NEW THIS WEEK - October 25th, 2006:
Celtic Art, Knotwork, & Lace!
Halloween night has its roots in traditions of Celtic folklore, but it wasn't always so scary. The Celts believed that Samhain (marking the transition to winter) was the night when portals were opened for communication with wondrous worlds existing side by side with their own. The fortunate families might even be visited by wise and friendly ancestral spirits.
The rich lore of the Celts has given us Halloween, and yes, fairy tales, too. A land of enchantment awaits you in the designs this week.
Sew fairy folk in concert playing traditional Celtic instruments and calm sprites enjoying nature. They'll make lovely fairy quilts for young and old alike.
Celtic art is a wonder of intricate beauty. We know it best for an almost hypnotic interlacing weave, called Celtic knotwork. The Celts must have believed such forms had magical powers because they decorated everything from garments to jewelry and armor to weaponry with these intricate designs.
Two free projects to set a beautiful table! Make a decorator table runner of any size and learn how to place corner designs on placemats and napkins.
You, too, can use this enduring legacy of knotwork to decorate your home and apparel. Give your dining room linens an elegant motif. Sew the designs on shirts, pockets, or skirts. Give a towel edge or pillowcase a touch of magic. Fashion Celtic knotwork jewelry with special freestanding lace designs.
The symbolism in ancient Celtic art has an exciting veil of mystery about it. There may be no definitive glossary to this symbolism, but down through the ages, the interlocking knotwork strands communicate. In this link with the past, we appreciate the Celtic culture that espoused a belief in connection and the relationship of all living things to one another, affirming the "permanence and continuum of life, love, and faith."
May you delight in things magical this week and enjoy sewing the designs.
Want to see more? Click here to see designs released in previous weeks!