Nocturne
City of Ys - Striga
City of Ys - Striga
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City of Ys is a deep, dark blue semi-solid colourway. I named it after a mythical city from the Breton folklore.
Ys, also spelled Is or Kêr-Is in Breton, and Ville d'Ys in French, is a mythical city on the coast of Brittany that was swallowed up by the ocean.
As the legend goes, King Gradlon (Gralon in Breton) ruled in Ys, a city built on land reclaimed from the sea, sometimes described as rich in commerce and the arts, with Gradlon's palace being made of marble, cedar and gold. To protect Ys, a dike was built with a gate that was opened for ships during low tide. The king held the one key that opened the gate. Most versions of the legend present Gradlon as a pious man, and his daughter, Princess Dahut, as wayward. Dahut is often presented as frivolous and an unrepentant sinner, or, sometimes, as a sorceress.
In most variations, Dahut steals the keys from her father while he sleeps, either to allow her lover inside for a banquet or after being persuaded to do so by her flattering lover. She opens the gates of the dikes, either in a wine-induced folly or by mistake, believing she is opening the city gates.
Striga Fingering
Fiber contents: 100% Superwash Bluefaced Leicester Wool
Weight per skein: 100 g / 3,5 oz
Running length Fingering: 400 m / 437 yds
Yarn Weights Available: Fingering & DK
✓ Oeko-Tex 100 Certified Yarn Base
A beautiful, soft and robust yarn with a gentle texture, Striga creates a light weight fabric, with a particularly crisp and even stitch definition that will charm (not only) the texture knitters. Ideal for cozy sweaters, shawls and accessories. Well-suited for knitting socks and gloves despite the lack of nylon, the yarn doesn’t wear out easily.
Striga is named after a slavic folklore figure, very similar to a witch or crone. She is a semi-demonic being, which in folk beliefs was characterized by supernatural properties and the ability to harm its surroundings. She typically appeared as an old woman or a young girl, and had the ability to transform into animals (cats, toads, owls).
Strigas could summon storms, destroy crops, harm people and animals, summon spirits, tell fortunes and influence the future, take or spoil milk from cows and cause enthrallment. After using magical ointments, they gained the ability to fly through the air, especially on the dark nights of the winter and summer solstices and at the beginning of spring, when the witches' sabbath was held.
The origin of strigas trace back to the mythological Strix of ancient Rome and ancient Greece, and was a bird of ill omen, the product of metamorphosis, that fed on human flesh and blood. It also referred to witches and related malevolent folkloric beings.
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Essential Information for buying our Hand-Dyed Yarns
When purchasing hand-dyed yarn, we recommend buying enough for your entire project.
Our yarn is handmade in small batches. While we follow precise recipes for repeatable colorways and carefully measure our materials, slight variations between skeins are inevitable. No two skeins will ever be identical, as is the nature of handcrafted products.
We take new photos for each dye lot, so images on our website may differ from skeins you’ve purchased in previous batches.
For a more uniform appearance in knitting, crochet, or weaving, alternate skeins every few rows.
We ensure all dyes are fully exhausted before rinsing our yarn. However, mild color bleeding can still occur, especially with bright, dark, or speckled skeins. To prevent unexpected color transfer, rinse your skein in cold water with wool wash and let it dry before starting your project.
For detailed care instructions, please follow this link.
This listing is for one (1) skein of yarn unless stated otherwise. Photos of multiple skeins are for comparison purposes, showcasing differences between yarn bases and/or skeins.
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