Geek-A-Long
2018 Geek-A-Long: Supernatural Revisited
Feb
The original Supernatural square released on week 32 of 2014 has always bothered me. We wanted to do the anti-possession tattoo, but neither of us could fit it onto the square. Luckily, Supernatural has always been lousy with symbols, so we went with one of our other favorites, the Tulpa (pictured below). If you’re not familiar with the show, you can read more about its significance in the old post from 2014. Short version:
The Tulpa is a Tibetan symbol and concept in which a creature is conjured by the sheer will of spiritual and mental discipline. In the episode “Hell House,” it was used to create a homicidal ghost by a bunch of people on the internet, and it was what first brought Sam and Dean together with the Ghostfacers.
Earlier this week, I sat down with years of charting experience underneath my belt and made another go at the anti-possession tattoo. And let me tell you, it did not go well. Did it resemble the tattoo pictured below? Yes. And while it looked better than our 2014 attempt, it did not live up to my current standards. Apparently, a 45 by 57 chart is just too small to let the design shine properly. If I had just a teeeeeeeny bit more space on all sides, I could’ve done it proud.
All the way back in 2014, the Winchesters were just learning about the Men of Letters and their connections to it. While we were designing and knitting the Tulpa, they were moving into a Men of Letters bunker. Important characters have since died or turned into a demon there. Then there was this whole British invasion thing, and now we know a lot more about them. Without getting too spoilery for those who have just started their 13-season Supernatural journey, the Men of Letters chronicle and study the supernatural and have extensive knowledge in the arcane. They’re a lot like the Watchers Council from Buffy, and often just as dickish. They consider hunters to be a lower class than them and only share their secrets with the most elite hunters that they deem worthy, which basically never happens. Unless they want something out of them.
I’m really happy with how the square turned out, and I look forward to adding it to my own Nightmare Mode blanket. I’ll probably go for a deep brown and gold combo like the book above, but if I were using Fandom Yarn to make the 24-Square blanket I would definitely pair “Castiel” with another colorway. Because, I mean, you can’t knit a Supernatural square without using the color named after one of the characters!
Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, or cross stitching this square, you can download the Supernatural Revisited – Men of Letters pattern here. Instructions and charts for both knit and crochet are listed in the pattern. When you’re finished making it, don’t forget to Instagram your squares at us @lattesandllamasyarn with the hashtag #geekalong!
If you’re having trouble with double-sided knitting, we have a how-to video here and a tutorial on crochet here. Want to hang out with other people making the blanket? You can find moral support in the Geek-A-Long group on Ravelry here.
~ Jac
I’ve had a lot of people ask me about Nightmare Mode, and I wanted to let you know that I will sate your curiosity soon. I’m working on a in-depth post, as well as its own planner and starter pack.
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