For the Solstice Weekend, Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd June 2025, this pattern will be half-price, no code needed.
Litha (pronounced “LEE-tha” or “lith-ah”) is a pagan festival and the sixth celebration in the Wheel of the Year.
Litha the shawl is a three-quarters Pi circular shawl, knit in laceweight yarn for a light and airy layer. Despite their size the samples only weigh 136 g and 182 g (less than 5 ounces and less than 7 ounces).
Elbow length in John Arbon Appledore Lace
Two sizes are described, approximately elbow length and wrist length on an adult. In accordance with the principles of pi shawls (as the diameter doubles, so does the circumference) this shawl has bands of pattern interspersed at set intervals with rows of increases. The increasingly wide bands of patterning include plain stocking stitch/stockinette, daisy stitch, and a field of tiny winged insects formed by simple cables. The lace edging along both sides is initially knit with the centre pattern, then curved around the front and formed into a knitted-on edge along the hem. There is a small amount of grafting to join the two edges. The shawl begins with a tab cast on, the tab being the first repeat of the lace edge; it can be knit either from the charts or from written instructions provided in a separate file.
Wrist length in Malabrigo Lace
The two samples show the two sizes described:
John Arbon Appledore Lace, elbow length: 67 cm/26 ¾” centre back neck to rounded hem x 73 cm / 29 ¼” deep at centre back. Malabrigo Lace, wrist length: 77 cm/30 ¾” centre back neck to rounded hem x 85 cm / 34” deep at centre back.
Links to video and photo tutorials for the daisy stitch, provisional cast on and grafting are given in the pattern.
This pattern has been thoroughly professionally tech edited, but has not been test knit except by me.
This pattern is available from the Granary Knits Payhip Store and from Ravelry.
Grafting lace is not as scary as it sounds, but it does take a bit of concentration. This photo tutorial is related to the Litha Shawl pattern, and grafts only 15 stitches, so may provide a brief useful view of the process. The knitted piece being grafted here is on a garter ground, which simplifies the graft to a large extent. This tutorial is not intended as a tutorial for all lace grafting, only as it relates to this particular shawl.
Grafting is adding in a row of stitches in order to join two sets of stitches seamlessly. Here, I am adding the wrong side row between two right side rows; since the wrong side in this pattern is knitted (the ground for this lace is garter stitch) with just two purled stitches, it is mostly a Ridge-High Garter graft. See Woolly Wormhead’s tutorial for a fuller explanation of this technique.
I find a lifeline on both sets of stitches most helpful, and here is no exception. I used very fine linen yarn in a contrasting colour, but sewing thread would do just as well.
I first arrange my two sets of stitches on two needles, in this case DPNs. The red needle holds the 15 Left Hand Edge stitches, and the gold needle the 14 Lower Edge stitches. The yarn is coming from the back needle. Keep your stitches relaxed, don’t overtighten.
I have cut the yarn, leaving at least 4 times the amount of yarn required for the graft. The two sets of stitches are aligned, and the white lifeline is visible along the red needle. I am working from the outer edge towards the shawl.
The stitches are held wrong sides together, right sides facing out. The red needle holds 15 stitches, the gold holds 14, so we begin by securing the 15th stitch and removing it from the red needle.
Setup
Begin with the Front stitch, take the tapestry needle through the stitch from front to back knitwise and leave the stitch on the needle. Back stitch, take the yarn through the stitch purlwise, and drop the stitch from the needle. You now have 14 pairs of stitches on the needles. Back stitch, take the yarn through the stitch knitwise and leave on the needle.
Begin with the Front stitch, take the tapestry needle through the stitch from front to back knitwise and leave the stitch on needleBack stitch, take the yarn through the stitch purlwise, and drop the stitch from the needle
Garter Grafting
Having evened up the number of stitches on the two needles, work the rest of the garter stitches as follows:
Front purlwise off
Front knitwise on
Back purlwise off
Back knitwise on
Work these four steps until you have 4 pairs of stitches remaining.
Front purlwise off
Front knitwise on
Back purlwise off
Back knitwise on
In this pattern the last four stitches we are trying to replicate are: knit 1 purl2, knit 1. Therefore we have to work a hybrid garter-stocking stitch graft. The steps are:
Front purlwise off
Front purlwise on
Back purlwise off
Back knitwise on
Front knitwise off
Front purlwise on
Back purlwise off
Back knitwise on
Front knitwise off
Front purlwise on
Back purlwise off
Back knitwise on
Front purlwise off
Back purlwise off
The graft is complete, the row of stitches created can be seen between the two white lifelines
The lifeline has been removed
The finished grafted point, third point from the left in this photograph
Beltane is the fifth festival in the Wheel of the Year and the anglicised form of Bealtaine, the Gaelic Mayday. The days are growing longer, the Earth has warmed, it is the beginning of Summer.
When I was a child in the South of England, our village, as well as many others in the region, held a festival with decorated floats and the Queen of the May riding around the village, culminating in a party in the central small park. There were Morris Dancers, bonfires, maidens dancing around a maypole – everything you would associate with MayDay. Even in the 1980s in Kent, Morris Dancers greeted us at the train station on MayDay morning. Morris Dancing is still a common activity here in the North of England, but it takes place all year round, at various festivals, and is not restricted to just one celebration.
As well as dancing and May Queens, Beltane ceremonies centre on the lighting of special bonfires, with all household fires doused and then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire. Fire plays an important part in the inspiration for this design, from the bonfire motif of the centre to the flickering flames of the knitted-on edges.
Beltane the shawl is an Ascot or Stole, knit in 4ply/fingering yarn for a light and airy layer. It can be knit as a short narrow Ascot/neck-warmer, or a large elegant wrap; two sizes are given for narrow Ascot or wide Stole, but any width or length could be achieved. The pattern is worked from a provisional cast on, either from the charts or written instructions. Beltane has a fixed width border on either side of an adjustable central panel; the centre panel can be repeated as many times as you wish to alter the width. The shawl can be lengthened or shortened by increasing or decreasing the number of vertical repeats of the main chart.
The pattern can be worked from charts or from written instructions and is customisable.
The Beltane pattern is available from the Granary Knits pattern stores on Ravelry and Payhip.
This photo tutorial demonstrates how to cast on additional stitches at the beginning of a knitted-on lace edge, where you want a neat continuation of stitches along the side.
This technique is used in the Beltane Stole, a shawl with a slipped-stitch edge running its length on both long edges. By using the crochet cast on method, this slipped-stitch edge is maintained into the knitted-on end details.
For this cast on you will need a crochet hook the same size as your knitting needle, or a size larger, depending upon the pattern requirements. You will cast on one less than the number specified in the pattern, using the loop on the crochet hook as the last stitch.
Step 1
The shawl is ready for a knit-on edge
Step 2
Place the crochet hook through the slipped edge stitch as if to knit the stitch.
Step 3
Loop the yarn over the crochet hook and pull through, leaving the edge stitch on the knitting needle.
Step 4
Hold the crochet hook in front of the knitting needle, with the yarn behind the knitting needle, loop the yarn over the crochet hook.
Step 5
Pull the yarn through the loop on the crochet hook, forming a new chain loop on the crochet hook and one extra stitch on the knitting needle.
Step 6
Reposition the crochet hook in front of the knitting needle, and the yarn at the back of the knitting needle. Loop the yarn over the crochet hook.
Step 7
Pull through the loop on the crochet hook, forming a new crochet chain loop and a second cast on stitch on the knitting needle.
Work steps 6 and 7 until you have cast on one less than the total required.
Step 8
When you have cast on the required number of stitches, less one, place the chain loop on the crochet hook onto the knitting needle without twisting. This forms the final cast on stitch.
The three stitches cast on.
The cast on from the under side, showing the loops carrying on seamlessly from the slipped-stitch edge.
Edge view of the cast on after completing the knitted-on edge
Front view of the knitted-on edge, the cast on stitches blend seamlessly with the slipped-stitch edge.
Ostara is the fourth festival in the Wheel of the Year. It falls on the Northern Hemisphere’s Spring Equinox, 20th March, and is also the celebration of Oestre, the goddess of fertility. Spring has arrived in the UK, leaves have appeared on many trees and shrubs, and daffodils are nodding in Spring breezes.
Ostara the shawl begins at the bottom left hand angle of a square and increases along the diagonal, the hypotenuse, with two halves of very different patterning, reflecting the equality of night and day. As it slowly grows, the leaves emerge along one edge and flowers begin to dot one half of the shawl. Folded along the centre spine it forms a warm layered shawl, opened out it becomes a lighter airy accessory for sunnier Spring days. I have chosen a lovely blend of wool and silk for this shawl, in a vibrant Spring green. Ostara can be blocked as a square, a rectangle, or a parallelogram. It can be worn in several ways: folded as a triangle along the diagonal centre stitch to show the flower side or the garter side; folded as a triangle across the diagonal to show one half flowers and one half garter; folded across the middle to make a narrower rectangle.
Ostara is an adaptable shawl, can be made to any size you choose, from a small square to a large enveloping folded triangle. Size is adjusted by repeating the main 24-row pattern; the sample shown, for instance, consists of a setup section followed by 11 repeats of the main section, and was blocked into a rectangle to give a shawl 137 cm/54 ¾” x 115 cm / 46”.
This construction lends itself readily to adaptation, and I have included, as a separate file, a lapghan pattern of the same construction but knit at a large gauge in bulky wool.
This pattern has been fully professionally tech edited, but has not been test knit except by me. Full pattern support is available by email.
Imbolc is the second Celtic celebration and the third festival in the Wheel of the Year. It falls on the first day of February, and is also celebrated as St Brigid’s Day. Winter is still gripping the islands of Britain, but there are signs of the coming of Spring and a sense that the sun will return soon. Small buds are beginning to appear on trees and shrubs, and snowdrops are emerging and flowering, half hidden in borders. The early flowers are grateful for any rain, but in February we in the north of England sometimes get too much rainfall – the old country name for February is Fill-dyke referring to the overflowing ditches along rural roads.
Imbolc the shawl is a delicate beaded crescent/triangle hybrid, equally at home at a winter party or snuggled up beside a log fire. Its design suggests the rain using beads, as well as the promise of Spring in the bud motifs of its border. It is knit in 4ply/fingering weight yarn, and can be made in any size by repeating the main pattern, before working the border. Both charts and written instructions are provided.
Materials Any 4ply/fingering weight yarn with good stitch definition and drape. The sample was knit in Eden Cottage Yarns Milburn 4ply; 85% Bluefaced Leicester 15% silk; 50 g per 200 m/ 218 yds; both the Fichu and Large Shawl are shown in shade Natural, using 1 and 4 balls respectively. 4 mm /#6 beads (optional); the sample beads are Debbie Abrahams in colour 34 Silver-lined Clear.
Tools 4 mm [US size 6] circular needle (for knitting flat), minimum 60 cm / 24” in length (or size required to obtain gauge). Crochet hook size 1 mm [UK size 4, US size 10] or beading needle (optional). Stitch markers, as many as you find helpful. Tapestry needle for weaving in ends. Blocking mat and pins (optional but recommended).
Tension 19 sts and 36 rows = 10 cm / 4” on 4 mm [US size 6] needles, over the reverse stocking stitch and beaded twisted stitch pattern after washing and blocking.
Finished size Four sizes are described, but a larger shawl is possible if desired. I have named these sizes Fichu (Shawlette, Medium Shawl, Large Shawl). The table below shows approximate sizes and quantities of yarn and beads. Finished size of the two samples (smallest and largest) shown are: Size 1 Fichu: 140 cm / 56” length along top x 26 cm / 10 ¼” deep at widest point. Size 4 Large Shawl: 254 cm / 101 ¼” length along top x 48 cm / 19 ¼” deep at widest point.
This pattern has been fully professionally tech edited, but has not been test knit except by me. Full pattern support is available by email. The pattern is available as a PDF from the Granary Knits stores on Ravelry and on Payhip.
Yule is the second pattern in The Wheel of the Year Collection.
Yule is a time of celebration, a time to feast on the riches the earth has provided throughout the year and stored against a harsh winter. Yule, originally a twelve-day festival, in modern times occurs on (or around) 21st December and is also known as the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The Holly King is now in the ascendant, and the design of the Yule Shawl reflects his reign.
Yule is a circular loose-fitting cape, knit in the round using an Aran weight yarn for warmth. The relaxed fit caters for a wide range of sizes, and allows plenty of room for arms to move. It has an all-over pattern of branches and holly berries, and an edge reminiscent of the holly leaf. The background to the pattern is garter in the round, and the branches are formed with a combination of slipped stitches, slipped travelling stitches, and knots. The travelling stitches can be worked with or without a cable needle.
Sizes given in the pattern: teen chest size: 70 – 99 cm / 28 – 39 ¾” medium adult chest size: 100 – 125 cm / 40 – 50” large adult chest size: 126 – 150 cm / 50 ½ – 60”
Yarn requirements for the three sizes: teen 750 m / 820 yds medium adult 830 m / 908 yds large adult 950 m / 1,039 yds
Depth of the cape is the same for all sizes, 56 cm / 22 ½”, but may be lengthened (or shortened a little) as described in the instructions.
The sample is shown in Medium Adult size; neck circumference 53 cm / 21 ¼”, length from neck to hem 56 cm / 22 ½”.
This pattern has been thoroughly and professionally tech edited, but has not been test knit except by me. Full pattern support is available by email.
In addition to the pattern instructions, I have produced a photo tutorial for making the knots on the surface and along the edge of the cape.
You may have noticed I make a special mention on my pattern pages that the pattern has not been test knit except by myself. I wanted to explain why that is and what it means.
The WInd That Shakes the BarleyFull mitten cuffRaspberry PiTemperature Pi Blanket
Just to emphasise, all my patterns, even the free ones, have been thoroughly and professionally tech edited. That is, the text and charts of each pattern have been checked by an expert for clarity, consistency, and accuracy. Sizes have been verified against the gauge, a clear consistent format has been followed, and the charts are accurate and match any written instructions given. This step takes time, is crucial, and rightly costs money. As far as I am concerned, it is the most important step in the whole process.
Ideally, after the pattern has been corrected, it should be given to real knitters who then try to follow the pattern and help the designer to iron out any unclear steps/processes. This step also takes time, effort, and yarn. I believe it should not go unrewarded. I believe a person deserves to be reimbursed for the time they have taken – some patterns could take weeks to knit, and a free pattern at the end of it is no adequate reward. But to pay each tester for each pattern would be prohibitively expensive and would drive up the cost of individual patterns.
So here we have a dilemma. How can a designer ethically and morally produce fully tested affordable knitting patterns when part of the process involves either unsustainable costs or slave labour?
I have chosen not to use testers for my patterns any more. It is a difficult decision but I believe the right one. Instead, I concentrate on rigorous tech editing and thorough test knitting on my part. For instance, for the Samhain shawl/cowl I produced 4 full size sample items in addition to the reams and reams of swatches and part samples.
As well as producing all the testing myself, I reduce the price of my patterns to reflect the fact that there has been no outside testing. For instance, most shawl patterns these days are priced at £7 to £9. I charge £5 for my shawl patterns.
I hope that this clarifies my position and reduces any doubts potential customers might have about the quality of the patterns. Full pattern support is available for all patterns via email.
The Wheel of the Year is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals, observed by a range of modern pagans, marking the year’s chief solar events (solstices and equinoxes) and the midpoints between them. The Wheel of the Year was devised in the mid-20th century to combine the four solar events or quarter days marked by many European peoples, with the four seasonal festivals or cross-quarter days celebrated by Celtic peoples of the British Isles. Different paths of modern Paganism may vary regarding the precise timing of each celebration, based on such distinctions as the lunar phase and geographic hemisphere.
Observing the cycle of the seasons has been important to many people, both ancient and modern. Modern pagan festivals that rely on the Wheel are based to varying degrees on folk traditions, regardless of actual historical pagan practices. Some Wiccans use the term sabbat to refer to each festival.
In many traditions of modern paganism all things are considered to be cyclical, with time as a perpetual cycle of growth and retreat tied to the Sun’s annual death and rebirth. The days that fall on the landmarks of the yearly cycle traditionally mark the beginnings and middles of the four seasons. These eight festivals are the most significant times for community celebrations.
I was inspired to design this series of accessories, in part, by my close proximity to the seasonal cycles of growth (germinating seeds, growing fruit and vegetables, living in a sustainable way) and decay (composting, regrowth). I live a fairly agrarian existence, in the countryside away from urban populations, and I feel the turning of the year keenly.
The designs for this series of shawl and cowl patterns are inspired by the eight Wiccan / Pagan festivals or Sabbats, celebrated at key points in the calendar, plus a ninth design encompassing the whole cycle. I am not a follower of the religious practices but find that the festivals marked in the calendar resonate with me and my connection to the Earth and the landscape in which I live.
The Cycle begins with Samhain, the end of Autumn and the beginning of Winter in the northern hemisphere.
Wheel Image courtesy of CarlCastel, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Samhain
The celebration of Autumn’s end. The veil between the worlds is thin at this time, the year is dying.
Samhain (/ˈsɑːwɪn/) is the name of a traditional Gaelic festival held around 1 November. The name and date were adopted by Wiccans for one of their four Greater Sabbats. It closely matches Halloween (31 October) and the two festivals are intertwined. For Wiccans, Samhain is a time to celebrate the lives of those who have passed on, and it often involves paying respect to ancestors, family members, elders of the faith, friends, pets, and other loved ones who have died. Aligned with the contemporary observance of Halloween and Day of the Dead, in some traditions the spirits of the departed are invited to attend the festivities. It is seen as a festival of darkness, which is balanced at the opposite point of the Wheel by the festival of Beltane, which is celebrated as a festival of light and fertility. Many neopagans believe that the veil between this world and the afterlife is at its thinnest point of the year at Samhain, making it easier to communicate with those who have departed.
Some authorities claim the Christian festival of All Hallows Day (All Saints Day) and the preceding evening are appropriations of Samhain by early Christian missionaries to the British Isles.
The Design
My interpretation of Samhain is of simplicity. It can be made as a cowl, using a single precious skein of 4ply/fingering yarn, or as a shawl. It can be knit in any weight of yarn, and can be made as long as you wish. As befits the time of the year, it gives warmth where it is needed. I chose reds and oranges for my samples, as well as a light grey reminiscent of misty autumn days.
Bulky weightDK weightlight fingering/sock weight
More information on the pattern and links to Ravelry and Payhip stores can be found on the pattern page. The pattern was published on 31st October 2024.
The next pattern will be Yule, published on 21st December 2024.
Samhain (pronounced Sa-win, /ˈsɑːwɪn/) is the first of the Celtic/Pagan Sabbats or festivals in the great Wheel of the Year, ever turning. It is the celebration of Autumn’s End occurring on 31 October/1 November. The veil between the worlds is thin at this time, the year is dying.
Samhain is the name of a traditional Gaelic festival held around 1 November. The name and date were adopted by Wiccans for one of their four Greater Sabbats. It closely matches Halloween (31 October) and the two festivals are intertwined. For Wiccans, Samhain is a time to celebrate the lives of those who have passed on, and it often involves paying respect to ancestors, family members, elders of the faith, friends, pets, and other loved ones who have died. Aligned with the contemporary observance of Halloween and Day of the Dead, in some traditions the spirits of the departed are invited to attend the festivities. It is seen as a festival of darkness, which is balanced at the opposite point of the Wheel by the festival of Beltane, which is celebrated as a festival of light and fertility.
Samhain is a time for bonfires, honouring the ancestors, and for contemplation when entering the quiet part of the year. A time when the earth sleeps and humans (and animals) need warmth and shelter. A snug triangular shawl or cowl will keep you warm until the year turns and the earth awakens.
My interpretation of Samhain is of simplicity. It can be made as a cowl, using a single precious skein of 4ply/fingering yarn, or as a shawl. It can be knit in any weight of yarn, and can be made as long as you wish. As befits the time of the year, it gives warmth where it is needed. I chose reds and oranges for my samples, as well as a light grey reminiscent of the mists of Autumn. It can be worn any way you like, casually tied or fastened with a favourite brooch or shawl pin.
It can be knit in any weight yarn, in any type of yarn, in one colour or two. It is a warm double-thickness fabric using an interesting construction, with a simple but effective shape.
