Sequins!

Worked on this as we moved into fall, meant to represent the grief of Demeter at losing Persephone, the glittering gifts we find in loss...soft black alpaca, carried with it a black thread strung with sequins. Glorious to finish this exactly on Samhain, filled with the energy, magic of the season. This video of it in the wind is the only way I could capture a bit of its shimmery enchantment.

Yarn: 
Sensual by Elsebeth Lavold in color Soot - 98% Baby Alpaca, 2% Nylon
String Me Along by Southwest Trading Company - polyester thread with sequins

Needle size: 17

Pattern: Another adaptation of my old stand-by shawl - the As You Like It by Jane Campbell - which I've always called Isis. Go here for a little more on my journey with this pattern.
In this case, I did a solid garter stitch for the center back and then switched to random lace, just making sure I kept my 4 increases every other row in the same place.



Now I have never been a sequin kind of gal.  In fact, I rather loathed sequins. But making this wrap and loving the way little glittery rainbows nestled in the stitches, loving the way they capture movement and light, and how one can just wrap one's self in it...

Well, I don't loathe sequins anymore.  Now I have this lovely, happy scarf.

Yarn:
Sausalito by Crystal Palace in color 8101 Prism + SWTC String Me Along

Needle Size: 15 (I think!)

Pattern: None - just random lace - yarn overs + K2tog, occasionally I'd just K across row


)O(

Motivation / Inspiration from Facebook

People enjoy bashing Facebook, but if you use it and don't let it use you (goes for the Internet in general), there is a great deal of wisdom and inspiration to be found.  Here's just a sample of things I found just in the last 2-3 days, things worthwhile enough to save, even to print and post in my studio:


First,  this recent message from Dr.Clarissa Pinkola Estes:

“Dear Brave Souls: Just in case needed: Just write/create at will; let the ocean in your heart and head flow out. Keep going. Don’t try to shape it yet. That's later. After you have the ocean in a notebook.



This comes with prayer for sluice gates to remain wide open and cleaned of debris. Stay focused on 'the one thing.' Completion comes from focused hard work daily. I know you know what I mean. Dont meander all over the place. Remain committed as you promised.



This comes with love,
dr.e “

and this from a friend, quoting poet Gary Snyder: 

“As a poet I hold the most archaic values on earth … the fertility of the soil, the magic of animals, the power-vision in solitude, the terrifying initiation and rebirth, the love and ecstasy of the dance, the common work of the tribe. I try to hold both history and the wilderness in mind, that my poems may approach the true measure of things and stand against the unbalance and ignorance of our times.”  

and this picture, posted by the Facebook page "I Require Art."

Muse on Pegasus by Redon.

Ah, Pegasus! "...Symbol of wisdom and especially of fame from the Middle Ages until the Renaissance, he became one symbol of the poetry and the creator of sources in which the poets come to draw inspiration, particularly in the 19th century...." Wikipedia

Now, off to consult with the Muse....

)O(