14 Virtues of the Rastafari Wombman

 Greetings Fari Family!

I have a quick announcement to make: Rasta WifeLine videos are back on YouTube! As some have already realized, I have deleted the old set which were of horrible quality visually and with extremely poor audio, and have started re-doing some of them. I cannot say that I will redo all, but I have started the process of uploading new content already. The new channel is called Rasta WifeLine so I do encourage you to Subscribe there. I plan to use the old ILA Designs channel for sewing DIYs once I can find a space to facilitate that. At the end of this post I have posted the video for this particular topic so you can forward from there. Feel free to also email me about any particular topics you would like me to reason about, or any important information you wish to share.

Note that this post is a transcription of what is on the video at the end.

What are the virtues of a Rastafari wombman, what makes her a royal, successful, influential and beautiful woman to know and behold? What are qualities she should strive to emulate in her being? I will provide a list of 14 virtues that all Rasta wombman should possess, and which we should always consider in evaluating ourselves. How can we be better women? How can we elevate ourselves and each other?

In creating this list, I myself have identified areas where I need to put in some more work but I also feel self-assured in others. I have been reminded of the importance of ensuring that my children receive good examples of these virtues from me, so that they too can learn how to be proud, strong, wise and relentless in pursuing their own paths.

1. Divinity

The first virtue of the Rastafari woman is knowing herself as a divine creation, her divinity.

The rasta woman is a goddess in the flesh, a spiritual being having an earthly experience, she is a Creatress, a queen of life, light and love. she is one third of the divine trinity, she knows that her ability to bring forth life from the spiritual to the earthly plane is a gift of the Divine. The world is in her and of her, and she is the world. she must know her glory and her worth in this divine role, and overstand who she was before, who she is now, and her purpose for the now and the future, so that she may continue to elevate and evolve into her Highest Self. Being in touch with her own divine nature is her true crowning glory. Her knowledge of self is her divine crown. She lives a sacred life and creates sacred space around her. she womanifests Zion from her sacred womb and her heart.

2. Self- Raspect

Being one with her divine nature and purpose comes with a heavy dose of self-raspect. She knows who she is and what her role is on this earthly plane and she treats herself with the utmost care and intention in contributing to the circle of life and her tribe and community. She treats her mind, her spirit and her body temple with raspect and love, with truth and goodness. She does not defile herself with pollution – whether in the form of negative or toxic thoughts, people or information. She does not sell her body or use her body to get what she wants from any man. She does not compromise her values for gain, no matter what it is.

She will not carry herself in a manner that does not represent the queen and spiritual being that she is. She will be mindful of how she treats others and how she is treated in return, being sure that all her interactions are rooted in raspect, love, truth and honour. Because she raspects herself, she knows that whatever she wishes to receive has to serve her authentically and align with her opinion of herself. She knows her worth and treats herself as the priceless treasure that she is.

3. Intelligence

A Rasta woman is a woman who knows. She has knowledge about so many aspects of life and the world around her, that she carefully molds herself into a well-rounded unit of productive purpose. She never stops learning, she never stops edifying herself, she never stops elevating her skills and her mind. She pursues knowledge in everything that interests her, she is also a teacher, and shares her ideals with others, spreading that good word around for the benefit of her tribe. She can make important decisions in all manners of life because she informs herself as needed. She plans, she takes care in her actions, she does not act in haste or ignorance. She is intelligent enough to know how to behave herself in the home and in public.

4. Discernment

As an extension of her intelligence is her discernment, her shrewdness, just as was the way of the Empress Menen Asfaw. She is a discerning person, she is sensitive to the vibes around her, she is attuned to her intuition. She is able to chart her path before her, seeking what is good and right, and casting aside what is damaging because she is capable of judgement, of weighing pros and cons, and seeing things as they truly are. She is smart and wise enough to know what activities are beneficial to her, and what are not. She cannot be fooled by Babylon or any individual that seeks to deceive her or members of her tribe.

She is capable of discerning the ways and moves of her kingman as well, advising him on what feels wrong, or advising him on the company he keeps. She does this respectfully, speaking from the heart and gut, not in a condescending manner. She is a keen judge of character, therefore. And this is one of her protective attributes as a Lioness, and a Queen.

5. Temperance or Self-Discipline

The Rasta woman raspects herself and therefore she has self-discipline. She is a strong and sacred wombman, and that means that she has the capacity to exercise self-control. She controls how she reacts to tense and negative situations, she controls how she reacts to tribulations. She does not fight and abuse others, her mouth is not filthy – she does not cuss – and I will say excessively, because we all have those moments when one or two bad words will escape. She is not one who speaks with violence, she does not bring others down with her words and actions. She has great restraint in difficult or frustrating situations, she does not lash-out - she controls her temper in the home, how she deals with her partner and the children, as well as her friends.

Because she is intelligent and self-raspecting, she also knows how to be disciplined in the way she treats herself – she takes care of her body with what she eats. She exercises, she feeds her mind also with the right things and shuns anything that she knows is a pollutant. She is Ital, she feeds her body mind and soul with the fruits of the earth and waters. She is sober, she abstains from harmful substances that addle the mind.

She is disciplined in her works as well. She applies herself to her projects and accomplishes her goals because she knows she is worth the rewards. She exercises patience and restraint when dealing with difficult personalities in her job, whether it be an employer, co-worker or customer. She is respectful, cheerful and courteous while being strong-willed and uncompromising in her self-respect.

6. Cheerfulness

The Rastafari woman is so blessed that she is a cheerful person. She is cheerful in her soul, cheerful in her body, cheerful in her home, cheerful in her works, cheerful in her relationships. People wish to bask in her presence, they wish to reason with her because she is a light in their life. they stop on the street and stare because of this happy vibe that radiates from her person. She shines the light of Rastafari, the goodness of his and her majesty. Her kingman is so proud of her beauty which is not just her outward appearance but defined by her heart, her vibes. Her cheerfulness makes him cheerful, he is uplifted and strengthen by it.

7. Courteousness

And to add to cheerfulness is a strong measure of courteousness or politeness. In her positive attitude she is courteous to people, she speaks with kindness, she is encouraging, she knows how to treat people in the manner in which she wants to be treated. The Rasta woman has manners everywhere she goes, she has respect for her elders and strangers in the street. She does not act or speak out of prejudice and racism, and handles such situations with a level-head and diplomacy.

8. Cleanliness

A Rasta wombman is clean. She is clean mentally, physically and spiritually. She exorcises all demons from her mind, body and spirit. She banishes everything destructive from her past that she may start a new life in Rastafari with a clean slate. She keeps her mind and actions clear of negativity such as jealousy, envy, vindictiveness, and self-denigrating thoughts and deeds. she does not speak or think badly about herself.

Cleanliness is godliness. She keeps her body clean, she washes regularly, practices good oral hygiene, she keeps her home clean and fragrant, and her clothing is clean and well made. She makes the effort to be present herself to her kingman and the world with beauty. She cherishes her natural beauty, she is proud of her person and values herself. She teaches her children these important values of deportment as well. she ensures her family is well maintained and moves about in society with pride and self-respect.

She is spiritually clean in the sense that she practices and acts with faith and righteousness, she is balanced in Maat, she reads texts that keep her spiritually minded whether it’s Scriptures, the Writings of Kemet, the speeches of His Majesty and other Black authors and revolutionaries. She also practices meditation, fasting, dance, exercise and other physical acts which cleanse her temple. She is the living Maat.

9. Tenacity

(how many times did I pronounce this word wrong in the video? Quite a few pronunciation mistakes but meh, I'm only human! Editing is hard with free software Lol.)

The Rasta Dawta is a pillar: She is steadfast, unwavering, persistent and hardworking. She has the patience and temperament to work for that which she wishes to obtain. She does not give up no matter how much it takes, no matter how long it takes to achieve her goals. She also applies her tenacity to her home. She overstands the power of the Nuclear family unit. She overstands the importance of solidifying the Royal Afrikan Family no matter how hard it may be at times to keep the balance. She is persistent in keeping her home unified and cheerful and her marriage as well. She is relentless in providing the best care for her family at all times. Tenacity leads to the next virtue which is:

10. Patience in Long-Suffering

The Rasta Queen is a pillar of strength because she has patience and is able to endure and persevere through all trials and tribulation without allowing it to crush her spirit. She suffers at times, but she does so while keeping her head held high, her household in order and herself in good health and presentation. She overstands that nothing worth having, comes without hardship, which essentially builds character, and strengthens her as a lioness.

She does not give up when things are hard or when it seems like she will never reach where she wants to go, or achieve that which she strives for. But that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t know when it is time to change course and approach her goals through different methods – she is discerning.

She can ENDURE any situation that requires suffering and hard labour. She is grateful for any support that she receives, and she is strong enough to know when to ask for help, but even in doing that, she endures without debasing herself or any other person. She may suffer but she does not let it destroy her because she has her faith and security in universal favour. She knows that tomorrow is a new creation and that there is a rainbow at the end of the storm. She knows that Jah is always there and is always protecting her.

11. Gratitude

She also practices Gratitude in the midst of everything she endures. She is grateful for her home, marriage, children and her works. She wastes none of her gifts, none of her opportunities. She is grateful for whatever she has, and has the ability to find joy and edification in each day and situation. She does not waste her time comparing herself to others, she does not measure herself or way of life against anyone else in a way that damages her self-esteem, she is grateful for where she is in life, and she is grateful to continue to grow and rise, and to greet each new day and each new opportunity. She grateful for the inspiration and love that she receives to do this.

12. Modesty or Humility

Modesty can be related to temperance or self-discipline, and self-respect. When we say modesty in Rastafari, ones immediately think of how a wombman dresses, meaning how demure or decent she is – her long skirt, her long shirt sleeves, her covered crown, her lack of make-up and jewellery. This type of modesty is a personal choice that a Rasta woman makes for herself and is not necessarily the form of modesty that she lives by on a daily basis. While the demure style of dress is important, there are different expressions of that today. Some may be modest but wear a long pants instead of skirt or dress. Some may wear jewellery but no make-up, some may not cover their hair, but wear it neatly. It varies from person to person even though we have that traditional sense of how a Rasta woman dresses.

Being related to temperance and self-raspect, Modesty is about a sense of reservation, decency or propriety in not just dress, but in speech and behaviour, and in how one thinks of oneself. Modesty is humility, the opposite of boastfulness and vanity. It shows a sense of moderation, where a dawta does not engage in excesses or pretentions. The way a Rasta wombman is modest still carries a strong sense of self-care, self-love, confidence, pride and integrity. It is not that she is stripped of everything that makes her feel good about herself or is prevented from having a voice in her home and community – being overly modest in this way, may do more damage to self-confidence, personal happiness and fulfilment in the long run.

The type of modesty that we roll with means that we have cast aside the ways of the world which do not serve the goddess self. We are humble enough to let go of what no longer serves us under the banner of Rastafari and in forging our divine path. We strive to be decent in multiple ways: kind and courteous, even tempered, considerate and compassionate.

The Rasta queen is humble in the face of who she is, what she is and what she has achieved. She overstands that humility plays a role in her lifestyle because she is not just representing herself, but the Emperor and Empress, the Afrikan race, her kingman and her children. She is conscious of who she presents to the world.

She casts aside the woman of Babylon, she casts aside bacchanalia or chaos. She is humble in getting to know who she really is and what her life’s purpose is. She takes the time to reflect on her ways and the nature of her personality. She comes out of the world to build that Afrikan queendom. She sets aside the mainstream world with all its lies, misrepresentations, sickness and iniquity to be her true self, to be a goddess. She is forever a student, humbled to learn and humbled to teach.

13. Charity

Charity is an act of love and goodwill. It is a blessing to the soul to be able to give and expect nothing in return. As mothers and wives Rasta women perform acts of charity daily. Everything she does comes from a place of unconditional love. It is also a blessing to the community for a sistren to share her skills and knowledge and to donate what she can. Her contributions to the upliftment of Rastafari are priceless and truly rewarding to all on the receiving end. Empress Menen was very selfless and charitable, often using her money to provide education for young women, establish businesses or take care of elders and churches.

But while it is important to be charitable, loving and selfless, a Rasta woman should also be charitable with established boundaries. She should not give more than she rationally can to anyone, because she must still carry a sense of self-preservation. She must not overfill her cup. She must not allow others to abuse her kindness. Her acts of charity must not rob the family of what it needs either. We all will meet people who see the good in us, who observe our talents, and who will take advantage, disregarding the cost to our personal well-being. Some call them “energy vampires.” So while it is a good for a Dawta to be selfless, to share her talents, and to do good work for others, she must be wise in her actions and she should not be afraid to be charitable on her own terms in certain situations. She also must not overstep the boundaries of others in being charitable, simply offering what is asked rather than enforcing her will upon others. She must teach her children the wisemind behind charity as well, teach them to stand up for themselves when others also wish to compromise that charity. This is an extension of intelligence, self-respect and discernment.

14. Authenticity

 A Rasta Woman IS a Rasta woman because it feels right in her soul that this is who she is meant to be. She is not taking up this culture, dressing, acting or worshipping in a manner that does not sit right in her soul. She is not pretending just to win the love of a man. She is not pretending because it suits her career choice. She overstands the weight of her decision to say Rastafari, and she overstands who she is representing, and what she stands for as Rastafari. She IS Rastafari authentically. It is a calling, a sighting, or it is a livity that she has learned from her parents, and she knows that compared to mainstream society, that Rastafari is an honourable way to live. It is an expression of Afrikan spirituality which is truly complex because it incorporates so many cultures and religious ideals, but also ancient and wholesome values. She blossoms into her true self because she is true to her heart and emotions and she knows what she wants out of this life. She is prepared to shoulder whatever burdens may come, and to do it with her head held high because in her heart, the King of Kings and the Queen of Queens live and reign forIver more.

To recap, the 14 virtues are Divinity, Self-Raspect, Intelligence, Discernment, Temperance, Cheerfulness, Cleanliness, Tenacity, Patience in Long-Suffering, Gratitude, Modesty/Humility, Charity, Authenticity.

But I am adding one more here in this post because it only occurred to me now after the fact, and after going through an older post I made about the Conduct of Rasta Man and Woman

15. Accountable for Self

It is absolutely MOST NECESSARY that we be accountable for ourselves! Everything and anything that we do, we must be accountable for it. We must be able to acknowledge when our attitudes are less than amicable or even righteous, and we must acknowledge when we fall on the side of error, and seek to correct ourselves and whatever damage we have caused. 

These virtues are just an Iditation I had when I was listening to my old video on Proverbs 31 Virtuous Woman. I was inspired to cultivate a proper list which, in my opinion, would be more beneficial to myself and all of us in this current time. A Virtuous Rastawoman is hardworking, fruitful, wise, patient, loving, smart...everything! And Empress Menen gives us the inspiration to overcome all hardships and strive to be better and do better every day. I am continuously grateful after all these years, to be inspired by Rastafari Dawtas all over the world, to keep striving and doing my best in my little corner of the world. By comparison here is a list of the Virtuous Woman qualities as one can surmise from the biblical verses:

•            of good reputation
•            wise
•            good-natured
•            disciplined/disciplinary
•             hardworking
•             skillful
•             self-sufficient
•             trustworthy
•             compassionate
•             generous
•             humble
•             prosperous
•             confident
•             regal
•             able to make good decisions
•            livicated to children & husband         
•             God-fearing
•            health/appearance conscious

I encourage you to write in the comments which virtues resonate with you most. Share with me which ones you think you need to work on, or you can also tell me which virtues I have not mentioned that you deem important - such as creativity or faithfulness. Thank you for being here and sticking with Rasta WifeLine over the years, please make sure to subscribe to the channel and this blogspot, and also like the video if it truly was a wholesome message you were grateful to receive. Likes help the videos to be found in searches. Plus, your feed back provides me with the encouragement and moral support to continue developing this content.

I pray the sistren are holding firm during this difficult time.

More life health and prosperity,

Ila Addis

Empress Menen Asfaw and Spring Renewal Goddess Energy

 

Blessed Empress Menen Day to the beloved Dawtas of Rastafari!

Although the correct date in the Gregorian calendar is April 3rd for the Empress’ Earthstrong, March 25th will always be our day to honour and selahbrate our Mighty, Fearless Queen Menen Asfaw.

Historically, March 25th was celebrated as the resurrection or birth of the Christ, the opening of the New Year and the beginning of spring. Being so close to the vernal or spring equinox (when the Earth faces the Sun broadside or flat on, instead of being tilted towards the North or South as during solstices), it is a time of year when cosmic and terrestrial birth or rebirth were honoured through fasting, feasting and festivals. 

The mighty Mother Goddess ruled supreme, having given birth to her beautiful babe, an allegory for the Creatress bringing the beauty of vegetation back to the land. She was called Easter, whose symbol was the egg or ovum, for fertility. On the masculine side, the crossing of the Sun over the vernal equinox was indicative that the Draconian Devil was conquered, as the glorious King emerged from the tomb of the Underworld or winter. 

I think it is important for all Dawtas to truly capture the essence of this time of year, as a time of rebirth and shedding darkness and death (winter blues), looking forward to renewal in our lives. As wombman in tuned to our inner Light, our inner Kristos, it can be a truly transformative, invigorating experience to embrace the seasonal changes and align ourselves with the renewing shifts of the cosmos. For the Tewahedo Rastafari, this has been a time of cleansing and renewal of faith as well. 

The Kemetic Sisters usually fast for the equinox, performing self-care rituals to heal and purge their minds and bodies, so that they bring new life to their thoughts, their words, their actions. Some common spring time renewal and healing rituals are: smudging the home with various cleansing spices, gums or leaves; surrounding oneself with quartz and citrine crystals; salt, flower or essential oil baths; exercise; clean eating; parasite purging and drinking tons of water to hydrate and replenish the body on a cellular level. My goal for this year has been to drink no less than 1.5 L of water daily. Having reiki, massage, sauna and bush baths are other types of restorative work that I have seen Rasta Dawtas bring forward as well. Cleaning out the house and getting rid of clutter is also a positive renewal ritual practiced by women all over the world. Spending time in nature or tending to a new kitchen or flower garden are also important activities for this season of rebirth, welcoming the new earth and new light.

Aries, the strongest Fire Sign, the Sign of Empress Menen’s birth, is an enthusiastic, passionate and ego-directed sign overall, but its greatest qualities are enterprise, leadership and tenacity. Aries are natural born leaders, just like Leos, known for their intense sense of self will and success. The Aries woman is typically hot-tempered and domineering, yet spontaneous, full of life, intelligent and creative. 

Empress Menen definitely expressed some of these qualities openly for us to observe and be inspired by. We know she was an excellent business woman, and an exceedingly capable queen. We know that She did not let the loss of Her beloved children put a stop to Her works for the greater good. She was not a queen that spent Her time indulging in Her riches – She was livicated to enriching the lives of the women of Ethiopia and Eritrea. His Majesty relied on Her counsel and trusted in Her strengths to head the household and finances.

Empress Menen for me epitomizes the spiritual, hardworking, patriotic and nurturing mother and wife. But she also represents the sacred Feminine Goddess or Womb Energy that lives within each and every one of InI. This Feminine Force has taken millions of names on this Earthly plane since the dawn of time. In Christianity She has been named Mary, which in Semitic languages was Mari, and in Kemetic Meri, meaning Beloved or Mother or Woman. Her title is “Mother of God” which is the same as Neter Mut, the sacred mother in Kemet. Mary was also the “Great Virgin” which is Parthenos in Greek. Auset/Isis and Neit were all called HWNT “the Great Virgin” thousands of years before Mary. Neit was known as a perpetual virgin too. 

I draw references to the similarities between these different languages, nations and ultimately religions, because it is important for the Rasta Wombman in this time to grasp the universality of The Sacred Feminine, whether as Mother, Wife, Queen or Goddess. It is all one and the same, regardless of religion or race or culture.  By all peoples, the healing, nurturing and restorative power of the Wombman is celebrated and cherished through the Gods - the Lioness being one of the oldest animals associated with the Mother Goddess, along with vultures, fish, serpents and cows. We are reflections of that Divine Energy of many names and womanifestations. She is in our wombs, in our touch, in our words, in our style and grace, our fierceness, our love.  She is in the animals, the plants, flowers, the earth, the waters and the Heavens.

The Rasta Wombman culture now, as caretakers of the Earth and its children, is Goddess Energy or Vibes. This is what InI have inherited from the Empress. The same power existed then and will exist in our daughters and their daughters. It is so diverse, and is expressed in so many ethnicities, but it is the One True Sacred I. We must remember to care for Her and Nurture Her in our livity, in the way we treat ourselves. We must teach our daughters to honour Her as well, and of course our sons and kings.

I give thanks to be a strong wombman and fruitful goddess in this life, in this time, in this space. I give thanks to see that thousands of women from all races, are now awakening to their own latent goddess energy, and are now living Ital and harmonizing with their spiritual or Iyah selves. I give thanks for Empress Menen’s example and the example of all women worldwide, my beloved sistren, my friends, my customers, my readers, my own mother and daughter, my sisters, aunts, nieces and cousins. I give thanks that we are all here, and that we are all part of this season of renewal and unfolding beauty.

Remember as the strong-end opens up from tomorrow which is Friday – Freya’s Day or Venus’ Day - that:

You are a Sacred Wombman.

You are beautiful.

You are intelligent.

You are creative.

You are deserving.

You are strong.

You are capable.

You are doing your best.

You are winning

And 

You got this.

Love and Light in Jah Rastafari,

Sis. Ila Addis

Rastafari King and Queen Conduct

Selamta

I want to talk about RasTafari King and Queen Conduct...in relationships...in finding and keeping or being with a KingMan or Empress.

Only because I know some Sistren are struggling with relationship issues with their husbands - and have expressed these feelings towards I. They feel (and rightly so) that it is a topic that I should revisit on RastaWifeLine. And I know that I have slacked off in dealing with these more personal yet popular and troublesome issues in the community in favour of Wellness and Livity. But I realize now that many of you value my opinion on these things that affect our lives so strongly, and more importantly, look to RastaWifeLine for comfort as much as knowledge. So I apologize to my Sistren for not fulfilling more of these personal needs beyond wellness.

First of all, what I say, is not because my life is perfect, or because I have it all together and I believe myself to be "most-holy" or that I am being judgmental. I don't have a perfect life or relationship - but I am fortunate to have a stable home life because InI are committed to one another and stay faithful through thick and thin. InI believe in hard work and doing what is necessary to satisfy each other - and even in this we aren't perfect, there are things I wish he would do more and things he wishes I would do more. And so sometimes InI may disagree and argue, but these times are few and far in between, and InI put family first over all else.

 Now, having said that, I address the issue that way too many Rastafari couples are battling today: cheating and polygamy.

I-Majesty Haile Sellassie is our benchmark for relationships - He and Empress Menen were married for many many years, sharing many joys and sorrows, They struggled to protect Themselves and the Royal household from being murdered by Mussolini. They were forced to flee their home and comfortable living to seek refuge in Bath England - living in poverty and hardship in exile. They were then forced to live separately throughout the exile as well - Her Majesty moved to Eyerusalem because Her health suffered in the cold and damp weather in England.  They then came together again to rebuild Ethiopia after 1941 until the Empress transitioned on February 15th 1962.
It was not an easy road but They loved and supported one another in good times and in the very bad times.The Emperor even created the Fidelity Award for Ethiopians who were joined in holy and loyal matrimony. It was an important covenant -marriage, especially when endorsed by the Church.
Both the Emperor and Empress were previously married in civil marriages - marriage that was arranged for economic and political purposes. Such marriages could easily be annulled or expired at will, but a Church Marriage, which They had, was considered holy and sanctioned by the Almighty.

But this is not to say that They lived free of marital problems!
In the book King of Kings written by Ras Kassa's grandson Asserate, he divulged a family secret: that the Emperor once considered leaving Menen for a Princess of Tigray in 1930! This princess was extremely beautiful, and it would have been a political alliance that would have benefited the Emperor when He ascended the throne. But His cousin who was like His brother and best friend, Ras Kassa Asserate, talked Tafari out of it! It was a ridiculous idea. Empress Menen's reaction, (for the author, Asserate had overheard the Empress telling his own mother the story) was that if Tafari had left her, she would have married his enemy Ras Hailu. She would not have taken such a slight, lying down, as InI would say.
When I read this I was shocked, as I am sure you are too; but not so shocked that I couldn't believe it, for They are real people in a real marriage, and Ethiopia at that time had very unstable marriage laws and practices as I mentioned. No marriage is ever free from outside influence, or from its own internal problems no matter how it looks on the outside. He truly was like King David and Solomon, in having experiences with women and their beauty. Even His own father as well, for Ras makonnen left his wife for Lady Yeshimebet, because she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

 The lesson to learn is that They did the right thing over any feelings or agendas They may have had. Tafari was counselled in the right manner, and given good advice by His closest ally. He didn't do something so drastic, thinking only of HIMSelf and not His wife or children. He loved His Family dearly and always ensured that they were provided for in spite of His political goals.

So why can't Bredren do what's right in spite of their own goals? Today are Bredren giving one another good counsel? Are they raspecting the covenant of marriage? Are they honouring the vows they made to their wives? Are Bredren doing everything in their power to provide for their children and their women?
Many Bredren are cheating on their wives, failing to support their children, and forcing them into polygamous marriages and lifestyles which is wrong. A polygamous marriage is not supposed to be one where the women are fighting against one another, hiding from one another, hating one another. A polygamous marriage is a compound family and union between man and women who agree to live cordially and raspectfully - in my naïve opinion. The women create schedules among themselves, distributing the care of their husband, children and home. It works for everybody, and when it doesn't it is mutually resolved and raspected.

It cannot function without mutual agreements, otherwise, the first wife will always be the loser, the one feeling betrayed, disraspected and unloved. A wombman is the backbone of the family, and while she is expected to carry-on for the sake of the family, never showing signs of weakness - this is an unreasonable request or expected behaviour, for she has feelings and she needs to feel supported and honoured by her man to be her best self. When a wombman has a baby for you Bredren, she expects you to defend her and provide for her and give her all the love and attention she needs to be a Queen - it is not to say she shouldn't also be independent or have strong self esteem on her own, but she also needs to know she matters, this is just how a relationship works!

And what bothers me more than the selfish and promiscuous ways of Bredren, who idolize Solomon and Bob Marley; is the behaviour of the "outside" Wombman. How can a Dawta call herself a Virtuous Dawta if she is willingly pursuing a king who has a family? How can she call herself a Dawta of Menen if she is willing to destroy another wombman's marriage! This makes me sick to my stomach when I hear my Sistren talking about what other dawtas say and do to them!

Just because you see a man who is attractive doesn't mean you have to bed him. Just because a man gives you chat - which a man can't help but do - doesn't mean that you immediately claim him and imagine a future with him! What's more, do your research before you bed him, because a man will lie to get those panties down! And RastaMan dem seem to think they are entitled to this! In my opinion, too many Rastaman seeking to be a musical superstar which promotes promiscuity. InI need our kings to do other works that have greater value - doctors, lawyers, teachers, healers, builders, farmers! A raspectable life, not one that is filled with party and getting high.

 Dawtas, don't ever think to yourself that his wrongs can be your rights!  Don't ever think it is right to pursue another woman's husband, and throw it in her face - showing up at her gates cussing and threatening her to leave your relationship alone, sending her emails, trolling her social media, befriending her friends to make her feel insignificant and replaced! You cannot be here to replace her, especially when she has this man's children! You are making a fool of yourself and making a total mockery of Rastafari! And it is totally disraspectful to us all as a Sisterhood. And when he hides you away, and everything you do is in secret, you are living a lie that will damage you just as badly as her.

And Bredren this is true time and time again, you believe that you have a right to have as many women as you please, and refuse to accept any fingers pointed in your direction! You think that sweet talk and sex can get you everywhere all the time, but in the end you are only making yourself left dependable and less deserving of any wombman's attention, raspect or love. You betray the one who would give you the world for the sexual novelty of another. It isn't right to "chain up a woman's head" with "sweet nothings" - especially when you have a family at home somewhere! It isn't right to think you have a right to do what you want, with no repercussions, when you get home. To disappear for days or weeks at a time, and then reappear home with lies. It hurts your woman and your children. And when she has finally gotten herself together, picked up the pieces and moved on - you show up trying to topple what dignity she has left. You also wish to prevent her from finding another man who will treat her better than you "because those are your kids."

The inconsistencies and the ridiculous attitudes are not getting us anywhere - these issues make us like Babylon. These  relationship patterns degrade the Rastafari Nation. It needs to stop - just like the DOMESTIC VIOLENCE needs to STOP.

So overall, in any relationship struggle, my main piece of advice is to WORK HARD on the relationship, and NEVER TAKE EACH OTHER FOR GRANTED! SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, COMMUNICATE PROPERLY and RASPECTFULLY. LISTEN AND HONOUR EACH OTHER's WISHES. BE TRUE TO SELF and to JAH, DON'T LIE TO YOURSELVES OR EACH OTHER.
How else can a mature and strong relationship last?
There is no happy home if only one person is struggling to fix things, to do what's right and just. It is an equal partnership. As long as you agree on the type of life you wish to live, and work equally hard to achieve that comfort level, then life can be stable and happy and last a long time! Why jeopardize a happy home for someone you really don't know. Why rush things with someone because of a physical attraction? Build on solid ground.

So I am asking you Bredren and Sistren, to do better, to act better and be better. Don't let your flesh rule your life. Think of others before yourself, and honour the promises you make - but don't make promises that are immoral either. And finally, Dawtas, don't think to yourself that you can change a man, don't take a man from his wife and then expect that he will be faithful to you. It is a continuous cycle and everyone will get burned - including the poor innocent yutes who are born from these unions.

What are we doing to one another Rastafari? Consider this. Dawtas should be working together not against one another. Get it together, conduct yourselves with pride and goodness. I know the flesh is weak, I know that sometimes we meet others who we are attracted to, but think before you act, and put righteousness first - I'm not talking about what the Bible says, but the basic hueman Iniversal laws of right and wrong, good and bad. Good vibes can be shared without leading to sex.You can't be Iritual and talk about living in the Light, if you are doing wrong things, making immoral decisions. Hypocrisy can't win for InI.
Any Dawta who feels the need to lash out at another, who wants to compete with other Sistren rather than unite with them, or who wants the life that another Dawta is living, has to really heal herself from her past life - she needs to take a giant step back and look at herself, her values and attitudes. Fix yourself and your ideals first and one day you can obtain a good man - one who is free to be with you and one who will strengthen you and build you up! Unless a Dawta is willing to be in a polygamous marriage, you must leave her family alone! Think about how you would feel if she had done that to you instead, put the shoe on the other foot and I guarantee that you would not like it!

And finally, Let InI be able to move forward and forgive one another as husband and wife. If you want to fix your relationship, be earnest about it and own up to your past mistakes. Be accountable for what you have done and do your best not to be that person anymore, especially because that person hurt used and abused others. Don't worry about what other people will say, you have to live your own life. There is no shame in wanting to put your family back together - just be sure not to go back if things have not improved. Actions speak louder than words, and a Dawta needs convincing action more than convincing words. TRUST is key to putting things right again, be worthy of that trust and earn that trust, don't betray that trust, because you have to think about how you can negatively affect others who depend on it.From all the wrongs you made in your past, let that part of you die and be reborn as a better person. to regret and to feel remorse is to avoid the same mistakes and destructive patterns.

So I hope that ones will seriously consider these words, and give good counsel to those around you, and take heed of your own thoughts and ways. I am not looking to point fingers and make ones feel bad about themselves, I am here to defend those sistren who message me in pain and I stand for the IDEAL that is being buried under social culture. Don't hide in the darkness, that is no way to live. Take my words as encouragement to do better, to admit to the wrongs in your life so that you may move forward. Rastafari cannot be like Christianity - the blood of a fictitious character cannot save anybody, nor can reading the Scriptures alone - you cannot do wrong and think that prayer or attending service is somehow going to fix everything. SELF ACCOUNTABILITY -  it is your desire to live a life in union with Kristos (knowledge and illumination of truth within) that will see you through. Once you know JAH truly, you will live a good life.

I Livicate  the entire album THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL to all Dawtas who are feeling it on both sides of this equation. Listen to Ms Hill's words and heal.

May JAH bless and protect and inspire ones to goodness,
Ila

How to Sew a Jersey Shirt - the Ila Royal Tee

Greetings and Blessed Love!

So I had leftovers from the kaftan gown tutorial and I decided to show the Sistren how to make your own tops - it's a tee shirt but a little more stylish - and it requires only two seamlines if you cut it perfect enough! It also requires little fabric. You should need no more than 1 yard of fabric, half a yard if a size medium or small. The method is basically the same as making the dress, just shorter.

I call it the Ila RoyalTee. As I am basically self-taught, this is my version of a baby tee that is not form fitting as I was trying to move away from such tight clothing which are not conducive to modesty or hot weather lol. I prefer comfort, and I prefer to be elegant or lovely over sexy and I find this design gives me what I want from a tee. All in all this is a design I decided to try using a Tshirt as the outline to start with in the beginning, but this tutorial shows how to make it with just measurements like with the gown. This is a basic design that does not even need to follow the measurement formula as you can just use a large Tshirt. To make it fitted don't add the seam allowance to the traced outline of the shirt.

Materials:

jersey or knit fabric

scissors

pins

sewing machine

thread

yard rule/measuring tape

1. Fold your material in half so the fold is at the top, right sides together. Line up your pattern properly if necessary.

2. Get the Tee shirt you want to use and turn it on the wrong side. pin it to the fabric, outline it:
(umm my shirt got these marks from my hands digging into the fabric - not very attractive in the photo but what can I say I can't undo it!)

3. This is the method for freehand:

Know your width which is your hips + 1 inch seam allowance
(for me a size small/med its 18.5 inches)

Know your length - from shoulder to where you want it to stop - I go to just under the buttocks/hips so I can have a buff over. But in this particular case, I just went to the end of the fabric.

Know your armpit length = 9 inches

Neckline make it 6 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches deep. The neckline will be able to stretch in different ways.


 4. Measure 9 inches down from the top fold and put two pins where the 8 inches stops on either side of the fabric.

5. Measure and mark out the width and draw two side lines down in line with the 9 inches markers.

6. Draw the lines coming to the side for the sleeve - 3 inches wide is enough. Go up to meet the fold. to get a ruffled pointed look which is nice also, make the line slanted outward

Draw a little curve under the angles of the armpit.

7. After outlining the tee or making freehand measurements (remove tee)  pin together inside of the lines and cut out the tee.

8. Fold the Tee in half, mark out 3 inches from the side fold, and 3 1/2 inches down and draw a curve. Pin and cut out the neckline.

9. Sew up the two sides, making sure to keep the ends straight and together so that no hemline is needed.

Finished!

There you have a perfectly Royal Tee, appropriate, stylish and comfortable!

I hope that this tutorial helps you to create something great for yourself - if you want to do a crop top version then make it 3 inches wide and shorter!

Blessed love!
Ila

Twelve Basic Steps to Ital Livity

Selamta, peace be upon the I!

I do hope that all RasTa or Afro Queens and Dawtas are blessed and in Irie Irits :)
As I said before, I would try to post as much on Ital Livity as I can, to help those who want to eat and live better, or who wish to lose weight. Today's tips are basic steps towards becoming Ital in the everyday routine...

As RasTafari say, "Ital is Vital!"
Hopping aboard the Ital train takes a lot of costs, preparation and build up - you have to get informed about the journey, make all the necessary equipment or utensil or food purchases, and you've got to stick to your schedule, do what is planned, and full-joy it.
As it pertains to "becoming" more Ital conscious, it's not as simple as one might think
- Ital is not just about not eating animal products -
 Ital Livity is about learning:
the nutritional and toxic value of foods, beverages and medicines;
the correct proportions of foods, herbs and beverages to eat and drink;
how best to prepare each food and herb to derive the most nutritional value;
how to use plants and elements to live, heal and cure rather than as an emotional appetite;
how to substitute toxic foods, beverages and medicines for healthier, natural options; and also
how to cultivate the most organic foods for self-sustenance.

In other words, Ital is an entire lifestyle, awareness and movement which takes a lot of commitment, zeal, budgeting and patience.

Because there is so much to consider, one can easily feel overwhelmed, and stumble over many blocks along the path. Hopefully these and other points to follow can make light of an entire lifestyle:

 1. Purchase some literature on food and nutrition and holistic living. Try authors such as Suzar, Queen Afua and Dr. Llaila Africa.

2. Increase your intake of herbs (cooking and tea herbs), nuts, seeds, peas, beans, ground provision, vegetables and fruits each day.

 3. Eat vegetables raw as much as possible, or steam them for no more than 5-8 minutes. Always try to prepare them in a way that preserves the nutrients.

4. Drink herbal tea, garlic, ginger, beetroot, lemon, water as much as possible. Juice everyday, or drink natural juices and coconut water more than store bought juices which are pasteurised, or lack in nutrients.

5. Buy less or no sweets, snacks, shelf-foods which contain animal products, preservatives and sugars that damage the nervous and immune systems. It is better to make your own snacks and meals than to buy "ready-made" or one-step cooking products.

6. Seek natural herbal cures for problems like high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, stomach upset, depression, anxiety, pain, cramps, ADD/ADHD, autism and so on; instead of depending on pharmaceuticals which are damaging to the body.

7. Refrain from vaccinations, steroids, toiletries, dyes, relaxers. dairy, flesh, birth control pills, alcohol and drugs which all damage the internal organs, systems and cause diseases later in life and are fatal.

8. Use natural cleaning products for beauty and for cleaning the home. Baking Soda, lime, orange oil and vinegar are great natural cleaning agents for the home. Citronella is a great bug repellent. Baking soda can also be used as a face scrub and toothpaste.

9. Commune with nature often, find joy in the beauty of nature and in relaxation away from society.

10. Exercise the body and do good works for the Irit daily.

11. Treat the earth, air and waters with raspect, do not contribute to pollution and speak out against bad habits whenever possible.

12. Start some kind of home garden, even if you don't have land you can use pots. IN this day and age with GMO and chemicals, it is better to know where your food comes from if you want to remain healthy and immune to common dis-eases. Plastic bottles can be recycled to make pots as well. Be creative and find places and ways to grow your own food. Check out Mbele Tv for more information on how to DIY.


Well that's all I could think of for now, as I'm sure there are more points to Ital Livity than these.
As promised, I will make posts over time that will contain information pertaining to these basic points too - especially sugars, chemicals, vaccinations and Ital beauty. Hopefully my Sistren will write a few posts too!

Though it's not definitive and filled with details, this list can still help to give a clearer picture of Ital and help ones evaluate their current level of Ital Livity. I personally need to work on cleaning the home with natural products rather than these disinfectants which are so strong and toxic! Everyday I'm working to eat more raw and less sugar - I am working up the nerve to cut out sugar and shelf-foods altogther, which can only really be done right when you have a good home garden going, or a nice organic grocer.

Regardless of the little difficulties that prevent us from eating and living as Ital as we'd like, Don't give up the trod! Ital is the key to the God-Self and Sacred Wombmanhood.

Selah! RasTafari
Ila

Special Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes

Greetings Royal Dawtas!

I haven't been able to get online much lately, and I need more time to write and gather the particular topics I want to  strengthen the  RasTafari Wifeline.
So instead of taking longer to post reasoning, here is a recipe that some of my Sistrens actually wanted to get from me, but I haven't gotten around to it (sorry Safiyah and Peggy hehe)! It's as vegetarian as I've been able to get with a cake - minus the sugar of course. Anything with sugar is not perfect Ital, so this is a recipe to make on special occasions, not too often!

I find it very rewarding to do an intimate, homemade treat for your little prince or princess on their earthstrong - a just between "mommy and me" treat (of course daddy and everyone else can have some, but mummy made it as a special earthstrong surprise). You get the drift!


My daughter calls them at every mention "special chocolate surprise cupcakes." She doesn't even say "cupcakes." And that's because I always make her this recipe for her earthstrong since she was two years old.  It can be either cake or cupcake form.

Utensils and Ingredients

any cake pan or cupcake tin, or paper molds

electric cake-mixer or a large spoon or a whisk

tablespoon,teaspoon, cup measuring utensils

2 medium to big bowls

dry ingredients

2 1/2 cups wheat flour

4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 tspn baking soda

1 cup brown sugar

wet ingredients

1 1/2 tspn mixed or other essence

2 tbspn lemon juice or vinegar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups water

add crushed almonds, flaked coconut or any other ingredient to flavour it up for different occasions. 

Method

- If baking a cake, grease your pan with oil first and set aside.

- Pre-heat oven to about 200 degrees celcius. 

 -Combine the dry ingredients except the sugar, using the sieve, in one bowl. When sieving the flour it will appear that a lot of the bran or wheat is left back, but just throw it in after the finer flour has sifted through.

- In the other bowl, dissolve the sugar as much as possible in the water. Add the oil, essence and lemon/vinegar and mix well.

- Pour the dry into the wet ingredients, mixing well using the electric mixer or whisk or spoon. It will look like this:

- You can either pour into the cake pan, or cupcake tin or use a spoon to dish out the cupcake paper moulds.

- Bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes if a cake. For Cupcakes 10-15 minutes. Generally go by smell once the time is up. And use a fork or knife to test the middle.
This recipes makes very fluffy cupcakes if the batter is mixed well and allowed to stand for any length of time. If they are fluffy you dont want them to stay in too long because they will burn.

- Let it cool just a little, but this recipe tastes yummy when warm!

And you're finished with your special chocolate surprise cupcakes!

Full-joy!

Sis Ila

Queen Omega Livity Principles of the RasTa Empress

Blessed Love
Heart of Sabbath and Heart of Selabration Love on this blessed Garvey Earthstrong!

More love, strength and power to all Ithiopian Queens and Dawtas who are giving thanks for the Prophet of Black Isra'el.

Though I should post something to honour Marcus Mosiah Garvey, I am moved to post this summary on the character and attitude of Empress Menen Asfaw in the key roles she played in Her lifetime as the Proverbs 31Virtuous Wombman or Wife of Valor, Ethiopian Empress, Hebrew Matriarch, the Blessed Sacred Feminine, the Goddess of the God-Head JAH Rastafari, King Alpha and Queen Omega.

 

 "Her Personality was indeed a true and clear womb-manifestation of the Wise Wombman, Virtuous Wife, Mother, Patroness, HandMaid, Daughter, Warrior, and Queen. Every purpose, deal and deed reflected Her submission to serve with love; Her unwavering faith and commitment to righteousness; as well as honouring Ethiopia, the Teachings of Immanuel Yesus Kristos, and Her sacred marriage vows to Man and God.

As the RasTafari Wombman’s Identity is empowered by her connection to such Omega-Goddess energies; the following capture the virtuous points of principle by which Empress Menen Asfaw thrived and ruled. The Empress teaches the King’s Royal Dawta to:

• Put prayer and Ises first in life. To pray regularly and always be conscious of JAH within and all around, in others and in the natural world.

• Be faithful to JAH and keep the Holy Laws and Commandments of Isra’el (such as the Mosaic, Nazirene, Nazirite) no matter what misfortunes, trials and tribulations happen in life.

• Turn to JAH, the Ingels and ancestral Saints in times of hardship, for all personal and spiritual guidance, healing and inspiration.

• Be a patroness of the Tabernacle – to ensure it is kept clean, beautified and well-furnished for its priests and congregation.

• Be dutiful, loyal, hardworking, respectful, loving and kind in all roles in life: as daughter, mother, sister, wife, queen, nun or any political or social leadership.

• Fully support and stand by the King-Man, defending and protecting one’s property. Being knowledgeable, skilful and wise enough to take on his roles or work in his absence, and to assist and strengthen him in all tasks and struggles as Head of the house.

• Be a caring, disciplinary and protective mother, keeping children and grandchildren close to home; raising them to be of goodwill; submissive to their parents, God, church and education.

• Be mindful of one’s health and appearance: modest, appropriately attired, clean and observing fasting and vegetarian livity principles.

• Be of humble spirit and nature: a woman of knowledge yet few words in the courts of the Brethren, capable of reasoning or speaking wisdom, and encouragement at the given moment. Known for showing more through kind actions, than words.

• Be an avid entrepreneur, creating businesses that provide for self, family and community.

• Be compassionate for those in need and never neglect to find or establish solutions to provide for the poor.

• Be a good role model to young girls and adult women by always showing mature attitude and work ethic, and by helping them to live better lives in whatever way possible.

• Collaborate with other like-minded women and care-providers, and commit to doing good works for the elder and juvenile community.

• Never give up on any goals or aspirations, or new ideas which will bring good to your life and the lives of others - perseverance is the mother of success. "

Selah!

 

I offer this word sound to the Sistren who gather for reasoning and who perform works in the Name of JAH RasTafari, who have organization or fellowship with other Dawtas, or who wish to discuss the character of Empress as a True Mother of the Black Nation.
It is very  important to read the Biography to capture the fullness of Her character and life!


Hail Queen Omega, Mother and Goddess of Love
RasTafari!
Sis. Ila

How to Sew a Triangle Scarf (Ises Wrap)

  How to sew a triangle scarf

The ila Ises Wrap

(aka the one yard scarf)

                Materials: 1 yrd voile, scissors, thread, appropriate size machine needle, sewing machine

Every RasTa Wombman wears a head-covering at some point during the day: whether it’s for giving Ises, going out to work, to the Taba, to the grocery – whatever the place or reason; it is important that the crown be covered, and the sanctity of the dreadlocks maintained.  

                This Tradition I and I have learned from our Afrikan Mothers who in any tribe or religion have always maintained the aesthetic value of covering themselves in flowing garments. The Ethiopian Wombman uses the Shamma or a woolen shawl which I think might be called a shash - I’m looking for the origin of this word if anyone knows – it’s a word I’ve heard other Fari call the Ethiopian shawl. Check out this link also http://www.tadias.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Ethiopian-Easter1.jpg

 Empress Menen wore the Shamma to Church for Ises and service. The Shamma is more of a rectangular shape, however. It is larger than this triangle scarf. And that’s because this scarf is more of the perfect accessory for that emergency or momentary “cover-up.” Not every time I and I cover up, does it have to be “a big production.” Every dread gets to the stage where it’s hard to manage due to the length and fullness.  Sometimes if it’s just the hour of Ises (6, 12, 6, 12); or a stranger appears at the door, or a bredren/elder quickly stops by to hail the I or the King-Man;  at the drop of a pin sometimes a Dawta needs to “throw on something” to make herself appropriate, neat. (The Kaftan dress is a good thing to just throw on too, we’ll get to those tutorials as soon as I get my memory card in the mail!)

Because of that functionality this little triangle scarf, my Ises Wrap, is one of my favourite items to wear. It suits the warm weather of summer, and sometimes I don’t want the headache tying up my dreads too much.  I use it when it is time for Ises or when I am going out. I recommend making as many colours as you have in your wardrobe! Mix and match – one on the head, one on the shoulder at the same time - each scarf only takes 1 YARD of 45 INCH COTTON  VOILLE. If you want to use other cloths, feel free! I have made this scarf for other sistren who have shorter dreads – it’s the perfect covering for a short crown. For those Sistren with the large, thick bongos , this is a one size scarf, so it will not be able to completely cover your dreadlocks, it would more work as a bandana would.

Note this scarf also functions as a wrap, so it is not a Fall which is the official Bobo Shanty Empress and Princess head covering . The Fall achieves total covering of the dreadlocks from root to tip;, this scarf is really to cover the crown – and can only cover all if the dreads are neat/small enough in a bun.

Now, onto the tutorial:

Get your 1 yard of voile cotton fabric.

Take the bottom left corner and pull it over to meet the top right corner.

With your hands, smooth down or lightly press in the fabric to keep that triangle shape. The Triangle should be uneven; one end should be longer than the other on both sides opposite the fold.

 It should look like this (please excuse the stuff in the way lol – I have a large table but it can’t fit in the house so I use the floor for now because my current work table is too narrow!):

If you look at the left and the right sides (close to the bottom) you can see the uneven parts.

I folded the triangle in half again to show what my two sides look like:

Next, Pin the triangle together so it doesn’t shift. Get the scissors and cut away the longer side of the fabric, evening up the ends and shape of the scarf. It should now look like this! (sorry it’s a bit blurry)

Now it’s time to go to the sewing machine. To complete the Ises wrap just ZIG ZAG all four sides of the triangle TWICE. You will need a matching thread colour – or contrasting if you want to spice it up. Also a small sewing needle – green coloured or size 70/9 (Singer universal needle) (or 70/10 for other brands) for sheer knits and thin fabrics like voile and chiffon.  This needle is what I use in a Brother BM-2700. I turned the Zigzag Dial to size 4, which is not too big, but not too close that I keep missing the fabric, which sometimes happens to me when I zigzag at size 3 or 2.5.

The first zigzag is simple all around the edges. You can add an extra layer at this point if you want to, making it 3 zigzag layers in total. The only reason why it might not be necessary is that too much needle work in the same point makes tiny holes in the voile fabric.

The second layer of zigzagging entails making a tiny fold at the edge, setting that under the presserfoot, and then zigzagging the edges again but with the little fold. So the zigzag is not directly on the edges but makes a tiny sized hem. Like this:

YOU DON’T HAVE TO PIN ANYTHING to make this tiny hem! You just have to hold the voile and ensure that the small fold stays there as the machine sews, it works perfectly this way! Trust me, there’s no need to use pins for this second layer of zigzag! Just take your time.

 When you are finished zigzagging all edges in these two steps, you are finished! This is what they look like:

(I’ve added some other colours  – the mustard colour I wear the most alongside the pink, so you can see the wear and tear of washing doesn’t really affect the seam.)

After reading this I bet you think it’s super easy, and you could do that in no time! Especially if you have a serger – well I don’t, so that’s why my methods will entail using zigzag stitches a lot.

But the quick ease of this great scarf-slash-wrap is the little surprise I was keeping back! The Ises wrap is a must-have, totally easy addition to every Empress wardrobe! What’s more, it’s the PERFECT SIZE for your little princess! Ages 10 and up should be able to wrap the Ises wrap as a covering too!   

Here’s how many ways you can wear it!

As a head scarf:

As a wrap:

Wear it as a shrug by tying it behind your back - this will only work for a smaller person I think:

If you can’t sew or don’t have a machine, or anyone to zigzag for you, feel free to order the Ises wrap now, I can set it up at my online etsy store - www.etsy.com/shop/iladesigns.

Hope you love the Ises Wrap!

Bless

Ila