Monday, October 28, 2019

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble...

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Creator: Toby Ord, 2003
October 31 -- a Thursday this year -- is also Hallowe'en.  It's a spirited celebration (😉) believed to have begun with the Celts about 2,000 years ago.  They referred to this time of year as Samhain -- marking the end of the harvest season and the arrival of the darkest months of the year.  As the typical Celtic day began at sunset, this festival was observed from sundown October 31 through to sundown on November 1.

When Christianity arrived in the Celtic lands (Ireland, Scotland, England), the celebration of "All Hallows Day" and the Eve thereof became the first of a three-day event known as Allhallowtide, which consists of Hallowe'en, All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2).

Traditions for the festival(s) have changed over the centuries, but trick-or-treating; playing pranks (the "trick" if there's no "treat"); dressing in costume; and carving pumpkins and/or squash and lighting them inside (originally to provide light for the good spirits to find their way into Celtic homes, and to keep away the evil ones) persist.

The colours of orange and black dominate.  Orange is a harvest colour -- it occurs when the leaves of deciduous trees change from green to various shades of red, gold, yellow and brown, and when pumpkins and other gourds and/or squash are ready for picking.  Then there's that glorious full harvest moon hanging about in the sky...

As for black, well -- it's the colour of night, and the nights are getting longer this time of year.  And of course it's ever so much more fun to play tricks on and frighten others if you can wear black when running around after dark!



Why wait till Thursday to get your orange-and-black on?  Yarn-wise, that's what we're offering you this week for our

Super Spooktacular Sale

From our Store's Sale Section
ALL
Black and/or Orange Yarns

Previously 25% off

THIS WEEK ONLY!
75% OFF

Assorted Yarns, Assorted Prices


One example?  


 Ushya from Mirasol Yarns
Colour: "Orange Blossom"

100 Grams = 104 metres (114 yards)
2 - 2.5 stitches per 1" on a 10 mm needle/hook
Chainette Construction
98% Merino wool
2% Nylon

It's the perfect thing, because it's so quick to knit up into a toque or cowl 
to keep your little goblin or ghoul cozy on Hallowe'en Night!

AND JUST ONE MORE THING!
9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Customers who arrive in the shop
wearing a Hallowe'en costume
will get 10% off anything they purchase!


And now a wee traditional Scottish prayer for the safety of our staff, family, friends and customers this Hallowe'en...

From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!


See you in the Shop!*


*Written by Margaret, who prefers to mark Hallowe'en by hiding in her studio till all the ghoulies, ghosties and beasties have gone home!

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