Favourite Card - 8 of Pentacles

With 78 cards in a tarot deck, there is definitely something for everyone.  When I choose a card to define me I usually look to the 8 of Pentacles - the craftsperson or apprentice card.  For those that may not know, my craft is fibre arts.  I have been working with fibre since I was very young. 

If my Unraveled Oracle deck didn't give it away, I am a spinner, knitter, crocheter, I've woven, dyed, stitched etc.  I was a member of the Sask Craft Council for years as a professional craftsperson and belonged to the Regina Weavers & Spinners Guild.   My favourite thing out of them all is wool judging.  I got my wool judging certification from Olds College in 2012 and have been judging wool shows across the prairies and teaching workshops about wool since.   With hundreds of sheep breeds I never stop learning and helping producers see the value in their fibre makes me feel like I've done a good job.  

I've also had knitwear in Sask Fashion Week twice; once with Riley Lawson (2013) who won Best Emerging Artist and THE Dean Renwick (2015).  

I also have a popular knitted hat pattern (was the most popular unisex hat for some time) with over 110.4k unique downloads.

And have had patterns and mentions in several magazines and books as far away as the UK.

I have been a team leader with the Etsy SK team for the past 7 years promoting Saskatchewan makers and vintage sellers.

I was also a nominee in CBC's Future 40 under 40

Many of these milestones are within my Unraveled Oracle Deck... and hey, what does all this have to do about my favourite tarot card?  Well as much as all this seems like bragging, I am pretty damn proud of myself of all the things I have accomplished within my fibre career and I feel I embody the craftsman card.  Hard work, quality and education are important aspects in my work and continue with my tarot practice as well.   

Here are a few different examples of the 8 of Pentacles cards. 

 Keywords for the suit of pentacles are: craftsmanship, skill, work, determination, integrity, focus and sincerity.  This card heralds success and skilled effort and using these to a high level.  This card stands for professionalism & perfectionism and holding yourself to high standards.  It also means obtaining qualifications and a sense of liberation as a reward for talent and skill.  8's hold the history of our experience and they also signify reflection, transformation and finding inner strength.  In numerology, the number 8 is linked with honour, respect, awards, public recognition and abundance. 

8 is also the lemniscate that appears in the Strength and Magician cards in the major arcana hinting at wholeness and development in the physical, mental and spiritual planes which I'm sure creatives can relate to! On a spiritual level, 8 symbolizes cosmic consciousness.  

As you can see, this is why I relate myself to the 8 of Pentacles.   I believe in working with my hands and getting better and growing and always learning new techniques. When working with raw fibre from sheep to shawl, I have not only been keeping environmentally responsible but also stay true to time honoured traditions that connect me to the past and my ancestors.   This is also why I call myself Woolly Witch on instagram.  

 As part of the release of my Unraveled Oracle Deck I had planned to release a small collection of patterns that included a tarot/crystal bag (Intuition) , a shawl/altar cloth (Incantation)  and a necklace (Intention).  These patterns have been created but I need to finish the samples and covid kinda put a wrench into the situation but I have plans set in action now.  I also have a few knitting patterns for crystal grids I plan on typing up so keep an eye out if you are a knitter.