Maple Leaf

The temple bell rings at dawn, a low shiver that carries across the painted ridge. Up here, the maples are ablaze. Crimson spills over the mountainside, amber threading through canopies that once wore green so deeply. Below, the stone pagodas stand in their soft lichen robes, ancient and unhurried, solemn witnesses to the world as it turns.

Robes the color of dried persimmon glide past stone steps, stirring dust as monks sweep fallen leaves in slow, deliberate motions—calligraphy strokes settling over hanji in intent, glistening scarlet.

Wind comes gently, unspooling coils of incense smoke, rustling through paper lanterns and branches. As the trees let go, hundreds of small leaves—bright as embers—flutter downward in hushed whispers, turning and twirling, drifting past eaves and morning prayer. Against cool stone, the maple leaves are already darkening, edges curling, returning to earth.

The bell tolls again.

One leaf, slower to fall, is still chasing the wind.

Words by Jin C

For more information about our yarn bases and spinning fibers, including care instructions, please visit our Yarn Bases page.

Please note that, due to the nature of hand-dyed yarn, no two skeins of yarn will be exactly alike. I recommend alternating skeins every few rows for projects using multiple skeins of the same colorway. If you order multiple skeins of the same colorway, I will do my best to select skeins that are the closest match.

I dye each skein with professional acid dyes and leave the yarn in the dye bath until the dye has exhausted before rinsing and soaking in wool wash. Minor color bleeding may occur on the first wash, especially with extremely dark colors.

Although I do my best to accurately represent each colorway in product photos, please note that the colors may vary depending on monitor and/or device settings.