Happy Hallows Day!

I hope your All Hallows Day is going well and that your Hallowe'en was great! Ours was lazy and held only one trick-or-treater (probably only because I was outside situating the jack-o-lanterns and he thought he'd give it a try). I was highly disappointed by the meager selection of Halloween movies on tv last night. What is Halloween for if not watching scary movies?!

Anyway, I didn't wear a costume out, but I did have a new sweater.

Danse Macabre

Pattern: Fontenac by Julie Hoover
Yarn: The Fibre Company Canopy Worsted in Orchid and Obsidian
Needles: US 9 and 8
Project Page

I must say, I felt a little witchy in this tunic. I'm not sure why, apart from the colors. I'm planning on it being my Christmas dress, which can also be worn casually like this. In any case, it is warm and it is fabulous! The yarn is so luxurious! I got it for a steal a few months ago. Aside from the trace of white fuzz it left on my totally awesome new pants, I can find absolutely nothing to complain about in this yarn.

The pattern, like all Julie Hoover patterns I've knit (that may only be 2 1/2 now), is brilliantly written and clear as a phantom bell (I can only assume that's pretty clear, having never heard one myself...yet ;]). The only modifications I made were to knit the ribbed bits on a size smaller needle (to preserve yarn, mostly), and to knit two fewer rows on the pockets (to preserve yarn, period). I seriously have a teeny, tiny ball of yarn leftover. I thought I might not make it! I ran out of black two rows too soon, but no one will ever notice. I made up the difference with an extra row or two of the white.

I kind of haphazardly chose the name Wednesday night as I finished it. The piece is always stuck in my head this time of year. It is easily one of my favorite orchestral pieces of those I've played. It's just fun! It's based on a poem:

Zig, zig, zig, Death in cadence,

Striking a tomb with his heel,

Death at midnight plays a dance-tune,

Zig, zig, zag, on his violin.

The winter wind blows, and the night is dark;

Moans are heard in the linden trees.

White skeletons pass through the gloom,

Running and leaping in their shrouds.

Zig, zig, zig, each one is frisking,

You can hear the cracking of the bones of the dancers.

A lustful couple sits on the moss

So as to taste long lost delights.

Zig zig, zig, Death continues

The unending scraping on his instrument.

A veil has fallen! The dancer is naked.

Her partner grasps her amorously.

The lady, it's said, is a marchioness or baroness

And her green gallant, a poor cartwright.

Horror! Look how she gives herself to him,

Like the rustic was a baron.

Zig, zig, zig. What a saraband!

They all hold hands and dance in circles.

Zig, zig, zag. You can see in the crowd

The king dancing among the peasants.

But hist! All of a sudden, they leave the dance,

They push forward, they fly; the cock has crowed.

Oh what a beautiful night for the poor world!

Long live death and equality! (Henri Cazalis, "Danse Macabre"; trans. from the French)

I thought the roles of darkness (Death, night) and light (skeletons, daybreak) were very appropriate to the tunic and the fact that I finished it on Halloween basically made the decision for me. :)

What is your favorite Halloween song (it's not too late to ask! We have all weekend to keep the spook going!)? We (some HPKCHC Slytherins) started a playlist here of some good ones (Danse Macabre included), but I want more! I love Halloween. :) How was yours?

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