivia during the event inauguration and give a speech about myexperience of success with Knitting Peace. I was flattered of course, but mostly nervoussince I did not consider myself to be very successful, however with my heart onmy sleeve I accepted the challenge and prepared a heartfelt story of KnittingPeace and how we were making a difference in all the lives we were touching.

At the end of the event what I learned was that woman of allwalks of life and traits were leading successful businesses, and these womenwere amazing and not at all bitchy or intimidating. I also learned that I hadnothing to change about myself in order to be successful, because I already am.Success is living in full alignment with one’s purpose and there is little roomfor ruthlessness in authentic success.

This shift in awareness has brought me to a space of self acceptanceand an inner knowing that I am not kicking oxygen, I am being fully guided atall times and being gifted with synchronistic miracles which have paved mypath with inner peace and authentic self expression. Which… YAY, is such a relief!

~Namaste

Our 2011 Collection!

2011-10-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

We are very happy to share our 2011 collection, composed ofchunky alpaca hand knitwear, like boyfriend sweaters, capes, and long cabled sweatervests. We also created a line of ultra thin hand woven knits that includesweater dresses, sweater coats, hooded wrap around cardigans, and more.

This new collection is inspired in the power of color,nature and versatility; where day wear easily transitions into evening wear,and spring wear can easily adapt into winter wear

Hand knit alpaca cable sweater vest

Hand knit alpaca Cape

Hand knit alpaca cabled Boyfriend Sweater

Hand woven alpaca hooded wrap cardigan

Hand woven V Stripped alpaca dress

Hand woven alpaca ribbed sweater dress

Hand woven alpaca sweater coat

To find out more about our collection or how to order a piece, please visit www.knittingpeace.com or email us withany questions you may have.

~Namaste

Our New Collection! and New Team!

2011-10-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

We have been a busy group at Knitting Peace! We launched anew collection, had our first Fashion Show, and revamped our store space. Thisis the reason for our silence in the past few weeks. In addition to all of this, we also startedworking with a new group of knitters, who are amazingly talented. This newgroup is creating all the new hand woven pieces added to our collection. We alsoadded a new line of hand knit pieces, which of course as always are made by ourgroup of incarcerated women.

The pieces are chic, full of color, layer friendly andtransition beautifully from day to night. We love this new collection and knowthat you will too!

Here is a preview, and will all soon be available onour online store www.knittingpeace.com

Enjoy!

Alpaca Hand Knit Ribbed Shrug Alpaca Hand knit Cardiwrap

Alpaca Hand Woven Sweater Coat and Scarf Alpaca Hand Knit Cape

Alpaca Hand Woven Sweater Dress

Alpaca Hand Knit Cardiwrap Alpaca Hand Woven Sweater Coat

Cultivating Patience

2011-09-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when running my business I get caught up in themountain of minutia that needs to be taken care of in the day to day, and I losesight of purpose, and the reason why I chose to start my own business in thefirst place.

When my Knitting Peace journey began, I was in denial of itbeing a business. I was more in love with the opportunity of spending my time creatingwhile being of service, which was my intention and reason for getting on thisboat in the first place. The business aspect,however inadvertently and eventually became a necessity and a very big part ofmy every day.

Deadlines, production demands, cash flow, and distribution channelsat times distract me from my original intention, placing me in a state of disconnectfrom what I love most about Knitting Peace. During these times I feel impatientwith my team of knitters, and the deadlines which aren’t met and find myself ina state of intolerance for the missed sales opportunities due to the slownessof our production process.

Luckily the Universe through the help of my team ofknitters; provides opportunities for me to get back on course, and attune towhat matters most. During the past few weeks, after our week longhiatus, due to the hunger strike, I went back to the jail with a clearer head,and I understood that I was interacting with women who are dealing with a lotof challenges; they are humans who require special care, and extra patience. I cannotexpect them to deliver what other knitters who aren’t incarcerated deliver andin order for our journey to coast in harmony I needed to adjust my sales andcultivate patience and compassion for what these women experience in theirlives.

In this space I learned that Sandra our newest team memberhas a 16 year old daughter who visits her and sometimes has to walk home,because she doesn’t have money for the fair. Bertha has a 14 year old son withepilepsy who lives in the jail, and some days it’s really hard for her to knit,she does not have the energy to do so. Vicky sometimes gives her knitting to her bunkmates, so they have some work to do. These stories are part of the everydaylives of these women living in incarceration. In losing my expectations, andaligning with what is I am more able to see and experience them where they are,making our journey flow more gracefully towards a greater good.

~Namaste

Day 5 of the Hunger Strike in Jail

2011-09-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

The strike continues with no resolution in site. I went to the jail to pick up some of the items our team had finished knitting and got a glimpse of what the hunger strike is about.

This is the front entrance of the Jail: "Centro de Orientacion Femenina"

Many signs where taped to this wall. The women involved in the hunger strike are demanding that the accusations be clarified, and the truth be told

Sign taped to the front door reads "We demand the truth. This strike is because we want photocopies of the false accusations made against this center, sent to us"

The center was accused of harboring drugs, alcohol, prostitution and abortions. Hopefully this situation will be resolved soon, so the women who aren't involved can continue to work in peace.

~Namaste

A hunger strike in the jail

2011-08-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Working with incarcerated women, has its trials and tribulations, especially when the jail is in Bolivia, a country known for being prone to strikes, marches and revolts on almost a daily basis. This same cultural phenomenon is also found within the jail, this year alone the facility has had two hunger strikes already.

When a group of incarcerated women decide to go on a hunger strike, the entire jail is put under a state of emergency and total lock down, meaning visitors, lawyers or artisans like me can’t go inside the jail for an undefined time. The entire incarcerated community has to undergo the state of emergency, as a consequence of the protesting group.

This makes my work very difficult, since during these times I can’t deliver yarn for any of the orders we receive or do the quality control I need for the work in progress. This is one of the glitches of working with incarcerated women. My knitters are also affected because their work is slowed down, and therefore so is their income.

This time around the strike is due to a complaint made by one of the prisoners, who sent a letter to the press stating that drugs, alcohol, prostitution and abortions where common within the jail. The interesting aspect of this is that some of the women inside the jail took offense of this statement and took it upon themselves to start a hunger strike demanding that the author of the accusatory letter be removed from the prison and taken elsewhere. The group of protesting women feel’s humiliated by the accusations and wants the letter to be retracted. They don’t want people on the outside to think these accusations are true. However, it is common knowledge that alcohol and drugs are found within those walls.

It’s interesting for me to hear their reaction. It seems to me that if said actions are happening within the jail, it would behoove the prisoners to have more protection and stricter controls in order to protect the women and children within the jail from being exposed to the many downfalls of drug and alcohol abuse, which can lead to unwanted pregnancies, violence, abuse, depression, prostitution and more.

None of the girls on my team are involved in the strike, yet they are experiencing the downfalls of the issue in place. Prior to the strike they requested that I leave them with a lot of work, should the strike begin and get prolonged. Knitting keeps them busy and out of trouble. Let’s hope they are busy at work, and staying safe while knitting in peace.

~Namaste

Alpaca Creations

2011-08-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

I love sharing Knitting Peace's latest news, creative endeavors and creative process. Here are a few images of what we have been up to.

These colorful pieces are hand knit Alpaca Cowls, which can also be worn as a shoulder cover as well as a skirt. They are very popular, because of the colorful pallet and versatility. We love these!

Knitting Peace Alpaca hand knit Cowl

Available on our website and on SALE now at
http://www.knittingpeace.com/knitting-peace-store/accessories/cowls.html

Now, not all of the new designs get posted on our website, some must go through several rounds of evaluation, re-defining and tweaking.

Our latest prototype was just finished. One of my favorite knitters Louisa, had a bit of a hard time bringing my vision into physical manifestation . However I have to admit, I love what she made!

We will tweak the prototype a bit here and there, with an end result of a beautiful hand knit chunky Alpaca Sweater dress available for Fall 2011, no worries!

I love this color!

Alpaca Sweater Dress

Knitting towards a greater good

2011-08-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

We just recently started an internship program at Knitting Peace, which has been an incredible blessing. I didn’t realize how much work I was postponing until Beatriz came along, and got my wheels spinning in motion. It’s fascinating how the Universe works, we truly are powerful beings.

I had set the intention of attracting a team of supporters to help me take Knitting Peace to the next level, and bam… I feel like I have an army now. It’s amazing how much can be accomplished with strong intention, honest self evaluation and grounded clarity. What seemed impossible and a burden is now clear open space, with infinite possibilities.

In my moments of doom and gloom, I had forgotten why I had chosen to work with incarcerated women, and why Knitting Peace existed and what it stood for. Luckily, with the help of Beatriz’s soft presence, my girls had the opportunity to open up and share with her what Knitting Peace meant to them and how our work together has benefited their lives.

Hearing what each team member had to share, expressed so lovingly was a gift for me. These women did not sound like repressed, fearful women who are incarcerated. They expressed themselves like warriors who were on a path towards something better.

Xenia shared that she hoped Knitting Peace would continue to grow, and that she could continue to work for us even after she restored her freedom. She looked forward to assisting me in creating new designs and putting her talents to good use. She felt she made a difference in Knitting Peace and was proud of the work she did with us.

Rosario, mother of 2 expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to work. She shared that very little work was available to them, and that through Knitting Peace she was able to work continuously throughout the year and support her children in staying in school while she remained incarcerated.

I am once again reminded of the importance of our work, and inspired to continue on this path. It’s a very exciting time for Knitting Peace, we can’t wait to see what else the Universe has in store!

Winter Line Sneak Peek

2011-08-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

Our new 2011 Winter line is coming together. Here is a sneak peek.
Hand Knit Alpaca Sweater Dresses, to wear day and night for work or play.

Everything made by our team of incarcerated women in Bolivia.

Enjoy Knitting Peace!

Photos by Daniel Caballero Mercado

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The Economy and Style... must they go hand in hand?

2011-08-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

With the economy at question mark, I imagine spending in most households has become questionable as well. Debt is at an all time high, and a lot of people are experiencing for the first time, what it means to live and spend within their means. In most countries this is the norm, however in the US and other developed countries, this is a new way of living, a new and hard concept to swallow.

Having lived both in the US and Bolivia, I have experienced both contrasting mind sets regarding consumerism and know what a huge shift the US is going though at the moment. In Bolivia, most people don’t go shopping every weekend, and there aren’t huge discount sales on every street corner. I have yet to go “window” shopping with my girlfriends, and doubt anyone holds a credit card with a $10,000 spending limit. Life is very simple here; when the first winter breeze comes the fashionistas run out to buy a new sweater or coat, maybe both … but not a whole new wardrobe.

I can appreciate both life styles; I love fashion and loved living in LA where there are so many pretty things to see and try on, which are always going on sale.

So, with the economy in mind, fashionistas at heart and practicality at hand, I am creating a new line which is not only beautiful and as always socially conscious… but can be worn all year long, and in many different ways. Versatile is my new theme, and I plan to make all of our new pieces Versatile, and layer friendly, so they can be worn in the spring, summer, fall or winter.

Our team of knitters loves this new concept, and is busy at work with our new collection. Here is a sneak peak of one of our finished pieces

How many other ways can you think of wearing this beautiful Alpaca accessory? And what would you call it? We would love to hear your input, please share!

~Namaste

Learning to Knit Again

2011-08-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

Learning how to knit at the age of 9 was challenging, especially since I am left handed. I remember being one of the only girls in my class to actually do the knitting assignments myself. Most girls in my 4^th grade class had their nannies or grandmothers do their knitting homework for them. Although I had a hard time learning how to knit I still loved it, and practiced constantly until I was able to figure out on my own how to combine and create stitches which were new to me.

Last week, my knitting skills where challenged yet again. I decided to learn how to knit on a machine, with the intention of designing our new Knitting Peace knitwear. Luckily for me my mother in law is an expert knitter (hand and machine) and was kind enough to teach me the basics of machine knitting. After a few hours of playing with the machine, and getting a handle on what mistakes to avoid, I was able to knit this piece. It’s my first, and I love it… as I loved the first tiny scarf I made, with my pink yarn back in the day of pigtails and chubby fingers.

I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s a start.

Learning to Machine Knit

Knitting Peace's coming Winter Line!

2011-08-02T05:21:00.000-07:00

Its August already, winter is on its way out in Bolivia (although is still very cold) and the fall is on its way in on the Northern Hemisphere. This flux in seasons tends to spin me into frenzy. I live in a state of mind of the never ending winter, where I am either designing for the cold, living in it, or traveling towards it.

I am currently both living in it and designing for it. August is an exciting month for Knitting Peace, it’s the month in which we prepare our Fall/Winter line for our clients in the US and Europe. Our team of knitters is excited to see what new techniques they will learn, and new colors we will be using. They are anxiously waiting for me to get them started on the new line.

This season I felt inspired by the bright colors and thick cozy sweaters displayed on the runways during fashion week. Jade Green, Scarlet Red, Plum and Rust are colors that I loved seeing on the runway. Don’t get me wrong I love Grey, but my girls and I are ready for a more brilliant pallet to work with.

2011 Runway Fashion that is inspiring our new Knitting Peace Line!

Vogue Knitting

Max Azria Tracy Reese Alexander Wang, Zero +Maria Cornejo, Karen Walker

Marc Jacobs Jill Stuart and DKNY

With all the changes happening in Knitting Peace and our plans moving into motion towards expansion, it seems incredibly appropriate that our new line should reflect an expanded and more brilliant look. Our new Alpaca hand knits will be more intricate, colorful and ultra thick and cozy.

We recently purchased a knitting machine for thick yarn, which I just learned how to use. It’s not as easy as it looks, but a lot faster. At first I resisted the move towards machine knitting, I felt it did not compare to hand knitting and would make our product industrial. However I soon realized that in order to grow and expand, I needed to increase our production capacity significantly which becomes possible by using a knitting machine. The machine allows us to make certain pieces of the garments quicker, and then add intricacies and the cozy touches by hand knitting them on. This also makes the girls work a lot easier and allows for a quicker turnaround of finished product, which translates into more money for them. The finished product is still ultra soft, however more beautiful and of better quality. We love this, and know that you will too!

Our new line will include hand knit and hand finished products, in bright colors and cozy ultra soft Alpaca fiber Our pieces promise to be thick, long and the sweater you will wear everywhere this winter. We are very excited to launch our new line, so stay tuned on www.knittingpeace.com for more Knitting Peace news to come.

~Namaste

A new friend from within the Bolivian jail

2011-07-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

I experienced a life lesson from a wonderful English woman who happens to find herself incarcerated in Bolivia. She has been “inside” for 3 and half years. Her fair skin, bleached blonde hair and blue eye shadow make her stand out amongst the dark braided hair and colorful long pleated skirts worn by the other female prisoners. At least 90% (if not more) of the women who find themselves in this particular Bolivian jail are of indigenous decent. So my English friend is easy to notice.

She generally sits close to the worn down empty water fountain built in the middle of the courtyard. Day after day, she sits reading one of her books very peacefully. As an observer I can almost see the chaos spin around her and away. It’s as if she is sitting in the eye of the tornado in complete stillness and peace, while everything around her is seemingly going array, or not… and if so, she doesn’t notice. On many occasions we’ve had the opportunity to chat, and in her presence I almost forget where I am, she has the amazing gift of emanating stillness and peace.

She is probably somewhere in her fifties, she has 3 sons and had lived many years in South Africa. As in most of the cases of incarcerated women, she had an abusive husband and now recognizes her incarceration as a profound experience. She shared with me that this time “inside”, has taught her to stay inside herself and experience authentic peace. “It was the only way to survive”; otherwise negativity from the jail can seep in very easily and make life miserable. She is grateful for her imprisonment which has taught her the meaning and beauty of being still and living in the present, “inside the jail, nothing changes, every day is the same”. I have only recently met her, but I image much of her has changed from her incarceration, and I am grateful for her lessons, which also teach and remind me to go back inside, into that space where I am home, and loving is the only way to be.

Once again Viktor Frankels’ message comes to mind, “Everything can be taken from a man or a women but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

~Namaste

Knitting Peace at a Crossroad

2011-07-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Knitting Peace is at a crossroads, with two and a half years under our belt, I feel we are ready to step into bigger shoes and the Universe has been pointing us in that direction, bringing forward new opportunities for KP product placement in Europe, the US and South America. This is very exciting, yet requires a reevaluation of our business model.

Our girls are doing a great job in trying to keep up with the new opportunities for product placement and new distribution venues, but it hasn’t been easy. Our team of 15 solid knitters is working around the clock, however their knitting skills and obligations within the jail limit their full time availability to meet all of Knitting Peace’s demands.

After a long hard look at what we have accomplished and where we want to be, it looks like it’s time to consider hiring knitters outside the jail in order to meet the competitive demands of bigger clients worldwide.

So I have made the decision to incorporate experienced knitters outside the jail onto our team, who are seeking opportunities for poverty alleviation and empowerment. Being in Bolivia, one of the poorest countries in the world, I am exposed to a plethora of women who fit this bill, who would love to work for a company that supports their personal development as much as the sustainability of their homes.

These new knitters will comprise our new development design team, and will work out of a small studio (in my home), where we will focus on designing new products. Once the products have been tested and perfected in our local market, our team of knitters within the jail will take over the production of these new designs for placement in external markets via our website and our wholesale venues.

After a few cycles of running through this new process, I plan on creating a new position in our company for a person who will be in charge of our team of knitters within the jail. This person will be very savvy at building and motivating team momentum, as well a inspiring great performance and enhancing the quality of our end product.

I am excited for these new changes, and the opportunity to create new positions within KP in order to delegate tasks which are not my strength and focus on that which is my forte.

This momentum and growth is due to the support of our amazing followers who have helped create awareness about Knitting Peace, and we promise to continue to expand our business while being true to our purpose which has always been and will continue to be to provide opportunities of poverty alleviation and empowerment to women looking for the chance to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of their children.

So, stay tuned for much more Knitting Peace in the future!

Leaving Corporate

2011-07-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

My boss looked at me with a blank stare, it seemed I had said something absurd… almost funny, judging by his frozen eyes and the slight quiver in his upper lip.

As I sat in front of him, I suddenly felt 3 years old again. His office turned enormous and the air disappeared all at once. I realized I had made a huge mistake and wanted to take back my words, which now appeared naïve, insulting and the worst mistake of my life. What had I done??

The man sitting in front of me joined the company I worked for 6 months after I started. On his second day, he stepped into my office and seemed to immediately recognize my lack of enthusiasm for the work I was doing, and the extensive experience I had, which he could use on his team. We worked very well together, he delegated new projects and I had the freedom I needed to develop them. I loved starting new projects, setting them up, as well as strategizing and planning implementation. However, maintaining the day to day routine of these projects was another story, and shortly after each project was implemented I grew restless again, and my enthusiasm plummeted.

For years, this cycle seemed to be my downfall in any corporate job I held, and for years I thought the answer was to find a new job, however each new job was unusually similar to the last, with a better paycheck and benefits, making it harder to leave.

It wasn’t until I fell across Roger Hamilton’s Wealth Dynamics profile test, that I understood why these jobs bored me so much. I fit what is called a Creator profile, which means my strengths lie in creating… not implementing. Upon reading the profile’s description I could not help but cry, as I finally felt understood and realized that a regular number crunching, 8 hour a day, sitting in front of the computer kind of job was simply not for me, no matter how much I was paid, or how many times my bosses wanted to promote me. AND, to make matters even better… I could stop forcing myself to do these jobs that did not fit my profile, because no matter how hard I tried, I would not succeed in them anyway. .. And what a relief that was.

A few months after this aha life altering discovery, I walked into my boss’s office, sat in front of him with complete confidence, and asked if I could begin to work part time. For what seemed an eternity he said nothing. He seemed astonished that someone would even consider having less work during the US’s biggest economic recession, when people were losing their jobs in every industry imaginable and the big buzz was hamper down, don’t spend money and make yourself indispensable at work.

Needless to say (although I really thought he would go for it), he said no. I had opened Pandora’s Box, and felt that out of integrity to myself and appreciation for all that he had done, I should quite my position and follow my creative calling, terrified as I was.

That moment felt like a huge mistake, as logic, responsibility and practicality go. However, what I have learned since then is that logic is a point of view, responsibility to myself is most important and practicality is over rated. Authenticity and following my heart is my main focus these days, which fill my work with enthusiasm and purpose every day.

Oh and by the way, all my needs are met abundantly every day, no matter what life style I choose. That’s just the way it is, and how the Universe works, and I am so grateful for that.

My new office: a prison in La Paz Bolivia

My coworker and friend Eulogia, an inmate of the prison

~Namaste

Moments to Treasure

2011-07-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

I often get caught up on the hamster wheel of doing, running on auto pilot, with a daily list of to do’s, deadlines that must be met, and projects that need to be started. Having a creative mind keeps me very busy, and full of great ideas which I am always starting.

However from time to time, I am reminded or forced to stop and just be; presented with moments which take my breath away and are full of beauty.

Virginia recently joined our team. She was presented to me by a loyal team member, with the promise that they would work together in order to bring Virginia up to speed. Little did I know that Virginia was an experienced knitter, and had been trying to get on Knitting Peace’s radar for some time.

She has been on our team for almost two months, and in that time frame has consistently presented beautiful work with a speed I had not known possible for hand knitting. However that is not what has impressed me most about Virginia. What impressed me most is her tremendous capacity to bring lightness and positive attitude to any situation; I find her light heartedness inspiring. I remind you, Virginia and all my knitters are incarcerated, making light heartedness hard to imagine, given their circumstances.

One day, while I was waiting for one of my knitters to show me her work, Virginia sat next to me and began to share her story. She is a mother of 3; her children are 14, 12 and 9, and they currently live with her mother. During her incarceration she has worked in the kitchen or laundry department which provides a monthly wage of less than $50, hardly enough to support 3 children, herself and pay for legal fees.

Virginia shared that she had heard about Knitting Peace and considered trying to get on our team since last year, but was afraid her knitting skills weren't good enough and was intimidated by our work. Luckily for me, she got over that and is now a valued team member, making more than twice the amount she earned in the kitchen or laundry. Her ability to provide for her children has improved substantially and I am so happy the demand for our beautiful pieces allows me to support her talent and the sustainability of her family.

In this cycle of life, we are all one. One’s needs are joined synchronistically to another’s talent by the invisible light that binds us all. What a blessing and privilege it is for me to support and help that light grow.

Virginia’s specialty: Knitting Peace's Versatile Scarves

Photos by Daniel Caballero

Hackers De-light

2011-06-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I experienced every online retail stores worst nightmare… my website disappeared; everything was gone from virtual space, which in my mind’s eye looks like infinite unknown black empty space.

Now most tech-savvy folks would quickly know to have the site’s backup reloaded giving place to the end of the nightmare. However, I am not tech-savvy, nor have I ever cared to be despite the tech savvy advice and teachings of my tech savvy friends (you know who you are).

So, now weeks later, I am stuck and dumbfounded with the news that a Hacker has attempted to steal my web traffic, causing mayhem on my website, and the consequential disappearance of it, with no backup anywhere to be found.

True to character I ran through a cycle of typical reactions, which look like this:

Denial: It’s just a glitch, it will fix itself

Procrastination: I don’t have time to deal with this, so it better fix itself

Hope: It’s not a big deal, help will be provided, the Universe is very generous

Panic: Somebody please help!!! It’s been weeks since my site has been down; I don’t think it’s a glitch

Judgment: Stupid me, how did I let this happened?

Physical manifestation of pain: beyond belief back pain, requiring complete bed rest for 4 days and help for everything…

(I kind of felt like this)

Yep… a plethora of opportunities for growth, which I can only now see with clarity. Through the lens of a higher perspective, I can laugh at how my human condition had attempted to fix the issue through avoidance and judgment, which inevitably forced me to be completely still and deal with the real issue at hand, which had nothing to do with the website disappearance.

The real issue at hand is how I chose to react, and how I can choose to react differently the next time I am gifted with a situation I have very little knowledge about. Avoiding asking for help when I don’t have the answers is not a strength but a weakness. Asking for help in most cases can speed up the healing process needed to resolve an issue. I get it, finally… I hope, for my husband’s sake, that I do J

What this means for our loyal followers is that Knittingpeace.com is under construction at the moment, and will be back better than ever very soon. Should you feel inspired by one of our pieces, please shoot me an email (Sonia@knittingpeace.com) and I will be happy to assist you.

My knitters are working full time these days, thanks to all of your support, and our intention is to continue to grow and expand while knitting in peace.

~Namaste

Winter is Here!

2011-05-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

On the southern hemisphere we are revving up for what seems to be a pretty rude winter. This month has served as a forewarning for what’s to come in the winter front, and fortunately for Knitting Peace, we are prepared. Our winter line is full of versatile pieces that are sure to shield the winter breeze, dim sunrays and long months of minus zero winter mornings.

My favorite early morning yoga gear during these cold months includes my Knitting Peace Alpaca Cardiwrap, Hardtail leggings and Ugg boots. It’s the gear I wish I could wear in LA during the winter months of whopping 68^oF weather. Don’t get me wrong, I love LA but I do yearn for a real winter, where I can fully enjoy all the beautiful pieces my Knitting Peace girls make.

This fall a favorite in Bolivia has been our Alpaca Handknit Cardiwraps which we re-designed for this season. They are as always ultra soft, ultra warm and now surprisingly lightweight, weighing in at only 500grm which makes them so much yummier to wear; and to continue to spread the warmth, we included pockets on each side panel, keeping all extremities out of the cold.

Alpaca Cardiwraps

For the fashionistas who refuses to be bothered by threats of bronchitis or the flu, we have a very sexy piece that is sure to keep you healthy while jumping from dinner party to bar to club. Our Vneck Sweater dress, worn with skinies, leggings or as is, is ultra soft, sexy and warm enough to keep you comfortable on those long nights out on the town.

Alpaca VNeck Sweater Dress

When I first presented these designs to my team of knitters, I was met with confusion, a bit of enthusiasm and a lot more confusion. My girls had never made or seen anything like these pieces, they were eager to learn; but not quite sure what they were making. After many (more than I care to count) finished prototypes, we finally achieved pieces that are Knitting Peace worthy, which we are sure you will love. So, whether you are on the Southern or Northern hemisphere, keep an eye out for these pieces, which are sure to become a favorite in your closet.

~Namaste

Making Survival as easy as Breathing...

2011-05-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

Life has been full of surprises, one being my recent marriage which turned Knitting Peace’s routine upside down. Apparently I had an internal bride sleeping within who took over my life for two months, and I watched myself get taken down the wedding rabbit whole, in the midst of a whirlwind of wedding dresses, color pallets, up-do’s, half-do’s, flower arrangements, round cakes, square cakes, party favors, center pieces and a million more details… exhausting, yet so tempting I couldn’t help but to allow my internal bride follow her hearts fairy tale wishes.

As the wedding date came near, Eulogia and Emiliana (2 of my most loyal and hard working knitters) pulled me aside, they had concerns to share with me. They confessed they were worried that my new role as a wife would consume my time, and focus; keeping me too occupied for Knitting Peace and them. At first, my initial reaction was aloof, since that hardly seemed possible, and continues to seem unlikely. I love my work, and feel more focused than ever. However, after taking some time to sit with what they were expressing I understood that their fear was very real for them, and shouldn’t be dismissed.

I realized that not only were they worried about their future survival, but that these women were also carrying their experience of being an indigenous woman in Bolivia, which more often than not meant having multiple children, and carrying the burden and weight of their families survival and well being; in a society that limited their potential to break out of their cultural box and offered few opportunities for a future in which their children thrive.

Once again my girls teach me, and remind me that my reality is not always the rule or the exception, and when working with these strong spirited women, it’s important to listen beyond their words, and step into their shoes for a bit, in order to offer a new light to their perspective; meeting them where they are and share a new vantage point.

In providing new perspectives and opportunities we are able to break walls, limitations, and open doors for future generations to expand beyond our projected reality. In doing so, we can achieve together a world in which all women will have the opportunity to experience their inner fairytale wishes, childlike dreams and the sweetness of committing to a life in which we each can thrive, making survival no longer a burden, but as easy and natural as breathing.

~ Namaste

The Icing on the Cake

2011-05-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Working with incarcerated women implies being a part of their day to day, mainly because many of them receive few visitors. I visit the jail several times a week, some days I go with bags of yarn for them to create beautiful pieces with, other visits I review their work; and on some days I simply go to visit and catch up on how the girls are doing. In any case, I am always greeted with enthusiasm, which I receive as a gift and privilege; the icing on the cake.

A few weeks ago, I had the experience of sharing with them some of my own icing, as well as the cake… wedding cake that is. I recently got married and because my girls are not free to leave the jail, I was not able to invite them to the actual wedding. So, instead I shared with them some of the wedding cake which they received whole heartedly knowing that it was my way of having them participate in the special event.

During the weeks of preparation for the wedding, I felt their excitement for the event and the new life I would be transitioning into. We worked together to make the wedding favors, which were hand knit in Alpaca fiber. They were beautiful and a symbolic way of sharing with my family and friends a little of Knitting Peace. One of my knitters (Eulogia) made me an ivory Shrug that matched my dress perfectly, and I wore as the sun set on the eve of the wedding. It fit like a glove, and was so cozy and soft; I could feel Eulogia’s warm embrace throughout the night.

Alpaca hand knit Ivory Bridal Shrug made by Knitting Peace

So much love was put into every detail made for the wedding; I can’t help but feel filled with gratitude for their love and support. They prove to be my greatest teachers each day, sharing with me lessons of gratitude and strength of heart.

If you would like to get a closer view of the women of Knitting Peace, view this documentary of our team done by Hannah Kozak

~Namaste

Non-linear Life as I Know It

2011-05-04T05:03:00.000-07:00

After a long absence from the blog world, I feel my creative juices overflowing with excitement. So much has happened in the first 4 months of this year, curiosity pulls me to question what else is being brewed by the Universe for the remaining 8 months to come; although I know in spiritual terms time is of none essence, and we each hold the power to create what we want to experience and learn, at a spiritual level. More often than not, our growth comes when we choose to align with the truth of who we are, and physical time has no bearing on that.

I have learned and continue to learn every day that surrender is the key to experience the perfection of life, its wisdom and its surprising and amazing synchronicities. How many times have I found myself trying to accomplish something in a certain time frame, which my human eye deemed to be the “only” solution; while finding on the other side multiple obstacles and closed doors? So many that through mere exhaustion I finally just let go, which turned out to be the real solution; giving way to a flow of new found doors, synchronicities and opportunities my human eye had never even considered possible.

Surrender does not mean giving up, or being passive. It means accepting that I am not alone or separate from the Universe. It means choosing to embrace my oneness with the Universe, and believing that I, as a Divine Being have the opportunity to allow the Universe to guide me beyond my human experience. It means aligning with what is, and letting go of what my humanness deems as right or wrong, allowing for space through which the Universe can assist me through.

Surprises that came forward when I finally just let go

Train Cementary, Uyuni Bolivia

In the Siglo XX mine... (not too long ago, women were not allowed in)

Traveling on a Train

Working as an interpretar, translating Pres. Evo Morales

Coming out of the mine

Magical Salar de Uyuni

Dani, best surprise of the year :)

The real beauty of surrender is that as we experience it authentically from within, not only do we create an inner state of peace, but our outside world starts to gravitate towards that peace and synchronistically our physical world reality aligns with what we were trying to accomplish in the first place.

I am reminded of this every day, especially while growing my business. By nature, I have the tendency to plan… I plan our budget for the year, our sales, our cash flow needs, I make assumptions based on the current price of Alpaca, plan on lines of credit, etc… all good tools to get a better understanding of how I would like the business to grow. Now, more often than not, these plans don’t get accomplished as I had planned. In the past this used to bring forward feelings of being inadequate to run my own business successfully, judgments of not knowing what I am doing, and thoughts of going back to getting a normal job where I could count on a steady paycheck without the risk of “failure”.

After running on this hamster wheel until exhaustion, I finally realized the lesson. I learned to view my planning tools as a way of establishing my intentions for Knitting Peace, which I then choose to surrender to the Universe for greater guidance, trusting that whatever comes forward will bring additional lessons in service to the growth of not only my business but me. It’s that simple, no need for judgment or self inflicted punishment (i.e. a 9-5 job).

It is from this space that I can more easily flow with what comes forward, as I no longer feel burdened by the need to accomplish things in a certain time frame, because I know and trust that linear time is of non essence when working and aligning with the Universe.

~Namaste

Knitting Peace: 2 Year's in the Growing

2011-01-26T00:08:00.000-08:00

Knitting Peace is celebrating its 2 year anniversary, and along with 2 years under my belt come many lessons learned, new perceptions, cultivated relationships and the opportunity to question what have I done? How far have I really gotten?

Photo © Diana Mrazikova

During these 2 years there has been many times in which I have questioned if I am the right person for this job or if someone else might have done it better. The reality is that this may have been the case, I am sure other women could have Knitting Peace in many major department stores and magazines by now. However, this project came to me, and I have to trust and be patient with myself as I learn the ropes which is a big part of the journey of a 1^st time entrepreneur. Learning what questions to ask and acting on the information received is another big part of the journey. If it were all up to me, I would happily spend my time at the jail creating new designs with my team of knitters. That is all I would do, and let the business aspect manage itself… however as many business owners know, being in business for oneself requires a lot more work than a normal 9-5 job, and the wearing and juggling of many hats. A normal day for me can range anywhere from going to the jail to see how my knitters are doing with our products, to having meetings on Skype with prospective clients in Europe, to sewing labels on each finished product; while managing cash flow against projections and day to day expenses. It’s a big deal, and a lot of work, and thus far, without the monetary compensation or benefits a steady 9-5 job provides.

At times the challenges that emerge feel like tests, provided for me to question how invested am I really? These opportunities emerge to evaluate and ask if I am the right person for this job. Do I have what it takes to make Knitting Peace all it can be? And essentially how badly do I want this? Moments like these are challenging, however I am grateful for them, because they provide me the opportunity to rise above my physical world reality and guide me to go back to the basics, the beginning; to remember my initial motivation, inspiration and ultimately reconnect with my heart.

Physical world reality can at times seem stifling, or slow to reflect progress and growth. Staying grounded in ones initial inspiration makes each day, lesson and challenge worth the initial discomfort. And maybe that’s what it’s really all about: being inspired, being the inspiration, and allowing inspiration… being, allowing, flowing and accepting. And how that manifests in physical world reality is up to us to decide. For me it looks like Knitting Peace, for you it may be your family, the environment, money, singing, or an infinite number of things. Whatever it maybe, it’s important to be clear. What does your inspiration look like? What inspires you? How do you inspire others? And more specifically, how can you choose to be the inspiration you want to experience in the world?

These are important questions to ask oneself as we seek to align more fully with the calling of our hearts. ~Namaste

Mariela... a Mothers Love

2010-12-29T23:36:00.000-08:00

With the New Year just around the corner, I feel inspired to take a look back at the unfolding of 2010 and make inventory of what I would like to bring forward to 2011, as well as what I can chose to step away from, in service to continued alignment, growth and stepping deeper into the truth of who I am.

One of my greatest lessons this year has come by means of Mariela, one of my favorite knitters. She has been incarcerated for over 3 years. She was brought in days after her daughter was born, who was initially taken to a home for the first year of her life, until she was reunited with her mother, in jail. This little girl named Giovanna is now a bit over 3; she is a beautiful strong being and is not afraid to express herself. One day I found her at the main gate, crying to get out, while her mother watched from afar understanding that this little one did not want to be incarcerated any longer.

Mariela has little support from family outside of prison. She is very young and more often than not, needs to buy Giovanna medication for ear infections, teeth decays, bladder infections, and stomach infections. It seems Giovanna is always sick, and Mariela is consistently working hard to help Giovanna heal.

Mariela and Giovanna, 2010

Mariela is a very talented knitter; she learns fast and knits fast once she gets the hang of a particular design. We worked for months to come up with the Sweater Vest design pattern, making one proto type after another. It was a long process, yet Mariela never gave up, she persisted even after having to unravel her work many times, until it was perfect. Any knitter will tell you that unraveling a knit piece is not fun; it’s like drawing a painting and then having to erase it.

She took great pride in the creation of the Sweater Vests and took it upon herself to make each one to perfection. I noticed she became very protective of this design, and diligently worked on each one, without any rest in between. She seemed more content and centered as each piece was finished. One day she asked me to hold her pay until she delivered all of the Sweater Vests I had requested. I agreed, knowing that she probably wanted to save the money for something important.

Once all the Sweater Vests were delivered and Mariela was ready to receive her payment, she shared with me that she was planning on using the money to buy a “toldo” which is a small (tiny) covered space most inmates buy as a place to spend their day in and hold all of their belongings. It’s the only private place they can have, if they can afford to purchase it while they are in jail. Once they leave, they can sell it to another prisoner recovering their investment. These “toldos” are very important for mothers because it allows them to nurture and care for their children in a private space, a space they can call their own, a safe space for their children to rest and be.

Mariela did not have the means to buy a “toldo”, but she created the means by working diligently in something she believed in... her daughter. Her response and growth inspires me to continue to work diligently, unraveling and erasing that which no longer serves me, and stepping forward with what does, accepting guidance to steer my vision while allowing my journey to become a co-creation.

Hand Knit Alpaca Sweater Vest in Mocha

Photo taken by Daniel Caballero

Hand Knit Alpaca Sweater Vest in Grey

Photo taken by Daniel Caballero

Mariela and all the women of Knitting Peace are a gift. We hope you love Knitting Peace and continue to help us grow as our intention for 2011 is to grow and expand, touching more and more lives each day. ~ Namaste

A story about Eulogia... who makes Knitting Peace possible

2010-12-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

I have been in LA for a couple of weeks sharing with many people stories of my Knitting Peace experience and in this exchange, I have grown to realize that I miss seeing my team of knitters in Bolivia and their amazing children as well as being with them in the jail. Its funny to hear myself say this, its not something I had ever aspired to experience or even dreamed of, but these spirited women have weaved themselves into my journey and heart, and I am all the happier for it.

Eulogia, my Team Coordinator and Friend

I find myself raving about my team coordinator Eulogia much of the time. She and I met the first time I went to the jail many years ago, and have worked together ever since. At one point she was my only knitter, but in time she brought forward the majority of the girls I currently work with.

In the jail there are women of all walks of life, and I would be more than happy to employ them all if I could. However, Eulogia has more street smarts than me, she protects me like a lioness and doesn't allow just anyone on our team. I trust here blindly and only bring on board who she feels can harmoniously work with us. She helps me stay focused and grounded with the reality of the jail and what we are seeking to accomplish in the long term, she points out to me when I may be off course and consistently keeps the knitters and the quality of their products in check. Many of my knitters have shared with me that Eulogia makes them reknit some of the work when she feels it isn't up to Knitting Peace's standards.

I love and appreciate her proactive-ness, she takes pride in our work and social movement. She is an inspiration to me, and teaches me to keep on moving forward no matter how big the hurdle to overcome may seem. She was sentenced to 30 years in jail, and is on her 9th year. In a year she can re-open her case and based on her conduct, work and lawyer's ability may be eligible to reduce her sentence. I plan on standing by her in that process, assisting her the way she has taught me to assist others, with lioness pride and loyalty.

I am blessed by Eulogia, a woman of strength, pride and deep courage. She has two grown sons who visit her frequently.

Eulogia, I love this woman!

Visit our website today, to see some of the beautiful creations Eulogia makes. She has perfected our Ponchos, and makes truly amazing Throw Blankets. We are having a holiday SALE now, to inspire you to give gifts with meaning, that directly assist women like Eulogia to step out of poverty and into sustainability.

Visit www.knittingpeace.com today.

~ Namaste

The Fruits of 10 Months Work and lots of Play

2010-12-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

With Christmas around the corner and me being back in LA, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for this years journey, lessons learned and continued pull towards greater clarity, alignment and acceptance of what is.

After 10 months of working consistently with my team of incarcerated knitters in Bolivia, I find myself in LA again with the familiar initial culture shock of the traffic, speed and marketing overload. However, I am now a week into it, the culture shock is gone and I am back to business as usual.

During my time in Bolivia my intention was to focus on creating better products, designs, opening more markets and strengthening the technical knitting skills of my knitters. As I look back, I can appreciate having accomplished all of this, however I can also see that this was the least of all that blossomed from this 10 month stay. Although I can certainly appreciate the business importance of bettering our product and expanding our market share, all of that now seems more like the icing on the cake, as opposed to the eggs and milk themselves.

In this process and journey I am learning that if I choose to make the conscious choice to focus my awareness and intention on what my heart is seeking to experience, meaning: peace, authentic connections, joy, authentic self expression, etc... and channel this intention through Knitting Peace, then it is inevitable that the feedback is going to be more peace, loving connections, joy and authentic self expression. Which has magically shown up in our new products that have created the opportunity for new markets and greater awareness about Knitting Peace.

My point is in a very round about way, that when we let go or detach from the obvious outcome, and surrender to our hearts song, all will be accomplished perfectly and beyond our wildest dreams, leaving the initial obvious goal seemingly small compared to what in reality came forward.

Our latest 2010 Winter collection reflects the trust and deep connection that blossomed with me and my team of knitters in Bolivia. This line is more daring, unique and playful. We hope you enjoy it!

Photo by Daniel Caballero

This holiday season gift to your loved ones a Knitting Peace alpaca product, that directly assists incarcerated women and their children, in Bolivia to step out of poverty and into sustainability and self empowerment.

Visit our website to enjoy our holiday SALE at www.knittingpeace.com

Photo by Daniel Caballero

Lessons in life, during the light filled times~ Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T10:30:00.000-08:00

It is a rare person who can pierce the veil between ordinary life, consumed with matters of physical survival, and pursuit of the empowered path of purpose and meaning unless he or she is motivated by a crisis. Most often we require the failure of some system of power that we rely on before we take action. ~Carolyn Myss

I love this quote from Carolyn, probably because it has proved right for me on many occasions. However at this point in my life, I am also experiencing the power in taking action from a space of complete clarity and peace… and not only the dark filled times when a power system falls out of alignment.

Today I feel inspired to share about the lighter moments in life, which if we really stop to think about are more often than not and interestingly less appreciated or remembered than not. I ponder upon this and wonder why our human condition tends to dictate a need to use our hard times as leverage to do our inner work from which we grow, taking for granted the opportunities which the lighter experiences offer to teach.

If life in its entire splendor has its ups and downs which serve a deep purpose to us all, why is it that the downs or harder experiences tend to leave a deeper impact than the ups or lighter experiences? Have we become so immersed in our self growth that we have developed a tendency to see only the jewel in the midst of the darkness leaving less appreciation for the light filled times, that bring forward experiences of joy and love. In other words, why not also learn from the light filled times, not as parameters for how things should be, but rather opportunities to learn to simply immerse ourselves in the delight and love of what is.

During this journey with Knitting Peace, I am learning that nothing is as I had expected, yet the experience of peace and purpose which I wanted to have is fully present and embedded in my daily life. I am learning to be present to all that is, especially the moments of joy that serve as reminders and inspirations to continue to walk this path of purpose and meaning.

In service to sharing my gratitude for this light filled time, during this day of Grace and Thanksgiving, Knitting Peace is sharing our work at a drastically reduced price, for all to enjoy. We hope you love our products, which are made with enthusiasm and joy by incarcerated women, seeking moments of empowerment and inspiration.

To enjoy our Thanksgiving Sale visit www.knittingpeace.com

May this Thanksgiving season bring you blessings of true joy and peace.

~Namaste

From Rebellion to Devotion... lifes many twists

2010-11-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

The idea of devotion was a concept I set aside when I made the choice to step away from traditional religion, and open myself to spirituality. At the time I didn’t know what spirituality meant, but I knew in my heart I needed to follow my own spirit towards a higher meaning and life of purpose. Something away from the pre-conceived concepts of a God contained within the frame of fear and judgment. At the time this felt much like an act of rebellion which perfectly suited the 20 something year old that I was. I didn’t realize until much later how magnificently wise that young woman was. She was pretty amazing and I am so proud of her.

Once the intention to live in alignment with a higher purpose was set, many opportunities for developing the needed skills for aligning with this purpose surfaced and looking back, I can honestly confess that these have not been comfortable or easy lessons to learn, some even painful. However the new relationship that has blossomed from within myself has made each hard spot softer and easier to appreciate, bringing deep purpose to each experience as I gently knit stitch by stitch the tapestry and mastery of life.

These past weeks have brought forward on numerous occasions the opportunity for me to re-evaluate my concept of devotion. At first the word devotion started to pop up in conversations with friends, later in books and soon in my yoga and meditation practice. I opened a curios ear to all of this, but it wasn’t until I lost a significant sale opportunity for Knitting Peace due to my own procrastination that I realized... uh-oh Houston, my Angels really want my attention.

The loss of this big sale helped me come to the awareness that I wasn’t devoting myself fully to what I considered to be my life’s work and this was a representation or projection of how I was being with myself and ultimatly God. Meaning I was not fully allowing myself to authentically embrace a life of devotion to something higher than myself.

During this process all the old preconceived notions of religion, God and devotion came forward for a re-visit. However this time with the skills I accumulated since my last wrestle with devotion, I was able to hear my hearts deep yearning and longing to love open heartedly, with absolute joy, loyalty, humility and fervor. To be devoted to something higher than myself, to something which I can’t see, taste, hear or feel but know in every cell of my being loves me unconditionally and wants only for me to experience authentic, the cup runeth over kind of loving, and radiate this love unlike any love imagined by my mere mortal mind.

It is from this space that I am learning that devotion is gratitude to the sacredness of life, making each breath a moment of connection and love expressed with Source. Devotion to the spirit in every form, living in devotion to something higher than ourselves and everything in between, revealing the ilussion of separation. Living in flow as ONE and part of the whole, like drops in the ocean.

To me, this is the face of pure, unconditional love.

This is my dog Nicolas, one of my favorite beings in the Universe

Pre-adolescents in jail and nowhere to go

2010-10-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

Knitting Peace, as a social enterprise seeks to empower its team of incarcerated women in overriding some of their limiting core beliefs with new visions of what is possible for themselves and their children.

In doing so, I am becoming more and more aware of their daily challenges within the Bolivian jail, and count on the pleasure of experiencing their trust as they share with me some of their stories and hardships. One situation which I became aware of and is of great concern to me is in regards to the children reaching the age limit to legally remain within the jail.

Legally, children of incarcerated women in

Bolivia

may live within the jail with their mothers until the age of six. Exceptions are made in the case of those children who don’t have family to live with outside the jail. These special cases are considered, and the children are allowed to remain within the jail until the age of 12, assuming they have no other alternative.

Once these pre-adolescents reach the age of 12, they are required to leave the jail. Fortunately by then most of these children have a family member or older sibling they can count on to support them while their mothers remain incarcerated. However, there are more than a handful of cases in which these adolescents have nowhere to go.

Picture taken by Hannah Kozak

Charo, one of my team members approached me with great concern because her daughter turns 12 next month. Charo has at least 10 more years to complete her sentence, does not have any family members she can count on to care for her daughter, and her time to decide what to do is running out fast. Charo shared with me that her alternatives are to either send her little girl to a home for street children, or rent her a little room where she can live alone. Charo says she is willing to work hard to make sure her daughters financial needs are met, but she is concerned for her daughter’s safety and well being while living on the outside without her.

To my surprise, Charo expressed much concern in sending her daughter to live in a home for homeless children, where she could count on adult supervision, discipline, schooling and food. Many of the women shared with me that in these homes their children would be exposed to street kids who have been vulnerable to drugs, prostitution and sexual abuse, and fear their children will become vulnerable to these as well while in these homes.

For these reasons Charo and many of the women with pre-adolescents within the jail are more inclined to send their children to live alone in a rented room, without any supervision and away from the nurturing eye of their mothers.

It is in situations like this that I have a hard time understanding what the lesson opportunity is for these children. Why do some lives have to be so hard? I can’t imagine living alone at the age of 12, how I would have handled it, or what choices I may have made. It seems a recipe for disaster or at the very least another teenage pregnancy or the repetition of the cycle from which these girls were brought into.

At best, my work through Knitting Peace strives to provide opportunities to change the trajectory of the children of these incarcerated women in service to healing and empowering generations to come; however I feel I am at a loss in this situation being that the alternatives seem to lead to more of the same. My hope is to find an alternative to bridge the gap between living with their mothers, and living in alignment with their higher purpose and well being.

Picture taken by Hannah Kozak

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2010-10-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

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The deep inner journey thickens

2010-09-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

During my almost 9 month stay in Bolivia, I have had the pleasure of meeting amazing, strong women who are grounded, connected, attuned to their feminine and very wise. I have learned a lot from these women; regarding the sacredness of ceremony, the importance of being a strong female today and the power we each have to affect all of which surrounds us.

I feel blessed by their presence¸ example of leadership and guidance, all of which has inspired me to begin taking steps in developing and owning my leadership skills within the compounds of the jail Knitting Peace has taken me into. From this space of deep inner knowing, I have felt called to develop a weekly program for these incarcerated women that could provide a safe and nurturing environment for healing. The program would consist of weekly classes targeting specific topics of discussion, and would last between 60-90 minutes once a week. As the weeks go by, the topics of discussion would also progress and deepen, creating a momentum and sacred bond between the participants.

My Bolivian mentors have enthusiastically agreed to join me in this effort, we have put our hearts together and set the intention of developing a weekly class that deals with topics such as self healing, empowerment, freedom to choose, family planning, affirmation setting, honoring oneself, communicating with kindness, heartcentered listening and much much more. Our intention is to provide a safe space for healing, releasing that which no longer serves and providing skills that allow for the opportunity of personal freedom, self forgiveness and higher vision.

I am very excited about this new phase Knitting Peace is paving the way for! I am also trusting that we will be guided perfectly, allowing only that which is in service to the highest good to come forward. I also know that our team of facilitators will expand and many angels in human form will come forward to share their wisdom and experiences so our group of women will grow all the more for it.

So, this goes out to all my heart centered friends… the invitation is yours. We know the power and joy of being of service. There is great need for soul centered leadership here, and I welcome any and all assistance in facilitating or adding to this program.

Thank you for listening, ~Namaste

Taking Reiki to the jail

2010-09-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

Recently a Reiki Master from Cochabamba expressed interest in coming to La Paz to facilitate a Reiki workshop inside the prison I work with through Knitting Peace. I initially had mixed feeling about presenting a Reiki workshop inside the jail, since Reiki is not a common practice in

Bolivia

, and I was concerned there might be little interest.

With the approval and support of the lead Capitan within the jail, the workshop was held in a small room which contained stacked plastic chairs. Since we had no idea how many women would show up, I optimistically laid out about 20 chairs to make sure we had plenty of seats available for everyone. As more and more women showed, the chairs seemed to multiply and the space seemed to expand. Almost 40 women participated, many of which are part of my team of knitters. It was beautiful to watch these women laugh and in some cases cry, as the Reiki Master explained the existence and purpose of our energy bodies, and how blocked energy can be released and healed. Many women courageously spoke of their past experiences, learned beliefs of what it meant to be a woman, what it meant to be an incarcerated woman and the fears they had for their children. It was touching to hear these women express themselves authentically in a group setting were not all faces were friendly.

The Reiki Master skillfully and quickly explained the power and purpose of Reiki, and how these women could help each other heal through the practice of Reiki. Inside this jail which holds about 200 women and 70 children, Reiki could prove very useful for harmonizing and healing within those walls. The women became excited to hear that they could actively participate in the healing of their friends and sisters within the jail.

The last part of the workshop was dedicated to giving the group of women the official Reiki Attunement, which they received with openness and joy. After the attunement, we practiced Reiki in pairs making sure each participant left the workshop knowing how to practice Reiki on themselves before applying it on others. It was very endearing to watch the women attune to their energy, ask that their hands be guided to go wherever healing was needed, and work in harmony with each other. The room was full of laughter, childlike play, curiosity for the new sensations they were experiencing and ultimate connection with Source.

Weeks have passed since the class, and the women continue to stop me in the corridors with questions of hand positions, expressions of gratitude for the workshop and eagerness for the Reiki Level II workshop, which we will be holding in October.

It doesn’t seize to amaze me that regardless of background, spiritual upbringing, culture or race, we humans are all bound by a common basic need to express love and receive love. I find it fascinating to experience this from inside a jail, were one might presume the last place to experience love. I am in gratitude for these women, and all they teach me. They honor me with their trust and again and again prove to be a blessing in my life.

~ Namaste

Inspiring Women...

2010-07-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

The past week has been plagued with news about recent reports of abuse to incarcerated women in La Paz

Bolivia

, specifically within the jail I work in. A Peruvian woman who allegedly attempted to escape the prison in June, denounced the prison guards of punishing her by keeping her in solitary confinement while handcuffed to her bed for 45 days. I realize abuse within jails is not uncommon news; however when we think about the significance of women and mothers being in prison, without a sentence or trial date the injustice speaks for itself. In

Bolivia

78% of incarcerated inmates are in jail without a sentence, mainly due to the lack of quick legislative processes as well as the lack of financial means on behalf of these women to legally defend themselves.

The majority of the incarcerated women, are incarcerated without a sentence for drug transporting which in impoverished countries such as

Bolivia

, is a very tempting way to earn enough money to care for their families. With drug trafficking at an all time high, the prison walls are filled to capacity and a solution to this cycle has yet to be found.

Indigenous Bolivian women find themselves more often than not, raising their children on their own, which is why these children have few options when their mothers are incarcerated. The majority of these women can not afford legal representation and are shuffled through the system, waiting for their sentence, often times for many years, even if they are innocent. Once their case is settled and they are given their freedom back, they are expected to pay a fine which is usually a astronomical amount for these women, especially since their opportunities to find paying jobs are limited by their incarceration. If the fines are not paid, they are not allowed to leave the prison.

The more I see and experience, the more I realize how hard life can be for women in developing countries. Their options are limited by cultural roles, the economy, politics, little education and the lack of opportunities to break the cycle of intergenerational identities. Should these women become incarcerated, the stigma that comes along with that is dramatic. They are no longer viewed as adequate wives and mothers, and are forced to live in overcrowded spaces with little options for sustainability. The increased population within these jails due to drug related micro-trafficking poses an increase in abuse and violence within the jail.

As grim and unimaginable this may all sound, my experience of these women and their children has taught me a lot of the strength of the human spirit and how we truly have the freedom to choose our attitude in life in every given moment that we share. Every time I enter the jail doors, I am greeted with smiles, laughter, enthusiasm and authentic appreciation. I am amazed at how these women can find the will to continue to live fully, despite the negation of basic rights such as knowing how long they will be stripped of their freedom to live outside those walls.

Within these walls I have been blessed in experiencing friendship, with women I never would have imagined befriending. These women teach me everyday to use my internal strength inherent to us all, to not only survive but thrive. Thrive in the little things that make a big difference, thrive in sharing the best of oneself despite the physical discomforts our outer world reality may contain.

If these women can live enthusiastically and with laughter, then I have the response-ability to reflect back to them the same enthusiasm and joy. They teach me to give my very best, I wholeheartedly choose to receive their best, and am inspired to give back my best. And so the cycle of giving and receiving becomes one in the same, a continuous flow of love and respect.

Many people say I am kind because I choose to hire these women to knit my Alpaca product line, and in all honesty, kindness has nothing to do with it. I receive and learn so much from these women and children, that if anything, they are behaving with kindness, in teaching me to live courageously and with dignity, regardless of my circumstances.

My Roaring Twenties

2010-06-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

During my college years in Bolivia, I was quite the wild child, or so I judged myself to be. Surrounded by friends at all times, I danced till many sunrises, and drank more than I care to remember. For years I looked upon my roaring 20’s as that period in my life during which I was lost, at risk and reckless. I judged that young women harshly for her choices and what seemed to me as a lack of self love and respect for one’s safety.

Throughout my life time, my heart has always guided me back to Bolivia, it has been this way since I can remember, and once again I find myself in Bolivia, now well into my 30’s, seemingly more mature, and beyond the limitations of my roaring 20’s… or so I thought.

These past few months in Bolivia have reflected to me the harsh judgments I held over the younger one within, despite all the self counseling’s and healing of memories, no process has proved to be more effective in healing this area in my life, than actually being in the den of the lions cage.

The beauty of it all is that despite the harsh judgments I was holding, this younger one within showed up in the most graceful and gentle manner possible, taking over my thoughts and interests. She day by day reminded me how fabulous I was, how fun and full of joy, how courageous and authentic, and how free and self honoring I behaved. I have been reliving my college years through her eyes, and what I have joyfully been shown is that she is me, and I am she, nothing has changed, and there is no need to judge. I am her today, with more awareness of my light. And although she may have not been aware of her light at a conscious level, she certainly knew what her heart wanted and always had the courage to follow it. Because of her strength of heart, I am who I am today, and trust my own courage to take leaps of faith, towards the fulfillment of my hearts desires.

Without that, or better said, without her, Knitting Peace may not have been. So it is once again, with a smile on my face, that I honor that wild child within, who has helped the seemingly illogical and reckless, become delightfully possible.

Knitting Peace is a social enterprise that empowers incarcerated women in surpassing their own past choices and turning them into opportunities for healing by embracing and accepting that younger one within. Knitting for these women has become a tool used to enter into the space of healing, and the outcome is reflected into each sacred piece they elaborate.

Through the practice of knitting healing begins, deepens and transforms ~ Namaste

Black or White, and the Infinite shades of Grey in between….

2010-05-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

I have been in Bolivia for almost 4 months, and my stay here is just starting to take shape. Initially, true to Angelino form, I expected my process and lessons to take between 6 to 8 weeks, at the end of which I would be ready to go back to the City of Angels, evolved, empowered and ready to hit the hamster wheel again. I am grateful to say I was completely off course.

The main purpose of my trip to La Paz was to continue to grow my business Knitting Peace, however once I decided to stay, I was unsure of what to expect or plan for. As I recall that frame of thought, I can’t help but giggle. Planning on what to expect… how silly of me to think I had any control over what would emerge from this journey.

One of my biggest lessons has been to release the habit of thinking linearly. Having been raised by South Americans in North America, and learning at a very early age that all has a tendency to follow a certain logic of cause and effect; has resulted in living life linearly, meaning that if I do A, then B will come as a result, and C will manifest. The “if I do this, then I will obtain this” frame of thought and being, has resulted in an experience of life as either all or nothing, black or white, right or wrong, bad or good, abundant or poor, etc.

During these months of stillness and self observation I have delightfully experienced myself as non-linear, able to just be and to observe that in the none doing, none planning and none thinking linearly, more space is created for the infinite shades of grey to emerge, beyond the limitations of black and white linear thinking. From this space, it is amazing to observe and experience how everything serves our spiritual development, simultaneously and in perfect alignment, beyond all or nothing thinking or the division of time and space.

Caroline Myss (my partner on this voyage) reminds us that we as Hu-man beings are living in an exquisite period in time; we have entered a world in which we are moving from a time of reasoning in a linear and organized fashion (8 hours a day for work, 7 hours for sleep, 5 hours for family, etc) and shifting to being holographic, where things are happening simultaneously instead of linearly. “The journey for us is to cease seeing our commitments to our marriage partners, to our families, to our jobs as threats to our spiritual development, instead they are our assignments, they’re our companions, and they are exactly where they are supposed to be… Give your self a holographic blueprint to work from, all things simultaneous, everything serves everything, instead of all or nothing, instead of division of time and space, put it all together, begin to think holographically” ~ Caroline Myss, Anatomy of the Spirit.

It is from this space that I embrace my social enterprise Knitting Peace as my companion on this journey, which brings forward the perfect lessons for me to jump through, and motivates me to continue growing spiritually in service to bringing growth to the incarcerated women I work with. I have observed in these past few months that Knitting Peace is serving me as a mirror for where I am, and which limiting beliefs I have held and need to release. As I release and evolve, the result is creative flow and a deepening connection with my team of knitters. When I am still and not doing, Knitting Peace seems to run on autopilot, and the girls in synchrony become busy with other projects that assist them in supporting themselves. When I am closed off and seemingly disconnected, the girls reflect back to me my dis-ease through imbalances in our communication or experiences of distrust, all in service to spiritual growth and development.

If you would like to learn more about the work Knitting Peace does, and the beautiful products our team of incarcerated Bolivian women make, please visit our website www.knittingpeace.com. Your purchase directly helps these women and their children to lead lives which are sustainable, empowered and free to choose.

Diving into the Mystery

2010-05-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

On occasion I take a view of my past life within the corporate world, when life seemed to be comprised of a list of bills which needed to be paid, and I held an uninspiring adult job in order to accomplish this, under the illusion that I needed those bills and job to consider myself a functional, well balanced adult.

These days while continuing my Knitting Peace journey in Bolivia, I fill my day with investments of a more spiritual nature, and I am growing to realize that life as I knew it does not matter, what I fill my day with does not matter, what really matters is how I choose to be with myself and consequently others as I do whatever it is I am choosing to do. There is no right or wrong choice, but a way of being with each choice we make.

I have been inspired by the writings of Caroline Myss during this journey and her encouraging words to dive into the mystery and jump into the fear echo in my being, inspiring me to remain in the stillness of Bolivia, until I realize why I was guided to come here in the first place.

I am wandering through this land, picking up rejected pieces of myself left behind during my college years while being reminded of the perfection of it all, and am marveled at how ordinary miracles have become. It really is as simple as “ask and you shall receive”, because no prayer goes unanswered, and every answer comes with its lesson, which is so much better than the response originally hoped for. Life is so rich, when we allow ourselves the joy of saying yes to our hearts and follow the unknown path, rediscovering what we already knew, and re-membering our true essence, which is so much more than bills, work, and busyness.

I am here today, learning and practicing being in the present moment, trusting that this is exactly where I need to be, or else I would not be here; while opening myself to receiving the infinite support the Universe has to offer, and sharing myself authentically with all.

I am grateful for this journey, with all of its ups and down, colorful bright moments mixed in with hard spots, and valleys of space. I am in the City of Peace, which is surrounded geographically with exactly what my journey resembles, a vast range of high and low colorful hard mountains, and open space, reminding me once again of the perfection of it all. I am grateful, I am gratitude, I am.

Inspiration from Climate Change

2010-04-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth. The conference was held in Cochabamba, a small city in

Bolivia

, where the Water War took place in 2000.

Unfortunately the vast majority of the publicity and attention that was given to this event focused on the interesting opinions expressed by the Bolivian president Evo Morales during the inaugural speech, regarding chickens, plastic and Coca Cola; diverting from the importance of what actually took place during this historic and symbolic global event, where people from all over the world congregated to speak of our environmental crisis and what can be done to reverse or stop Climate Change.

I feel blessed to have witnessed and experienced this 4 day conference, where 17 important and specific topics where discussed concurrently in work groups with the intention of drafting a document to be presented to the UN in Cancun this December, specifying what the People want, in regards to the care of our Mother Earth.

Beyond any expectations of what may actually happen with these requests, my experience of this event lies in the beauty and love which all the participants have for our planet. Thousands of people from all over the world, gathered to express their love and respect for our Earth, with the intention of shifting the way Earth, our Mother is being treated. I didn’t hear in depth scientific explanations regarding why Carbon Dioxide/Monoxide, etc is causing catastrophic damage to our atmosphere at a rate of blah blah blah… instead, I heard over and over again, Earth (Pacha) is our Mother (Mama), and we must protect our Mother, because without our Mother we seize to exist, not the other way around.

This voice resonated amongst everyone their, where differences in color, race and nation no longer divided, but united in harmony and love for our Mother Earth.

I feel deeply inspired by this experience, and feel it will shape in some way the manner in which I grow my Social Enterprise. Its not just about seeking materials or processes which are friendlier to the environment, it has now become about seeking ways in which I can choose to show my love and respect for Mother Earth, in what I do and how I am. I realize this is a huge commitment, however in light of the past and how it has not served our Mother, I feel its time for huge commitments.

What are some of the commitments that you can make today to show your love and respect for our Mother Earth?

Click here to go to the official World People's Conference website

What inspires me about working with incarcerated women

2010-04-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

I love presenting my team of knitters with a new design for them to make, at the moment we are working on our new Cardiwraps, made in Baby Alpaca. When they are presented with a new design, initially they act nervous and express concern, doubting their ability to do it. We go over the instructions carefully, exchange ideas of how to best work the design, negotiate a wage that is fair and works for them, they express their concern once again just in case I didn’t hear it the first time; and off they go. We have worked on many new designs and they are not only able to make them, but make them beautifully excelling their own expectations of what they are capable of. They have yet to realize how talented and smart they are, I am here to remind them.

Why this group of women holds such a dear space in my heart is hard to say. What I do know is that they inspire me with their will to survive and ability to laugh and smile. Despite their limited freedom and living conditions they seem to be aware that they are free to choose their state of being and attitude. I am always greeted with a smile and appreciation for the work we do. They have shared that knitting brings them peace, I hope they know that the peace they are feeling is coming from within them, and has always been their regardless of their circumstances.

Working with these women brings me great joy; I am grateful to have broken away from my past conditioning and trusted my own heart. It is within the echoes of the heart, where our song resides. Learning to listen is the first step, and by far the hardest. However once we open ourselves up to listening to the echoes, the song little by little starts to make sense and alas… in a matter of time we re-member the words and the rhythm so clearly it almost seems strange to not have noticed it before. In that moment there’s no turning back, the song becomes us and our heart is free to be and lead once again. The mind is a powerful tool, to be used in service of the heart, once we align to this, things seem to easily fall into place.

Everyday I awake, and am marveled by the life I have chosen and created. Everyday a fear of some sort wants to be heard, and on most days I remind myself to allow my heart to lead the journey and trust that there is no-thing to fear for when we follow our heart, we are authentically living in complete alignment with our purpose and universal birth right.

Children raised in Jail

2010-03-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

Upon my first visit to the Women’s Jail in La Paz back in 2005, I immediately noticed that knitting inside the jail is a form of life, and a means of survival. The items these women knit are meant to be sold in the outside world, and in some cases made for outside Artisans, most of who pay very low wages.

Another peculiarity of this jail is that it houses more children than inmates, being that the women who have children, which most do, are legally allowed to bring their children under the age of six into the jail with them, in order to protect them from being out on the streets or in abusive homes. It is not uncommon for some of the women to have more than one child in the jail with them and some children over the age of six remain within the jail if special circumstances exist, and they don’t have a safe alternative. The children are given free medical assistance, food and daycare. The children who are over the age of 6, are escorted out of the jail everyday to attend school and at the end of the day, escorted back in.

At first glance, this situation seems inadmissible and hard to image, yet as I ponder on the available alternatives, I can appreciate the benefits of housing the children close to their mothers, who at the very least have the option of nurturing them while incarcerated.

Another benefit of having children within the jail is that it seems to keep the women busy and focused on their priorities, which I believe lessons the outbreak of violence and confrontations amongst the inmates. I have never felt unsafe while visiting the jail, and appreciate the little smiling faces I encounter during my daily visits.

Having shared this, I don’t believe a prison of any kind is an ideal environment for a child’s upbringing; they are exposed to women who have committed violent crimes, drug and alcohol abuse, conjugal visits, older children who in some cases have been brought up in abusive environments and other situations children are not emotionally or mentally prepared for.

However in

Bolivia

an alternative does not yet exist which provides the children a home environment that encourages them to thrive, while allowing them the freedom to visit and connect with their mothers on a regular and consistent basis.

These children are not street kids or orphans, they have mothers. However within most homes or orphanages, the children are not able to visit the prison to see their mothers, due to the lack of available human resources needed to physically take the children to the jail on a regular basis. This is why most mothers choose to take their children inside the jail with them, as opposed to leaving them in a home.

The penitentiary system in Bolivia has questioned this arrangement for years, especially in regards to the safety of the children living in the men’s jail; however an alternative has not been brought forward which is financially realistic and meets the needs of the inmates and the penitentiary system to date.

In the mean time, I continue to work with these mothers, and enjoy the presence of these little beings, appreciating how they so naturally elevate the mood and loving within the prison walls.

2009-10-14T22:09:00.000-07:00

Some years ago, during a visit to her native homeland of Bolivia, Sonia Gallardo, a knitting enthusiast and founder of the socially conscious business Knitting Peace, was struck with the realization of a need for opportunity in one of the least common places to be associated with opportunities, a correctional facility in La Paz, Bolivia. This insight marked the birth of Knitting Peace; a social enterprise committed to making a difference by empowering incarcerated women in Bolivia with opportunities to continue to support themselves and their families while engaging in therapeutic work so part of their heritage, knitting.

What makes Knitting Peace knits different?

At first glance, these ultra soft hand knit Alpaca products evoke sensations of indulgence, warmth and nurturing. However, to really get a

sense of what makes these products special, it serves to hear the story behind them.

The story begins with women convicted until proven innocent of crimes such as theft, fraud, debt and drug trafficking. Their freedom depends on their ability to obtain legal representation, usually impossible due to their level of poverty. However, the peculiarities of these jail sentences don’t stop there. In a country as poor as Bolivia, children of indigenous decent have few options, including having to live with their mothers within a jail or correctional facility if she is incarcerated. Furthermore, these facilities do not have enough provisions to meet all the needs of these mothers nor their children and thus the women are forced to continue to work while incarcerated to support themselves and their children.

Obtaining work within a jail is hard enough, and even harder for a population with little formal education. However, most of these indigenous women were gifted early on with the skill of knitting, weaving and crocheting, passed on through the generations as a means to endure the cold winters in the Andes. And this is where Knitting Peace comes in, serving as the much needed bridge to opportunities, empowerment and sustainability.

Knitting Peace recognizes the natural craftsmanship these local artisans are known for as an opportunity that can be leveraged into financial freedom for these women and their children. Under the dismal circumstances of Bolivian jails that house both these women and their descendants, this opportunity is serving to nurture both the soul of the women and the children that they feed.

Luxury Meets Generosity

The products created by the women of Knitting Peace exude the artistry of an ancient wisdom passed from generation to generation, fused with a modern touch. The materials used are clearly intended to invoke the tradition of their native Andes yet in a contemporary, luxurious and practical way. This is achieved by means of the material, Alpaca fiber that is often compared to cashmere yet due to its thermal qualities can be used in warmer weathers, and the deep and rich colors used throughout the product line.

True to the known Andean form, the quality of the products show the women take great pride in the work they are doing. Every scarf, wrap & throw blanket gives off a sense of appreciation and care. But what makes these products really beautiful is how in their creation, the women of Knitting Peace are empowered through their heritage artistry to provide for themselves and open up the road of opportunity for their families.