From Darkness to Stitches: My Story of Art and Resilience

Hi, I’m Iryna — a Ukrainian artist, designer, and needlepoint addict. For as long as I can remember, needlework has been my language of love and beauty.

Together with my husband, Andriy, we created a small embroidery studio called Hoohla, near the city of Sumy, Ukraine. It was more than just a workshop — it was a dream built stitch by stitch. We developed original cross-stitch, needlepoint, and hand embroidery designs, produced our kits, and shipped them to customers across the world.

But on February 24, 2022, the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion, our studio was bombed. Everything — the equipment, the archive, the workspace — was destroyed. Most of our original designs were lost in the fire. Andriy went to defend our country. He gave his life for Ukraine in October 2022.

My daughter and I had to run away. We found safety in Portugal, where we now live as war refugees. It's 2025, and the war is still going on. Like many others, we still have no home to come back to.

But life, somehow, has found a way.

On July 16, 2025, I am reopening our embroidery studio under a new name: Hooh.la — a symbol of love, strength, and rebirth. This time, in Portugal. I will once again produce high-quality patterns and needlepoint kits.

This site is my blog — a place where I share my knowledge, inspiration, and love for needlepoint. All patterns and articles here are free to use. If you’d like to support my work, you can find the products of my new studio at hooh.la and in my Etsy shop: NeedleArtPoint.

Thank you for being here. 10% of all profits go directly to initiatives that clear mines, clean up war debris, restore natural areas, and plant trees in Ukraine. With every stitch we grow love, peace and hope.

— Iryna