Knitting Stories
Witch stitch?
Now I know that Halloween is not everyone’s cup of tea – I come from the generation of curmudgeons that bemoans the rise of over-the-top costumes and spray-on spider webs. We’re the ones who look grumpily at the halloween tat in other people’s supermarket trolleys, silently thinking ‘In my day…’ thoughts, with self-righteous re-written memories about carving jack-o-lanterns from real pumpkins, cooking pie and soup from the leftovers, and being grateful for a windfall apple when we went trick or treating.
But times, as we all know, change.
My kids were/are lucky enough to have a legendary party shop proprietor as their grandma (think plastic pumpkin buckets, goulish costumes, vile rubbery sticky-on insects, elaborate face paints etc..), and now of course, I share my working week with Brontë whose love of the spooky season holds no bars. This means not only that preparations begin as soon as M&S rolls out its new range of pumpkin mugs in the summer, but also that come September, her enthusiasm is too infectious to resist. This year that has taken the form of an astonishingly beautiful black cat colourwork yoked sweater (more on that below), so I am now unapologetically conceding victory to the halloween-ers (the woolly ones anyway). I have followed Brontë down the ghost train tunnel, and this is what we came back with…
With more than a nod to Mexico’s altogether more joyful Dia de los muertos, this elegant filet crochet shawl conceals a secret x-ray skeleton within its stitches. Unwrap and hang it on the wall to see the bones in all their anatomincally correct glory. This ‘low-res’ version is super crochet-able with big stitches and a correspondingly big hook, but size is ultimately up to you. Choose a nice smooth 4ply like the Onion sock, or go eerie with some black Kid Seta fluff.
This one holds tight to my twentieth century version of Halloween with an old school colourwork sampler of medicinal herbs that carry witchy healing properties. Perfectly scaled to have fun with fairisle without it becoming overwhelming – also a pretty perfect way of using up 4ply scraps. But if you don’t have any of those, J&S Jumperweight is your friend and has the perfect pallette for the plants.
Because these little pumpkins and acorns were just too delicious to leave out, and if you’re stuck in one of those what-shall-I-knit-next moods without a clear sweater choice in view, then wouldn’t a string of miniature pumpkins be the perfect way to clear your cluttered head? You see what I’m talking about?!
It’s another one that uses tiny left-overs amounts of 4ply. Come to the Stash Depot if you don’t have any, or choose from the J&S Jumperweight.
In celebration of the crescent moon, this uncommonly night-time-ish beauty has scope for plenty of outings after Halloween has gone to bed. Unfortunately still only available in its original ebook, but pays its way when you see what else is in there (personal favourites include the Sina mittens and Skymap shawl).
Yarn wise, the gold moon has got to be the Anchor metallic and I would choose from BC Garn’s Babyalpaca, TWK’s 4ply Merino Silk or Ovis Etc’s Igneae coupled with a strand of Gepard Kid Seta, for the night sky.
If you love scary spiders and spooky kitsch, you have reached your destination. These Halloween mitts are small enough to get there by the big night, but complex enough to have plenty of creepy details to enjoy on the way, plus chart reading to really get your teeth – or fangs – into.
You’ll be wearing them at night, so a perfect excuse to go for the neon shades of Onion Sock, Mondim or Baby Alpaca – Also just about the best knitting pattern candidate on the planet for glowing it all up and 2-stranding your CC yarn with a bobbin of light reflective thread.
Yes it’s a bat, but it’s also adorable and I know that doesn’t really make sense but I’m even wondering if it might be very distantly related (on the Transylvanian side) to the family of Cinthia’s animals we have in residence in the shop. Plainly designed by a bat-lover (or chiropterologist in case you wondered), CG’s bat is full of thoughtful details and worked seamlessly with the exception of the wings – which are made out of a separate piece of felt. It may only get one outing a year – but you’ll be pleased it’s in the box every time you unpack it.
For the yarn, I’d choose BC Garn’s Babyalpaca, Garthenor number one or two, J&S Jumperweight or Pastoreta.
With colourwork to tempt even the most spook-phobic knitter, Brontë is just at the end of that maginificent yoke section and it’s even more spectactular in real life. She has departed from the designer’s neutrals, with a palette of late-night purples and greens in the Donegal Soft. The worsted gauge means there are no shortage of alternatives though – you can choose from any of Gilliatt, Mota, Dlana or Rauwerk. And if you really want the moon to shine don’t forget the new Mota Neon.
Ghosties and witchies to keep your toesies toasty. Stone is a self declared lover of Halloween and scary stuff, but assures her knitter-readers that there’s nothing to be afraid of in the colourwork here. Make friends with theses ghosts with a couple of contrasting shades of Onion Sock yarn or JA Exmoor Sock.
Perfect for late night grave yard rendevous, wolf-grandmother visits, or even a trip to Caseys for your long black on a chilly October morning. This multi-purpose hat-bonnet-hood is worked in a mohair-held-together-with-a-4ply but if fluff is not your thing, then the DK gauge means there are plenty of other options