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.
It’s a week to go until the summer Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, and Knit Picks have today published their new summer pattern collection, called Botanic: Nature-Inspired Lace.
The collection contains six lovely laceweight patterns, and I am delighted that my pattern, Solstice, has been included. Solstice is a light coverup for warm sunny days and languid summer nights. A lovely floaty shawl, with a wide neck that makes it easy to slip over the head on cooler evenings. It is knit in Voliere, their brand new laceweight yarn, a mix of 30% Mulberry Silk, 40% Linen and 30% Baby Alpaca.
Solstice, photo courtesy of Knit Picks
The pattern book, in both hard copy and eBook forms, can be purchased from the Knit Picks Website.
The European Swift is a much loved visitor to the UK, but one which is sadly in decline. This tam pattern celebrates swifts wheeling over the English countryside in summer, an iconic sight and sound. I have chosen a monochrome palette for this tam; you could use bright or muted colours. Instructions are given for four sizes, to fit small, medium narrow, medium wide, or large. The narrow and wide sizes refer to how full the tam part of the hat is. This tam is roomy and warm.
Suggested yarn: Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift; 4ply; 100% wool; 105 m/ 115 yds per 25 g / 0.88 oz ball: 1 or 2 balls of each colour, depending upon size. Sample shown in 104 Natural White and 126 Charcoal.
Small, medium narrow, medium wide, large, to fit head circumferences 54 cm (58 cm, 58 cm, 62 cm) / approx. 21 ¼” (23”, 23”, 24 ½”) at the brim. Finished sizes at the brim, unstretched, 45 cm (49 cm, 49 cm, 52 cm) / approx. 17 ¾” (19 ¼”, 19 ¼”, 20 ½”).
Needles: circular needles or DPNs, sizes 2.75 mm [UK/Can size 12, US size 2] and 3.25 mm [UK/Can size 10, US size 3].
The Swifts Tam pattern is available from the Granary Knits Payhip Store. There is a 25% discount on all tams, just enter coupon code Tam25 at checkout.
This tam features some of the myriad patterns seen in the feathers of the female pheasant. Often overlooked because of their shy nature and outshone by the more flamboyant colouring of the male, these beautiful pheasants inhabit my garden all year round and are a constant source of delight and inspiration. Instructions are given for four sizes, to fit small, medium narrow, medium wide, or large. The narrow and wide sizes refer to how full the tam part of the hat is. This tam is roomy and warm.
Suggested yarn: Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift; 4ply; 100% wool; 105 m/ 115 yds per 25 g / 0.88 oz ball: 1 or 2 balls of each colour, sample shown in 106 Mooskit and 246 Wren, depending upon size.
Sizes: Small, medium narrow, medium wide, large, to fit head circumferences 54 cm (58 cm, 58 cm, 62 cm) / approx. 21 ¼” (23”, 23”, 24 ½”) at the brim. Finished sizes at the brim, unstretched, 45 cm (49 cm, 49 cm, 52 cm) / approx. 17 ¾” (19 ¼”, 19 ¼”, 20 ½”).
The second Quarter of 2021, shows a steady rise in temperature overall, although there were a few blips along the way, notably May which was cold and wet a lot of the time. The 90-day graph for outdoor temperature looks like this:
The quarter comprises days 91 to 181 inclusive. Of those 91 days, we had:
43 days of predominantly sunny weather
28 days of overcast skies
15 days of rain
2 days of snow
2 days of storm
1 day of high winds
[I define stormy days as a combination of high winds and lashing precipitation (either rain or snow).]
The 43 days of sun are no surprise, but only 15 days of rain in 91 days overall is not much. There was no rain in April, just 2 days of snow, but May more than made up for it with 12 days of rain (plus light showers on other days). April had one day of high winds, and May had 2 days of storm, but otherwise the period has been very calm. The rain in May caused everything – fruit, vegetables, grass, and weeds – to flourish, and we benefited in June with good crops of strawberries, currant bushes heavy with ripening fruit, and peas and beans setting lots of pods.
None of the data is particularly surprising; the move of the rainy season from April to May has been happening gradually for a number of years. And I would not expect us to be having storms or high winds at this time of year, they usually happen in late September and October. All in all, a calm period of mostly sunny skies.
Temperature Pi Blanket Right to left: April to June
The first 3 months of 2021, 90 days in all, have been very interesting weather-wise, here in West Yorkshire. The temperature graph for these 90 days looks like this:
Of those 90 days, we had:
30 days of predominantly sunny weather
21 days of overcast skies
16 days of rain
12 days of snow
5 days of storm
3 days of high winds
3 days of fog
[I define stormy days as a combination of high winds and lashing precipitation (either rain or snow).]
This data has come as a bit of a surprise, as I my impression of the same period in previous years is of cloudy skies and rain, lashing rain, or drizzle. We have even had prolonged and heavy snowfall in late March, notably in 2012, when were were cut off from the outside world for a week! So this year, with its 30 days of sunshine, has altered my perceptions of my environment.
January saw a few warm(ish) days, but on the whole it was cold, with only 7 days of sunshine. February, normally relentlessly wet and miserable, surprised us with warmer sunnier days towards the end of the month, reaching a high of 13.25° on the 24th. March started with three days of thick fog and ended with a mini-heatwave (23°!).
The Temperature Pi blanket began with pale icy blues and ended with greens and yellows.
The fancy clip-on markers in the image above mark the end of each month, the small calabash pins mark every 10 days as a reminder of my progress.
Every month, I blog about my progress with this project here on the Granary Knits website; I would love to see examples of other knitters’ temperature blankets, so please post photos on Twitter using hashtag #TempPi2021.
If you are a knitter or crocheter, you will no doubt have heard about the controversial new design of the Ravelry website. For many dedicated and enthusiastic users of Ravelry, the site has become unusable, and so in solidarity with the crafters who are unable to buy patterns from Ravelry any longer, I am making my patterns available as downloadable PDFs in the Payhip Granary Knits Shop.
