The summer tide ebbs and reveals to us a sea rock garden on the shore; bright greens, black-grey-blues and browns, creamy-coloured whelks and limpets, flowing, air-bubbled sea plants all holding firm to solid, massive, ancient gneiss.
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Summer: she sees sea gardens on the seashore
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Inspiration: running with the deer
Deer rush down from the mountains of Harris and the broad swathes of moorland drawn by the fresh, new growth of grass to soar over fences. And so it is with us humans. Deep inside we run with the deer; we too feel the machair sap rising and in the rhythm of the tide, the …
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Spring: awakening with nature
Rejoicing in the colours of Spring, brown grasses turning golden and lining the corncrake’s new nest. Rudely fresh green grass takes over slopes and flat meadows. Robust leaves of Angelica poke from bare earth and make olive feather shapes. Bright pink buds of crab apple trees burst open with pale pink white flowers. Homemade Harris …
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Metamorphosis: Ancestors Skirt
BEFORE I love winding skeins into balls around my hand. This is Malabrigo Arroyo in Pocion being every shade of beautiful on my Lykke Driftwood needles. A few years ago a dearheart called Laurie in the US asked via the Inner Wild Etsy shop if I might make her a knitted skirt. Laurie loved Ancestors …
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Winter: quiet contemplation
Quiet contemplation and contentment. Short days and frosty nights. A coolness of light. The quietness of time spent observing, being aware, noticing the beauty in every tiny moment. I am knitting a sock on tiny needles with rustic 4 ply wool rough against my finger tips. Ice crystals slide down the window glass. Letting all …
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Metamorphosis: My Dreamy Friend Versatile
BEFORE: A skein is wound contemplatively into a plump, round ball like a little planet newly discovered. Malabrigo Rios, one of the world’s most beloved yarns, is ready to become …? AFTER: Ah, it wants to be all things to all people. And look here – it succeeds by becoming My Dreamy Friend Versatile. How …
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Autumn: grasses fall, we slumber, cosy
All is on the wane here; the long grass falls dry and soft yellow, sunlight is dimmed in the morning, the wind is colder. At the same time the bramble berries are bursting with plump ripeness and the Rowan berries shine red in the twilight as crows squawk in delight at them. We fall into …
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Inspiration: rough fibres and smooth bone
As the wind rises and the summer sunlight begins to fade my fingers are enjoying the rustic textures of Hebridean wool and minimally-processed Shetland wool pressed against deer antler bone and ram horn toggles and buttons. “The tactile delight of rough, rustic wool and smooth bone.” The flowing shapes of found deer antler tips, always …
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Summer: here comes the sun …the smiles returning to the faces
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes. Ah. The cooling wind makes the machair flowers dance in pretty pinks and bright yellow. Bumble bees buzz the red clover. Moths visit at night, painted ladies flutter from flower to flower drinking nectar their butterfly wings move like Geisha fans.
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