The Harvest Moon

Tonight is the September full moon, also known as the Harvest Moon. The Old Farmer's Almanac claimed that the Harvest Moon is so named because it is so bright that it give farmers extra time to harvest their crops after the sun sets. The Harvest Moon is also the closest full moon to the Autumnal Equinox, which is, believe it or not, only a week and a half away.

Many of us have been busy with canning, freezing, and preserving in preparation for winter. Last night I put up the carrots from my garden, and I've been making sauce, pickles, jams, and salsa for weeks. I'll probably also make a batch of Almond Moon cookies this weekend in honor of the Harvest Moon. Here is a great recipe for them if you are also so inclined. If you have someone in the household with diverticulitis who cannot eat nuts, I often substitute almond flour for sliced and chopped almonds.

While fall is often associated with the winding down of the year and the end of the growing season, I tend to see it as a moment of great creativity and energy after the lazy, hazy, hot days of summer. Perhaps it's because fall was associated with the start of a brand new school year, or maybe because of the visible changes in the natural world, but fall has always held a magical spark that tingled with the newness of possibilities. There are so many things to look forward to: fresh local apple cider, the changing leaves, that crisp smell of fall in the air, baking, making, the increased movement of wildlife as they forage what they can before winter, I Love Yarn Day in early October, being able to wear our fiber handmades without sweating...

This is why I always see the Harvest Moon as a great time to jump into those fall fiber projects, and if you do a quick Ravelry search for "harvest moon," you'll find hundreds of fun patterns.

The Harvest Moon Cowl by Jennifer Smart is a fun, free download that gives you a chance to play with colorwork.

Crochet with Carrie has a fun YouTube tutorial on how to crochet the Harvest Moon Pocket Shawl on her website here.

If you want to jump into our Hat Make-Along, check out Clare Shaw's Harvest Moon hat, also free on Ravelry.

Raquel Gaskell has a great sock pattern for all the sock knitters out there. Her Harvest Moon Sock pattern is also free on Ravelry.

You can try your hand at brioche knitting with ABC Knitting's Harvest Moon Brioche Shawl.

Whatever you decide to do, may the Harvest Moon smile upon you.