Crochet is a historically significant artistic method to create clothing, blankets, and other items for sale, charity, gifts and for oneself.  Crochet began as a "fake" of French lace in the 1600's. (French lace was so expensive, many people were sent to the New World as prisoners for stealing just 4 inches of it.)  The art of crochet began as a cheaper, faster, and easier way of creating the look of lace. Since then, it has redeemed the Irish people during and after the Potato Famine of the 1800's. It has warmed soldiers during the wars which marched through the last three centuries. It has swaddled infants, warmed elders, nurtured children, comforted those who mourn. 

A hook and a piece of string -- can shelter the world.

Sheltering Tree.Earth exists as an enterprise to offer customers, especially women, a safe place (sheltering tree) where they make friends, learn the art of crochet, and share their wisdom.

Women today lack Sacred Circles where they can meet and work together. 

Historically, the matriarchal societies were peaceful, imaginative, bountiful civilizations where family and home were central, cherished, and strong. 

As patriarchal societies suppressed women, circles began to form - in red tents, in churches, in political activist groups. They continued to thrive despite the shift in religion and society. 

The second-half of the 1900's saw magnificent changes in the roles available to women, but as women flocked to the work force, the time to share with their circles diminished.  Today, we women must make an effort to meet together in spiritual, artistic, and/or political groups to share the wisdom we have learned along the way.

Sheltering Tree is such a place.

 We are women who are spiritually led to nurture their multi-generational families, facilitate and/or participate in women-centered groups, and willing to learn and improve on their crochet skills. These women appreciate hand-crafting as a means to create items which can be gifted to friend and family, given to charities, sold to improve their economic situation, and/or kept for their own use.