part 2: dandelion bookcloth

 

The dandelion bookcloth is finished, simple and sweet, fun to make. I've been arranging and re-arranging stones and seashells on my altar and have begun a small new knitting project. A goddess is being formed, there's a stone in her head for the photo but she'll more likely be shaped with herbs, small stones and wool. I think she already has a name but it's probably too early to say it.

Today is a waning moonday in the sign of fiery Aries. Aries has a get-back-to-business kind of energy about it which quite suits a Monday, don't you think? And because Aries energy is strong and assertive, now is also a good time to initiate much-needed changes. Beware, impatience lurks.

Aries affects the head and face, to the nose. If there is a tendency toward headaches, we need to take it easy and not get too carried away with things. Even though we might think we can do it all.

Getting back to things. A beautiful week to you!

a dandelion bookcloth

Since we had Dandelion Italiano the other night, I decided to stitch a little dandelion book cloth. My wool choices for the bottom layer have all been eco-dyed -- the top right is from red wine, the blue is from black beans and the rust from onion skins -- but the other two elude me for now.

You can see in the photos how much dandelion leaves shrink during the cooking process for Dandelion Italiano, but I assure you it is worth the effort.

The view out the sewing room window a little while ago -- and it's still snowing. Happy May Day!

in the green

I ended up with a circle. After thinking about my full moon cloth all weekend and coming up with several ideas, this is what finally took hold as a background. I thought it would somehow be different so now I'm not sure anymore -- that's the problem with expectations. It reminds me of my grade school uniform, a green plaid jumper and a white blouse. That might or might not be a good thing. 

Today is a waning moonday in the sign of Capricorn -- a great time for making plans, setting goals, taking care of business. Maybe even some ambitious cleaning and organizing. 

Capricorn affects our skin and our skeleton, especially the knees. Capricorn's color is green. And the banded malachite stone down below is associated with the sign of Capricorn as well.

Things are starting to make sense after all. Hoping for delightful surprises, connections, and synchronicities for everyone this week. x

calendar cloth pillows

It worked. I tapped into some of that growing-moon energy and finished up both a book and a pillow. The pillow top was woven out of cloth strips and then kantha stitched -- the back is creamy, delicious hopsacking  (I first started the top way back here). I stitched on a month of calendar cloth to mark the time of year -- funny I don't really care to record the exact year but the point on the wheel of the year, now that's I want to know and remember. Must be age. The book was Winter of the World by Ken Follett, second in a trilogy. Next up is All That Is by James Salter, has anyone read it yet?

I noticed the pom-pom'd pillow was made in the month of April, too.

The full moon is tonight so I'm thinking green and white for April's little moon cloth. Green for growth and white for snow because that's pretty much what it's been like outside up until yesterday. I'm really not complaining, water is precious here.

There should be some nice dandelion and nettle greens ready to pick today. I guess I'm craving green. xx

yellow button moonday

It's going to be yellow for the lady sweater buttons. The African violets that are still blooming made the decision for me. I mean really, there's no way around it. The vintage button in the photo is too large but it's the perfect color. 

This morning I picked lettuce from the cold frame, enough for a good-sized salad tonight. It was sunny and warm for a couple of hours but we're expecting up to a foot of snow later today and tomorrow. The woad, Isatis tinctoria, doesn't seem to mind a weekly dump of snow and is nearly at the point of bloom. I'd really like to have it as a permanent part of the dye garden so might cover it before the weather action begins -- as a biennial it needs to bloom to reseed itself. 

I saw a gibbous moon in the outside dye-pot -- today is a waxing gibbous moonday in the sign of Virgo. Being just a few days from the full moon, planetary energies are building toward completion and celebration. We can use our energy to progress in a similar way by focusing and working on things already begun. I hope to complete a project or two over the next few days -- remembering the road is better than the inn, the journey toward the goal, but also knowing how good it feels to finish something.

We live in sobering times. So here's to continuing and always living from the heart. xo

sewing bee

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who needed to do something with my hands as the sad events of the week unfolded. Five puffs up there for the beekeeper's quilt. Speaking of bees, I just discovered a gem -- The Great British Sewing Bee, a home sewing reality/competition series. I love this kind of stuff and if you need an escape, it will do the job. There are three episodes so far on YouTube. 

xo

a duplicate stitched hexipuff

I had never duplicate stitched on knitted stockinette before, but it's so easy and was just right for today. A little bee is in the works on a hexipuff for the beekeeper's quilt. I think I'll keep going along this line -- more bees, some ravens, owls, foxes, and rabbits. Yes.

The beeswax/cloth wrap is new to me, but I'm already in love with it. I have high hopes for this product and you can find it here.

Yesterday I had 16 healthy tomato plants. Then I set them outside for a few hours of sunshine. When I opened the door to bring them in, our two dogs bolted out in search of rabbits and they both ran over the tray of tomato plants. Most were knocked out of their pots, some lost leaves, and a few stems snapped. So today I have 12 not-so-great tomato plants.

Today is a waxing moonday moving into the sign of Cancer. Moonwise, it's time for making, doing, planting, growing, and building. Cancer's watery influence makes us more sensitive (in tune) so we can and should trust our emotions and intuition now. It's also a time for nurturing ourselves and others. The parts of the body affected are from the chest area down to the gall-bladder.

A Cancer moon day is fruitful and highly conducive to planting in the garden. It's snowing here, so I'll stick with doing and making in the house today.

To living in harmony.