Celtic spiral cell phone case

You may remember that I was having some ambivalence about the Palm Pre that I got in February. I'll admit that there are some features that I have started to enjoy about the Pre, but I still have my moments when I'd really like to chuck it out a window.

This week I decided that I would stitch up a hand-embroidered cell phone case in the hopes that if the Pre has a nice place to hang out, she will be less likely to act a fool when I'm using her. (Yes, I'm anthropomorphizing my cell phone. Just work with me here.)

First I needed to decide how to construct the case. When I raided my craft stash, I realized that the wool sweater that I had picked up at the thrift store and felted would be just the thing. It even had a pocket that was a perfect fit for my phone -- I just had to cut if off the sweater.

Next I started thinking about what to stitch on the case. I have always been really drawn to celtic motifs, so I decided to do a celtic spiral pattern of some kind. I consulted my copy of Courtney Davis' Knotwork and Spirals for inspiration.

The triple spiral, or triskele, has always been one of my favorite images. Some view the triple spiral as a representation of the three stages of a woman's life, referred to as "maiden, mother and crone." More generally, the triple spiral can stand for rebirth or transition, which is probably why I would think about this imagery during the spring.

I've been collecting spirals for awhile now. I think I picked up my ring first:

This necklace was next:

Then my bracelet:

I was really psyched when I found this spirally Swatch watch:

I got started yesterday morning on the train, and here's what I came up with:

And here's the Palm Pre with her new home:

I think she looks happier already!