For Knitted Motifs
- Small amounts of leftover yarn in Samhain shades
- Knitting needles suitable for your yarn weight
- A wool needle and scissors
- Optional stuffing for softly shaped pieces
- Embroidery thread, buttons or beads for small details
Small shapes for the darker turning of the year
The Samhain Motif Basket
Gather moons, stars, pumpkins, bats and ravens into a basket of small seasonal pieces. Knit them, stitch them from felt or rescue scraps from the sewing box — then let each motif find its place around the cottage as Samhain draws near.
A motif is only the beginning. Make a few now, bring old favourites back next
year, and let the basket grow slowly around the Wheel — ready for wreaths,
garlands, cushions, parcels, cards and whatever else your hands imagine.
Time
15–60 minutes each
Difficulty
Beginner to intermediate
Best for
Yarn & fabric scraps
Afterwards
Keep, mix & reuse
What to Put in the Basket
For Fabric Motifs
- Felt, patchwork scraps or pieces cut from old clothing
- Needle, thread and embroidery floss
- Fabric scissors and pins or clips
- Optional buttons, beads, ribbon and reclaimed trimmings
- Paper or card templates for tracing your shapes
Not a knitter?
The Motif Basket belongs to everyone. Trace the shapes onto felt, scrap fabric or an old garment and cut them out. Stitch around the edges by hand, add a little embroidery or leave them beautifully plain. Use the finished shapes in exactly the same ways as the knitted versions.
Five Samhain Motifs
Choose the shapes that suit your skills and your making mood — there is no need to make all five. Moss & Magic knitting patterns will be added as each design is knitted and tested, while printable outlines will offer an easy route for felt, fabric, paper and card.
🌙
Crescent Moon
A soft crescent for hanging, appliqué or adding a little moonlight to a seasonal cushion.
✦
Star
Make one bright star or a scattering in amber, cream, purple and smoky charcoal.
🎃
Pumpkin
Use orange, rust, plum or even black and vary the size for a little patch of characterful pumpkins.
🦇
Bat
A simple flat silhouette with shaped wings — wonderfully effective in dark yarn or black felt.
🐦⬛
Raven
A rustic side-profile bird with pointed beak and tail. Keep it simple and let the silhouette do the work.
A Samhain Colour Basket
Purple and orange give this basket its Samhain heart, but charcoal, moonlit cream and warm copper stop the collection becoming too bright or too uniform. Use what is already waiting in your cupboard before buying anything new.
Deep plum
Heather purple
Pumpkin orange
Copper & amber
Charcoal & black
Moonlit cream
Let old colours wander in
Samhain does not need to erase Mabon. A rust leaf, moss-green acorn or berry motif from your autumn basket can sit happily beside a purple moon or black raven. The seasons overlap in nature — your making can too.
A Basket That Grows With the Wheel
- Begin with one easy shape using yarn or fabric you already have.
- Try the same motif in another colour, size or material and see how its character changes.
- Bring out motifs from previous seasons and mix them with the new Samhain pieces.
- Keep finished motifs together between seasons rather than permanently fixing everything in place.
- Next year, bring the basket out again. Make another favourite, try a harder shape or add a new design to the collection.
Where the Motifs Can Go
Wreaths & Garlands
Pin, tie or stitch motifs onto reusable bases, or mingle them with twine, ribbons and responsibly gathered natural finds.
The Seasonal Cushion
Refresh the cushion begun at Mabon. Remove a few autumn pieces and add moons, bats, pumpkins or a raven so the same cushion travels around the Wheel.
Cards, Gifts & Parcels
Use small motifs on handmade cards, gift tags, hamper ties and wrapping. A removable fabric or knitted motif can become a keepsake afterwards.
Hanging Decorations
Add a ribbon or twine loop for branches, windows, cupboard handles, seasonal trees or little decorations around the home.
Prefer Scissors to Needles?
Simple printable outlines for the crescent moon, star, pumpkin, bat and raven are planned for the Cottage Printables. Print them, trace them onto your chosen material and use them for felt, fabric, paper, card, appliqué or embroidery.
One template, many lives
A shape made for the Motif Basket might later become a card decoration, garland piece, patch, gift tag, embroidery outline or part of another seasonal project. Keep your templates with the motifs and use them again.
Let the Basket Lead the Way
These small pieces can travel into several Samhain projects. Make only what appeals to you, then follow whichever idea suits your time, materials and mood.
Keep Small Pieces Safe
Keep needles, pins, buttons, beads, loose stuffing and tiny motifs away from young children and curious paws. Attach displayed pieces securely, and keep yarn, fabric and paper decorations well away from candles, hot bulbs, cookers, radiators and fireplaces. Use battery lights where a little glow is wanted.