QUINTINE cape by Mieke Van Damme

QUINTINE cape

Knitting
May 2024
Aran (8 wpi) ?
19 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches
US 6 - 4.0 mm
US 7 - 4.5 mm
427 - 437 yards (390 - 400 m)
one size
Dutch English French
This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download

The Quintine Cape is inspired by the symbol of the Triple Goddess and the recurring cycle of the moon. The waxing moon, full moon and waning moon can be associated with the different stages of a woman’s life: the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. In this design, the moons form a continuous rhythm around the cape, a symbol of time, change and the cycle of life.

The cape is dedicated to Quintine De Le Censserye, one of the women from Ellezelles who was accused of witchcraft in 1610. Quintine was 38 years old. After two days of interrogation and fourteen days of imprisonment, she was executed on 26 October 1610, together with five other women from Ellezelles.

The Triple Moon is not a historical symbol associated with Quintine herself. It is my own symbolic addition to the design, connecting her story with the passing of time and with the generations of women who came before and after her.

The cape is knitted from the bottom up in the round using two colours of DROPS Air:

06 anthracite: 100 g
04 medium grey: 50 g

You can easily turn the cape into a poncho by knitting additional rows at the bottom before beginning the decreases. In that case, you will need an extra ball of anthracite.

The Triple Moon motif is worked using the Fair Isle technique.

Quintine De Le Censserye is part of MICCA, a collection of textile designs created in remembrance of the victims of the historical witch persecutions.