My Piece of Magic Forest

I have received my 'Elvish Stole' by Galina Blażejewska of galafilc last week, just before the beginning of very difficult negotiations. I was so astonished to open the package on the way to the office! feeling the warm softness even before I could see this richness of greens with red and gray and many other colors!

It was too beautiful for a taxi, seeming to fill all of it. Remember, when you open the windows after the rain, the trees beside it seem to burst into the room? the scarf did the same. It is too beautiful for the city, too, but I do not mind that. Wearing it is like wearing a piece of enchanted forest; this stole seems to cover and hide me from anything I do not want to see or feel. Believe it or not, I was not parting with it for two days (and we worked 11 hours on the first day and 13 hours on the second one). I was wrapping in it, or, if it was too warm, I would put it on my laps and pet it like an animal, touching the tails and feeling the texture of the scarf. And it is unbelievable how much comfort it gave me.

Today I have had taken a photo of me wearing this felted scarf.

I feel wonderful wearing it. My mother was fascinated, too, and said it was fit for a mermaid - one living on a marsh where cranberry is growing. And this is exactly what I asked from Galina and hoped to receive (but, being a realist, I tried not to hope for my dreams to become real - it happens so seldom). However Galina made much more than I asked for.

I have never owned a felted item before and frankly I did not have much trust in them. I had a feeling that a felted scarf would either be flimsy or quite thick and coarse. However my felted scarf (maybe I should call it a stole, I am not sure) is almost cashmere soft (I know it is made of fine merino) and very supple and drapes well. Besides, it feels very strong and sturdy and I hope to wear it for many years to come.

It also has a wonderful texture. The pattern is of course not botanically precise but it has the wonderful irregularities which make it so alive and natural - like a piece of a swamp. Yes, I am wearing a piece of a magic cranberry swamp and I am very happy; it is also a long way through an enchanted forest, it is a map of wetlands, it is my green shield to protect me from cold wind and sad thoughts.

Galina, dear, I cannot thank you enough. It has been long since I was so happy about a piece of clothing. There must be some magic in the scarf - possibly due to the two magic orange tails. Thank you!