WIJ CAL Square 13 – Royal Stag Background Story

Feature picture by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash
https://unsplash.com/@ditakesphotos

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The inspiration for this square came from a moment in the book when Jamie delivers a stag to his sister Jenny – what became one of those slow motion scenes for the ladies in the television series 😉

Historically, the stag is a very significant animal for Scotland. Going back to Celtic myth and religion, he symbolises power, agility and sexual vigour, but also nobility, freedom and purity.

So a stag had to be part of the Season 2 squares, which are a bit more about Scotland than they are about Jamie or Claire, but still have their relevance to either or both of them.

Deer was a main meat source for Jamie’s sister. With her husband being frequently imprisoned or at least questioned and due to his missing leg not the best hunter in the first place, whatever Jamie could hunt and bring them was cherished, even though he was scolded for putting himself at danger when he did so.

It is the irony of the stag’s symbolism of freedom and Jamie’s predicament of having to hide in a cave that creates an irresistible connection between those two and a perfect theme for a square.

Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@buchstabenhausen
Photo by Philipp Pilz on Unsplash

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Like many other squares, this one has had a long journey of being ‘perfect’.

There were many different designs, but none felt ‘right’, untilI started to discover why.

I started to play with the idea for this square during the second half of Wrapped in Jamie’s Season 1, using a very stylised design, based on the simple stitches that we mainly used in Season 1 of the Wrapped in Jamie CAL.

The design was still based on the idea, that the squares should have a picture and a frame around it, which was later abandoned.

Note: Before you ask, this pattern will NOT be available, except maybe as an exclusive Masterclass square.

Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@jannerboy62
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

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The design was dismissed when I decided that I wanted to incorporate the Celtic element, which meant “something over and under or “something twirly”, to give it that Celtic touch.

I was smitten with a picture I found accidentally and tried to interpret it into a design.

The design was dismissed when I decided that I wanted to incorporate the Celtic element, which meant “something over and under or “something twirly”, to give it that Celtic touch.

A few designs were tried and some elements approved to be useful, but something was still missing.

4 antler tips, 2 brow tines, twisted middle antlers with diamond shaped ending and a narrow crown

9 tips altogether

4 antler tips on very tightly twisted antlers, twisted middle antlers with diamond shaped ending and a wide crown

Still 9 tips altogether

6 antler tips, 2 brow tines, , separated wide crown with diamond

8 tips, or 12 if we count the crown endings and the diamond top and bottom

6 antler tips, 2 brow tines, , separated wide crown with diamond

8 tips, or 12 if we count the crown endings and the diamond top and bottom

Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@ameefairbankbrown
Photo by Amee Fairbank-Brown on Unsplash

The number of ‘tips’ or pointers bothered me. I am OK with ‘9’, but I wanted the Stag to be more than the, I wanted it to be ‘Royal’, a 12-ender.

So I dismissed this, added that, changed here and there and finally came up with a design I could be happy with. Tadaaaaah!!

I hope you like it too.

Now that you know the background story to Wrapped in Jamie Season 2 Square 13 – Royal Stag, I hope that you are inspired to give this square a go. I am curious to see which colours you are going to use or combine and which square border you are going to add.

How about the classic square border from Season 1?

Or maybe the official BSC Season 2 SB2 Square Border ‘Scotland’? (Available 15.12.2021)

You could add Veronika Gadulova’s border contribution – her Plants and Herbs Border. (available 15.12.2021)

Each of them are free on the website or available for purchase as ad-free PDF booklets including photo tutorials and charts in the shop. (from 15.12.2021)

Alternatively, you could add a border specifically designed to match the theme of this square: the Stag Border. (available January 2022)

It is available as a single pattern or as part of the Wrapped in Jamie Season 2 Square Border Bundle 1 in January 2022.

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SB1 – Jamie, Claire and Frank

SB2 – Scotland

SB3 – Plants and Herbs (by Veronika Gadulová)

Support your Designer

Purchase the Stag Pattern PDF in the Shop

Read more Background Stories here:
Design Background Stories

Previous Story:
Square 12 – Sassenach

Next Story:
Square 14 – Scottish Cross

You can find the free Royal Stag pattern page here:

Royal Stag Pattern Page

Alternatively, support your designer and get the ad-free PDF version including added resources like

the written pattern with visuals and stitch marker recommendations,
a detailed photo tutorial,
all exclusive links to the right- and left-handed video tutorial for the complete pattern, and
our special Image Overlay Crochet chart