The Downton Cowl Pattern - New Pattern Release!
you all know that i love cowls and i love me some downton abbey. i'm so excited to tell you that i've been a busy bee working away bringing a sketch of mine to life for you all since the winter when i became hopelessly addicted to downton abbey.
you see during the commercial breaks they show a black screen with the illustration like image of downton and i just couldn't resist the peaks of the roof of that gorgeous castle. i instantly got inspired to whip up a cowl that easily could have been worn by any of the ladies of the manor - whether by the help or by the ladies of the house. knit up in gloriousmadelinetosh tosh dk in glazed pecan (from urban yarns) i'm so excited to finally be able to show you all "the downton cowl".
i am hopelessly in love with the chevron lace on this cowl. the ups and downs and peaks and valleys are so pretty. i love the garter like effect for the border that to me symbolizes the stability of a home - the foundation and the roof. and don't we all know how up and down love and life is in between :) i am pretty excited to have designed a new cowl and to also do one in a lace pattern in a dk weight! the downton cowl takes only (1) skein of yarn and can be made in one evening no problem. how's that for fun! i love quick projects like this that are both satisfying in design but fast in execution.
if you've been scared to try lace before this is a great beginner lace project. don't let it intimidate you. if you know how to do simple increases/decreases, knit in the round and read knitting directions you can do this! i promise :) the pattern is easy to follow and i've given you both written directions and a lace chart. as a knitter i like to have both to work from. i usually start with the written instructions and as i get the feel for the lace i move to the chart.
i was thrilled to find a good use for my very first skein of
and i hope i did it proud. i think the lace shows off the depth and tones of this gorgeous yarn. my sister camille didn't hurt it either. yep, that's my baby sister modelling for me in the photoshoot. she's pregnant with my soon to be niece/nephew and has that soon to be momma glow about her. i think she looks gorgeous and every time i photograph her i realize why i am so horribly unphotogenic...lol. she got all the good genes..lol.
we had a lot of fun on this shoot and we took our downton cowl and both my kidlets up to one of our cities very own castles -craigdarroch castle. it's gorgeous up there and i knew it would be the perfect place to take pictures for this pattern.
the downton cowl is a great cowl for all seasons too. it's lightweight but has enough oomph to keep you warm when you need it and it's not too hot when you don't want the extra heat. style it loose or stand it up for a bit more of a structural appeal. feel the romance of downton abbey and the fun of life and remember to enjoy all those peaks and valleys in between too. after all...where do you think downton abbey gets all it's story lines from?
a big thank you to my gorgeous sister camille and to all of you who let me slide on other knitterly duties as i worked on this cowl. i hope you all love it as much as i do. i cannot wait to see pics and yarn choices and all the fun goodness that comes along with releasing a new pattern from my home to yours <3
you can purchase the downton cowl onravelry now, my etsy shop here and my craftsy shop here. you can also look for it soon at magpie patterns as well! happy knitting!
what do you guys think? do you likey? i'm really happy with it and hope you will be too. has a tv show inspired you lately? let's chat! coffees on...