In these times of uncertainty, handicrafts are attracting a growing number of buyers who are looking for something touched with human values. But for Yildiz Diab, the manager and owner of “Y. Knot,” people are reacting to this age of consumerism, mass production and pollution of our senses, by returning to the core of what life is really all about and she believes that handicrafts offer the possibility to be as creative as your imagination.
The idea behind Y. Knot goes back to 2004 when Yildiz heard her husband’s niece complain that she could never find a baby’s gift which is neither mass-produced nor made with acrylic. She asked Yildiz to start knitting and selling baby items but when Yildiz replied that she could only produce a few garments, the niece shouted back: ‘ WHY NOT? I don’t understand. WHY NOT?’
“Something flashed. Why not? I replied. ‘You mean, y, like in Yildiz and, not, like in a knot? We stared at one another for a nanosecond and burst into laughter. Done, I told her. And Y. Knot was born” explains Yildiz.
The concept behind Y. Knot is not only to design and produce luxury hand knits using high quality yarns and impeccable finishing, but also to revive the tradition of crocheting and hand knitting, by modernizing the look and incorporating them into objects and items used by trendy women who want something different.
However, its noblest goal is to provide needy women with an opportunity to earn a living without leaving home. “Since my teens, I have always been concerned with the plight of women in the Middle East. Especially women who, for reasons social or educational, could not be employed to earn a living, “says Yildiz.
The number of knitters has expanded from two to the current 35; they all come from different parts of Lebanon. At first, the women were suspicious of each other, but they have now become friends. This successful integration through work sends out a positive message in this small country where the focus on differences has sometimes overcome the idea of common good and a shared heritage.
Yildiz aims to produce quality items inspired from the rich arts and architecture of the Middle East without being labeled ethnic. Her line of prayer rugs, prayer wraps and Qur’an covers are inspired by mosaics, mihrabs and domes. A new collection of bed sheets and table linen was inspired by the colorful paintings on the adobe houses of Asir and the geometrical patterns of old Riyadh.
Yildiz was born in Cairo and grew up in Heliopolis where she learned to knit at the age of five. While her nanny knitted for her and her siblings, she would spend hours knitting for her dolls. Later, she finished all the weekly knitting patterns featured in the French magazine ELLE and eventually gained more expertise. She strongly believes that anyone who has the will and patience can learn how to knit and crochet, and can even become proficient at it with some discipline and perseverance.
In an increasingly uniform world, crafts exert an influence that goes beyond their own value. Handicrafts are intrinsically linked to our culture in more ways than we can think off: “The value of a handmade product lies in the positive energy transmitted through hours of knitting with love and respect for the yarn and product. That is why it is so important to use quality yarns, and to love what one is doing. Every time I knit a prototype, I always feel this positive energy. It’s even stronger if it’s an item for a baby, I can almost feel a baby when knitting one,” explains Yildiz.
Y. Knot is known for its variety of home accessories including throws, cushions, candle holders, placemats, hot water bottle covers, napkin rings, coasters, tea cosies, water bottle covers, bedside rugs, baby blankets, and rugs and stools for children’s rooms. They are handmade with cotton, silk, wool, raffia, lurex, bamboo yarn and shredded cloth. In the near future Y. Knot will be launching a line of sophisticated handbags for the evening as well as offering customers the possibility of ordering a customized baby’s room.
Y. Knot recently participated in “Bissat Al-Reeh”, an exhibition organized in Riyadh at the Four Seasons Hotel, by the Welfare Association, headed by Princess Adela bint Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Yildiz will take part in the same exhibition in Jeddah in September. She readily admits that she loves the desert and has fallen in love with Riyadh: “Maybe it was the climate, definitely the dry weather, and yes, the blue sky, the wide avenues, the cleanliness. And the desert, always the desert!`’
People are looking for authenticity and they are not interested only in a beautifully designed object, they want something more; they wish to feel the hand of the artist which triggers an emotional response. The knitters are dutifully guided by Yildiz, a woman with personality, culture and a sense of style. Most of all Y. Knot enables its workers to earn their living as craft-makers.
“ My ultimate goal is to take Y. Knot to Arab and international levels. By doing that, I will be able to consistently supply my small family with work. I am also eager to tell our clients about the importance of teaching their children a craft. By doing so, they will offer them a lifelong gift, one of patience, focus and serenity among other things. One very important thing it will bring to them in this age of consumerism and short attention spans is the blessing of never having to say: ‘I’m bored’”, concludes Yildiz.
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