Born of water revisited.

someone asked where the title came from? One of my favourite pagan chants.
BORN OF WATER
© Starhawk
Born of water, cleansing, powerful
Changing healing, we are...

This goes well with

THE RIVER

The River is flowing,
Flowing and growing,
The River is flowing,
Down to the sea.

Mother Earth carry me, your child I will always be.
Mother Earth carry me down to the sea.
Here endeth water while I get on with earth shawl:) No name as yet we shall see what suggests itself as the shawl unfurls.

ISE my scarf arrived:)

This is the incredible parcel my ISE partner Betty Jean sent me:) I was her partner a couple of swaps ago and it was a great coincidence that she ended up being my partner this round:)
A perfect scarf in my colours together with a veritable bevy of gifts. Do you see all the sock patterns? And the first Noro sock yarn I've ever seen:)
Chocolate has gone(VBG) and we have tried the hawaian coffee which is very smooth.
Thank you Betty Jean for a superb mix of goodies

Born of water

My new shawl, named "Born of Water"
Yarn: mountain colors mohair
Collinette mohair(turquoise)
Unknown (dark blue)
Love the colours in this and I am loving being back knitting shawls and knitting mohair:)
I have started another:) This time using some superkid mohair I purchased last year at Woolfest from Jeni at Fyberspates. It is a gorgeous soft mossy green and goes perfectly with the cherry tree hill that Ulrika gifted me:)


photos when I get a little further along.

This fabulous sock bag complete with scissors, needle case , needles and stitch markers arrived today:) From Jane Model Widow pay it forward.Don't you just love it? How handy as well to have the needle case and scissors all attached together. This will be going on my travels for sure. Thank you Jane:)



Following on look what Vicky sent me for my seaweed shawl:) Don't these look perfect for seaweed? I am experimenting with some pieces to try and get the right seaweed effect for the bottom. I think the best way to knit will be make all the bottom pieces, leave on thread then knit upwards from them, but I'm not sure yet. Thank you Vicky for the perfect colours:)


Following on we have the sunset a couple of days ago as seen over the roofs. Colours were incredible and the light was amazing. Mr Mog took these:)


Next we have pictures from our trip up to Keswick yesterday. I decided not to do the usual mountain and lake pics but just to show you some snippets from Spout Force path on Whinlatter where we went. Didn't get to the waterfall but it didn't matter I just love this area for all the slate and flowers.
This tree is just one of the local ones that grow up from the beds of slate. The trunk was incredibly detailed.


We did have a couple of followers as you can see. They were very interested in us.


On our way home we stopped in a lay by over from Dallam Park and look what were hanging about there just waiting to be photographed. These park deer were unafraid but maybe that was because we were on the other side of the river. Do you spot the heron who was in the water?


A lovely way to fill up my creative batteries:)
Next post my scarf arrived from the ISE

SP12 questionnaire

SP 12 Questionnaire!!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?love socks yarns,handpainted yarns and mohair. Don't like cotton or acrylic

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? nnedle bag and wicker basket

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? 50 years plus and learnt from my nany. I'm intermediate:)

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No

5. What's your favorite scent? patchouli

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? dark chocolate like Green and Blacks and Lindt

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I crochet a little and I make elemental figures

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Blues, new age, and I can play MP3s

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? love purples and ambers/reds golds Not keen on white or pastels

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? 1 DH, 2 grown up children 2 grandsons and sadly no pets

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? yes:)

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? socks and shawls

13. What are you knitting right now? socks and shawls

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? any

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yes

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 2 months

18. What is your favorite holiday? halloween

19. Is there anything that you collect? apart from yarn? Dolls, sheep and cats

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?no subscriptions sadly I'd love any magazines. In yarn any indi dyer or such that is hard to get here in UK such as Wollmeise,yarn pirate

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? can't think of any

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am currently knitting a year of socks for the local hospice. My feet are a size 37/5 in UK

23. When is your birthday? August 21st

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? yes I have been on since the beginning almost. ID ambermoggie

Pay it forwards on their way

I have posted my pay it forward items today along with a couple of other surprises. Hopefully the people concerned will show pictures as I forgot to photo what went where. Silly me.

Windy days

I meant to say that you will of course notice the oh so delightful items adorning the blocking mats? That is because the shawl has been blocked this morning in the teeth of a gale. It was either use the ornaments you see or say good bye shawl. Excellent choice of accessories chosen by Mr Mog don't you think?
Plus side was it dried in half an hour:)

doing,not reading and tales of shawls and socks

A great article from Cat Chapin-Bishop
Rooted in experience.
Go and read it she is so eloquent about experience versus book larning as my nanny would call it:) Actually doing something from the heart.
My answer is and you will have had to read the article to understand:))
the first time I called the quarters using things I had around and using words that poured forth from my heart.
The first time I made incense dedicated to Pan and his presence was all around me - the muskiness and the heat. I had to go and sit on the front step it was so overpowering:) What did I expect when calling such as he?
The time I created my first elemental figure when the muse came calling and the wonder I experienced when the person I gifted it to(not pagan) remarked on the mystery and the love within it and how good it made her feel.
We had friends round for tea last night and during the course of the evening we talked about the way ritual doesn't have to be formal. That things you do in your day to day activities can honour the sacred. You don't need tools or fancy words. Then this popped into my bloglines this morning. Serendipity or what?
I've finished the "In the pink" shawl, as you can see. It is so light and delicate yet warm. I hope wherever it ends up it is enjoyed.






I've started another sock and yes, another shawl:)

The sock yarn is Lana Grossa Meilenweit Fun colour 138

The shawl is mountain colours mohair the large ball and Colinette mohair the more turquoise. I'm going to do the garter stitch bans in the turq which picks up the turquoise in the mountain colors. Hopefully will be ok. Added advantage it ekes out that one precious ball of mountain colors.

Days of magical intent

Not just for knitters this post so read on:)

Why are some days a sock day yet others a shawl or elemental figure day?
What makes you pick up a certain object as opposed to another? Not just in knitting but any other craft or art you enjoy.
For me its not a consious decision. It is just what feels right at that particular time. Sometimes its an itch that needs scratching:)
I'll HAVE to create an elemental. Invariably I can't just make one. My muse won't let me. When she calls I dance to her tune. All the fabrics come out, the ones I dyed when she last came calling. I hear no one and yes I will have music playing because she demands it. It allows her to dance across my imagination creating patterns and spirals that wind ever outwards taking me with them.
When she lets me go I get chance to see what we have created.
I know that the elementals in particular will bring something to the person they are gifted to. I always feel a pang letting them go, but that is right. True artwork that comes from within carries with it a piece of the artist always.
It works with my knitting also, though not to quite the same extent. Where my figures care whimsy, magic and mystery my shawls are comfort and warmth. More physical than spiritual.
They all carry within them my heart, my healing. Woven into every stitch and every fold.
As I work I weave in magic, the magic that comes from visualising good things for whom ever the recipient is.
That for me is magic, faith, belief and spirituality.
Weave your beauty within your art. As your hands work on the physical plane, let your mind work on other levels.
Meditation and visualisation come easier if the hands and brain are distracted.
Ask me how I found that out?
There are no short cuts on the spiritual path it is a lifetime's journey. However, there are some ways of practising that are pleasant. My art is that. Not a means to an end, but an enjoyable diversion on the road.
As it is is written "search not for what you will find within" My art helps focus on that.

I've often been asked what are you? Witch, pagan, heathen or?
I always tell people I am an eclectic shaman. Why? Because I use what works for me. Bits from here, parts from there. If it feels right then it is - for me.
Might not be your path, may not work for you. But for me ,in this place at this time, it does.
We all have the ability to weave a little magic into the world.
How many of us do?

Final pair of May socks finished and shawl progress

Finished my final pair of socks for May. These also are for the hospice year of socks. I believe the yarn is socks that rock but I don't know the colour. They are rather nice though:)
Quite a silky yarn and feels hard wearing. I didn't know the yardage as I didn't know which STR it was so made the socks slightly smaller. Still fit a size 6 ladies shoe.
I started another shawl as you can see. It is actually a lot further on and I will finish it this weekend. Not sure if you can see from the picture but there are some different shades of pink.lilac and apricots. It looks better in real life than the camera shows. It isn't for me, goddess knows I've more than enough shawls but I do love making them:)
I want to make another on the lines of the purple passion one. I want to use an eyelash style yarn mixed with either another mohair boucle or a mohair. All recommendations on yarn gratefully received.
I'm on with the PIF gifts, hope to have them out this next week. Mr Mog is making some Horned God figures if anyone is interested? They are earthy Pan style figures so not for the easily offended. After all Pan was a lusty god of the greenwoods.
Mr Mog made several of these a few years ago and thought he'd do some more. If you want to see a picture message me. I don't know that I want to put pictures on the blog yet.
He is doing really well I think the weather is agreeing with him, enabling him to garden.
Lots of veg and flowers coming up in the garden now.
I've packaged up my shawl for ISE and added yarn and other goodies. It is going in Tuesdays mail.
I've signed up for SP12 also.

Moon in Scorpio, ah that explains it:) And a contest

No pictures today sorry.
Moon is full in Scorpio apparently which answers the "why have I felt so bad,had weird dreams, been sore"
There are supposedly 2 this year, anyone else want to say "oh sh*t"?
I seem to have become obsessed with shawls again:) Yes I am still knitting socks and have a contest for you later on.
BUT I started a scarf for my ISE pal, then I finished the Beltaine shawl. Enough you'd think? No I then had to do the purple passion shawl and not just do but a large shawl at that:)
Now I'm on with another in pink/apricot/lilac shades. This is around a third done already. I sat last night knitting itwhilst I watched Chelsea and House and I've been doing more of the same today after shopping. Granted it is my fail safe easy pattern so no thinking needed. That is good for meditation or just plain old thinking:) I do however have an idea in mind for a seaweed shawl. I'm visualising strands dangling from it. Strands that look like the fronds when I do my freeform beading, or did . Lacey from big needles,fine yarn and maybe shells or tiny beads added in. Oh and has to be sea colours. Checked out the stash and surprise no suitable yarn:) Must check rav destashes out.
I seem to have these obsessions with making, I do it when I start on my elementals. I can't just make 1, I have to create til the muse departs. Remind me to put my story on about the muse. Must root out the art journal that has it in.


Priestess-Harper, Sue and Crobbles please email me at amber(dot)moggie(at)virgin(dot)net and let me know your addresses for Pay it forward. And thank you for playing along:)
I have ideas in mind for you all:))
Now the contest.
As you know I was originally going to create 1 pair of socks per lunar month for the hospice. I'm obviously way over that already so the contest is
How many pairs of socks will I have knit for the hospice at the end of Decembers moon?
Obviously no winner will be announced til then and I will remind you of the contest a couple of times. I'll close it at beginning of September so get your thinking heads on and let me know what you think I'll have made.
Prize?
1st prize for person nearest to correct amount = a shawl for Yule
2nd prize for runner up an elemental figure.
Or winner can chose that instead

more shawl pictures:)

Its dry so I thought I'd show off more pictures of the shawl:)
I am so pleased with how it came out, so tactile, so warm and so so cuddly. And as my grandsons said "its really purple Nanny"
Lydia looked particularily fetching I thought. It goes so well with her skin tone:)
This is being given away although I'd like to keep it. I have too many shawls already.
Have started another in a delightful Studley Pastiche in pinky purples. Are we on a colour theme here? I don't know.
Really yuck day today, I feel so low and don't know why. Also I think my glasses need changing as I'm getting spacey feel when I read anything.
Ah well
Off to knit and watch Chelsea flower show.

purple passion shawl finished:) and pay it forward

the shawl is finished and blocking. It measures approx 9foot by 4foot. I had to block it outside for space. Thanks to craftymandy on ravelry I had enough yarn to finish it. Not sure who it is for yet, it was just a "Need" to make . I was going to make a raggy edging but it was too fussy to try on the actual shawl as silky chic + mobair mohair boucle = nightmare to tink.
The sample I tried doing with other yarn looked ok so I think I am going to make a seaweedy edged shawl next. Just have to check through the stash cupboard what to use.
Keeping my fingers crossed the weather stays dry, there wasn't a cloud til I finished pinning the shawl and now its grey. Sod:(

I've decided to join the pay it forward movement.
And so :
It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based of the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. Here is how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 3 months) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
If you want to play leave me a comment. It could be an elemental figure, a shawl, socks or who knows:))

sock and shawl progress

Hospice sock progress continues apace. These are Socks that rock but I don't know what colourway. Pretty though aren't they and quite heavy so great for winter?
The shawl is progressing speedily also. I ran out of silky chic:( Colinette have discontinued it. I found some on rav(thanks Mandy) and some elsewhere so it will be finished. I am loving the colours together and the shawl feels so warm and snuggily. All say ah:))
picture isn't much but then they never look much til they are off the needles and blocked do they?
Hoping to get the shawl finished this weekend, depends what boring stuff is on TV or it may be music if Mr Mog doesn't want to watch anything.
Weather is cooler and we had rain, first for this week.
Thanks for all the kind comments lately. I don't always seem to reply please don't think me rude.
BW can you email me I have a something for you:) Not giant tadpoles I hasten to add:)

Finished socks,started shawl and trips away.

Our weekend away was wonderful. We both enjoyed the break and felt very relaxed coming home. We managed to put all the problems behind us for a few days which helped. Still have them when you get home of course but I think I may be able to cope more(fingers crossed)
We started out by visiting Willowpool garden centre in Lymm. If you ever get chance to visit do so, the place is incredible. Lots of old reclamation stuff, garden plants and ornaments and the best tearooms around. You can sit in the cafe or do as we did and sit in one of the wee huts with thatched roof. In winter they have heaters in so you can eat outside any weather. They do Dutch food and do it very well. We had dutch meatballs with carrots, cauli, broccoli, peas, new potatoes and mashed potatoes. This came with red onion gravy. Way too much for me although Mr Mog managed to clean his plate. No room to sample any of their yummy desserts this time. From there we went to our hotel.
Ellesmere port was great, the hotel was overlooking the canal so lots for us to watch as we sat on the terrace with our beer. The boat museum was close by so we naturally had to go and visit it. We went into Chester for a look round but it was way too busy for enjoyment. We did have a browse around and we do have pictures of all the stuff we saw its just they are on the laptop so you will have to wait:)
On our way home we visited the Anderton Boat lift
We didn't ride in it as neither of us fancied the heights:) We were going to have a trip on the boat on the river but would have had to wait around for nearly 3 hours. Too long in the heat for us. The weather was very hot all the weekend so being able to sit by the canal was great, there was always a breeze to cool things down and of course the boats going through the locks, the birds and the jumping fish to watch.
I visited Stash
while in Chester. I didn't buy anything as we had gone in on the park and ride and I didn't want to carry too much. Yes I know Jo I could have carried a shop full with me but I will be going back there. They are moving and it sounds as if there will be much more room for stock. It was great to see so many named yarns in the flesh as it were, I wanted them all of course:)
I did some knitting while I was away and you can see the finished items
The spearmint chew socks are finished. Don't they look lovely? Very pretty for whoever gets them at the end of the year. My hospice total is creeping up each month. I'm going to be having a contest shortly to guess how many pairs of socks I'll have done by the year end. Good prizes to be won. More details soon.
I've also started the purple shawl. Purple passion I think as the yarn feels so so soft and touchable and it is of course very vivid:)

This is going to be a gift for someone, not sure who yet but much as I want to keep hold if it I won't. The mobear yarn marries well with the silky chic don't you think? Of course it will look much better when it is finished and blocked. I'm not worrying about a pattern as it won't show within the yarn and the yarn speaks loudly enough by itself:)

Beltaine shawl etc

Beltaine shawl is finished. Meant to post pictures last week but its been a little weird around here.Very pleased with out it turned out. Yarns used?
Mountain colours mohair and bearfoot in Indian paintbox, Wollmeise Uluru I think:) colinette mohair , mohair from Jo of Celtic memory. Not sure what else:) Do you like the way it goes from first fire oranges to deep red glow as the fire takes hold? It feels so warm and luxurious. I love shawls:)





I've also wound the yarn for my next shawl. It will be Colinette silky chic in Florentina, mixed with Victoria Smedley mohair boucle that was gifted by Yvonne my last SP:) I think they go together perfectly and I know I'll love the tactile finish that the silky chic will add.
I've finished socks as well:)

The wacky pair in double knitting and the first of the spearmint chew ones:) Almost finished second one pictures after weekend.
Things not good here sadly, nmot Mr Mog but to do with my son. Regular readers will know what I'm talking about. Keep your thoughts with him that he has strength to overcome the drugs once more.
Thank you

Beltaine greetings, with socks

Happy Beltaine. may your fire be nourished and energy be strong.
We spent today visiting scarecrows, wonderful scarecrows with a green man giant, the princess from Shrek and much more. Where were we?
Finished my final April pair of hospice socks using the Australian Polwarth yarn. Heaven in a thread:) So so soft. I've also started my first May socks. Does it remind you of the spearmint chews we used to eat? or candy stripes?