FEBRUARY SOCK CLUB

It is a LEAP year and 29th of February is a leap day. 

Here are some facts / traditions which I found on the internet..

• A leap year (or intercalary or bissextile year) is a year containing one extra day in order to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year.

• On the British isles, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years. While it has been claimed that the tradition was initiated by Saint Patrick or Brigid of Kildare in 5th century Ireland, this is dubious, as the tradition has not been attested before the 19th century. Supposedly, a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland (then age five and living in Norway), required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to £1 to a silk gown, in order to soften the blow. In some places the tradition was tightened to restricting female proposals to the modern leap day, February 29, or to the medieval (bissextile) leap day, February 24.

• In Denmark, the tradition is that women may propose on the bissextile leap day, February 24, and that refusal must be compensated with 12 pairs of gloves.

• In Finland, the tradition is that if a man refuses a woman's proposal on leap day, he should buy her the fabrics for a skirt.

• In Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky. One in five engaged couples in Greece will plan to avoid getting married in a leap year.

•  A person born on February 29 may be called a "leapling" or a "leaper". In common years they usually celebrate their birthdays on February 28 or March.

Do you know of any other traditions? Are you a leapling or a leaper? Tell us. :-)

This month's pattern suggestions:

1 skein:

1. YTK Cable Socks - our free pattern
2. YTK Spiral Socks - our free pattern 
3. TGW High Speed Knitting Shawl by Ashcroft-Hempsall  
4. Magrathea Shawl by Martina Behm 
5. Mezquita shawl by Roxanne Yeun - free pattern 
6. Diagonal Lace Socks by WenD. Johnson - free pattern 
7. Baby Valentine Sweater by Helena Bristow 
8. Funny Valentine x Socks by Lorraine Umbers - free pattern

2 skeins:

1. Semele Shawl by Asa Tricosa 
2. Rat Ruffles Shawl by Arlene's World of Lace 
3. Ruffle My Feathers Shawl by Caryl Pierre 
4. The Traveling Companion Shawl - free pattern 
5. Prada Socks by Jen Molloy - free pattern 
6. Treetop Socks by Heidi M. Scheppmann - free pattern
7. Moonlight Sonata Shawl by Shui Kuen Kozinski - free pattern 
8. Malus Domestica Shawl (the Apple Tree) by Holly Chayes - free pattern 

HaPpY  kNiTtInG !