Women Who Run With the Wolves - a year long project

This is a blog post about a year long project I am undertaking running from winter solstice 2023 to winter solstice 2024 to study and craft inspired by the book Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. I plan to add to this post throughout the year with my projects and progress.

I have dipped in and out of this book over the past six years but wanted to commit to reading it properly, cover to cover - which is certainly not the most desirable way to read it, it is a book to dip in and out of - as I crave that structure to really delve deeply into it's wisdom and reconnect with my wild self.

I was also inspired by Sara Bauer while listening to her wonderful podcast, Yarns at Yin Hoo, and her three patterns inspired by the book. They are:

Taking Back the River Socks 

Deep in the Forest

One Dark Blue Night

I will knit them all over the course of the year in that order. I am also going to make her Reliquary for my wild women adventures and.

There are 14 chapters in the book and I plan to cover one a month with some months covering 2 chapters to finish reading by November, giving me some time to reflect. I have a big sketchbook and I'm writing passages from the book and summary's of the stories but the book is mainly for my own responses and reflections and ways in which I can become a more rooted and connected wild woman working with the land I am lucky enough to manage. 

I will undertake different creative projects as I go along with no expectations of where this will lead me, enjoying the process rather than the finished outcome (something I struggle with normally, being too focused on finishing and using what I'm making).

If you would like to join me, use the hashtag #moonwolvesmal and tag me on Instagram or send me an email with what you're up to. At the end of the year I will select some participants at random and send out some gifts as a thank you for joining me.

24th January 

So far I have begun a tablet weaving project, the Snartemo II band, lots of W's which feels appropriate and a large knitted shawl out of natural handspun yarn in my stash. I cast this off last night and need to block it and add fringe.

I'm making slow progress with the reading and making notes as the mornings are cold and I've been struggling to get up and focus on reading but when I have managed it I've really enjoyed it. It's a perfect way to set the tone for the rest of the day. 

I am listening to old episodes of Yarns at Yin Hoo and Sara has an episode where she talks all about the socks she designed here. In it she speaks of chapter ten in the book where Clarissa outlines nine ways to reclaim your creativity and nourishment by taking back the river so as I'm starting with these socks I'm going to read and work with this chapter as a framework which will be helpful for me to absorb at the beginning of my journey. 

19th August

So I haven't been able to commit to this project as much as I'd hoped. I think I heaped a bit too much pressure on myself to document and present my responses in a beautiful way in a sketchbook which is just typical of me. It's held me up as I've been too busy with the garden and work to respond in the perfect way I had in my mind. I'm sure some of you can relate to this.

Anyway, I finished Sara's Taking Back the River socks this week and they are beautiful. I'm working with chaper 6 of the book at the moment and although I was hoping to be on chapter 9 by now with the weather shifting and the darker evenings I think I'll be catching up with myself soon.