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In 2025, Ancient Arts color of the month will be on items that spark creativity and inspiration. For March - it is the marsquarade. See below for more on what they say on this colorway.
Your purchase is for a skein of Socknado....a yummy and squashy fingering weight yarn. Each 100 gram skein of Socknado has 385 yards (350 meters) of 80% superwash fine merino / 20% nylon goodness. And here are a few of our favorite patterns:
Window into Winter - a lovely crocheted shawl
Sassles - a fun knitted shawl in two colors by NellKnits
Sharon's Pre Game by Casapinka - an assymetrical shawl in two colors with a great stitch!
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A masquerade is defined as a social gathering of persons wearing masks and often fantastic costumes, and of course they are often associated with vivid colours and decor. They have an air of excitement, including the party itself, but also there is that thrill associated with not knowing exactly who the person is who is next to you!
The masquerade as an event has a long history. There is evidence of masks linked to rituals going all the way back to the Neolithic era. They can be associated with a ceremony (or masked rite, festival, procession or dance) and can be a cultural or religious event involving the wearing of masks. Masks used in masquerade ceremonies vary from culture, ceremony, and time period. Some of the oldest masks found in the Neolithic period are much older than the invention of writing! We see evidence of such ceremonies in the form of Pictographs, which can be traced to be at least twenty-five thousand years old, which show humans wearing masks of animals. Masks could be durable and passed from generation to generation, or could be made of bio-gradable material and thus unable to stand the test of time. While we have masqueraded for many generations, this tradition is still seen today in nearly every culture.
Masquerades can have a variety of themes. Their meanings can range from anything including life, death, and fertility, and are an important part of many cultures. Masquerades were/are often put on by wealthy persons hoping to impress their peers and even royalty, but that doesn't mean they are limited to just the rich! Costume parties draw on the masquerade for their air of fun and secrecy. Masquerades can be held indoors or outdoors, and one very well known event is Mardi Gras, where one sees a lot of masks and incredible costumes in a multi-day celebration. Another is the Day of the Dead, which is celebrated in Mexico. It's a celebration of remembrance of the living's departed loved ones. In the modern era we see them finding their way into all sorts of places including plays, movies, books, music, and even games!
