Beltane

Beltane is my favorite holiday! The first of May is a celebration of so many things - it marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere (where as Litha, the summer solstice, technically marks MIDsummer), it's international labor day, the earliest day that Mother's Day can fall, May Day... so much! Personally, I love to celebrate it by wearing red and showing solidarity with workers the world over, but also pairing it with a flower crown. 

Beltane is one of the fire festivals, and marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when livestock were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were held at that time to protect them from harm, both natural and supernatural, and this mainly involved the symbolic use of fire. There were also rituals to protect crops, dairy products and people, and to encourage growth. 

Best ways to celebrate Beltane include lighting bonfires, decorating with flowers, feasting, dancing around a May pole, and maybe a labor day bike ride (or is that just at my house)? 

With our Beltane yarn, we've moved from the beginning of spring into the full throated vision of the season - bright, unapologetic spring green, with splashes of yellow, and red, deep green, and bright purple speckles. 

BASES:

Mini Skein: 20g, 87 yards, blend of 75% superwash merino/25% nylon. 
Hattie Floof: 50g, 459 yards, 72% mohair/28% silk (lace weight)
Chester Sock: 100g, 437 yards, blend of 75% superwash merino/25% nylon
Gladys Shawl: 100g, 438 yards, single ply blend of 70% superwash merino/30% silk
Tortie Sport: 100g, 287 yards, 80% alpaca/20% silk
Minnie DK: 100g, 246 yards, 100% superwash merino wool 
Genny Worsted: 100g, 191 yards, 80% superwash merino/20% alpaca
Chubby Trevor: 115g, 136 yards, 100% superwash merino
Chunky Trevor: 100g, 76 yards, 80% superwash merino/20% nylon, single ply
Summer Fingering: 65% silk/25% linen, 115g skein, approximately 438 yards
Summer DK: 65% silk/25% linen, 115g skein, approximately 246 yards
Summer Worsted: 65% silk/25% linen, 115g skein, approximately 181 yards