We are gradually adding a range of different kits, books, and other products to the KDD shop, and the latest to arrive are kits for two of my most popular shawl designs – Fantoosh, and A Hap for Harriet.
Both shawls are great for summer knitting, and I think both also make ideal accessories for the kind of outfit you would want to wear for a summer wedding, evening event or special occasion – something light and warm and a little bit luxurious.
Mel and I thought we’d style the new shawl samples with precisely such outfits so you could see how well they work.
Mel is wearing one of my all-time favourite coats here, which I bought especially for a talk I gave at the National Portrait Gallery back in 2008 (which now seems a very long time ago). It’s from Cabbages and Roses and like most of their garments has fantastic line and drape, as well as being supremely comfortable and easy to wear (which, if you ask me, is exactly what one needs for a special occasion).
My friend and colleague, Harriet Guest, gave a paper alongside me at the same NPG conference, and it’s for her that A Hap for Harriet is named (I originally created it as her retirement gift).
Harriet is an eighteenth-century expert, and it seems quite fitting to me that the look of the shawl as we’ve styled it here is quite late- eighteenth century.
We used a wonderful new-to-me yarn for this sample – Fyberspates Gleem Lace – a sheeny, lustrous 2 ply blend of Blue Faced Leicester and Silk with 800 metres to 100g.
As you can see, the colour of the yarn is really rich, and slightly variegated. We chose the ‘tweed imps’ shade, which knits up very beautifully.
Hap for Harriet is a simple knit – the kind of shawl you can pick up and put down without thinking too much about it – but I think the end result, with the combined effect of all those sweeping openwork points, is really pretty spectacular.
Well, call me predictable, but yes, the coat I’m wearing also hails from Cabbages and Roses.
This garment is a little older than the one which Mel is wearing. I don’t mind admitting that I own several of these summer coats from C&R, the majority of which were bought via eBay several years ago. I can tell you truly that with a few of these in my wardrobe I have never been at a loss for something to wear to a wedding. The fact that I’ve owned these coats in many cases for a decade or more, and still really enjoy the way they look, speaks volumes. It certainly suggests that my style is consistent, or static or indeed possibly both. This bothers me not a jot — I know what I like to wear — and all I can say is that when I pop one of these coats on I immediately feel that I am dressing up, but without making too much of a fuss about it.
Fantoosh might well be a contender for my favourite shawl design – I just love its twisted stitches and easy tessellated structure.
And the fabric created by the yarn with which we chose to knit this sample is seriously delicious.
The yarn is Fyberspates Vivacious 4 ply – and I fell for it last year after we used it for a couple of designs in The Book of Haps. This sample has been knitted in in the slate shade, which is a beautiful, shimmery, silvery grey.
Fantoosh makes a much deeper shawl than Hap for Harriet, but like that design it is also very easy to adapt the pattern for the quantity of yarn you have available (by knitting fewer or more repeats).
We took these photographs nearby at Rowardennan, one of my favourite Loch Lomond shoot locations.
There are few local views I enjoy more than looking north to the head of the loch.
Thanks to Mel, for modelling and knitting, and to Tom, as always for photography.
If you fancy knitting yourself a Fantoosh or Hap for Harriet, kits in the two colourways shown here are now available in the shop. Kits contain all the yarn you need, a PDF pattern download, and a KDD project bag. The kit price represents a 10% discount on buying these items separately.
Coats are not included.
If you already have yarn in your stash, but would like to knit these designs, PDF patterns for Hap for Harriet and Fantoosh are available separately via Ravelry. The patterns include both charted and written instructions, together with clear guidelines about adjusting size and yarn quantity.
Happy summer knitting!
I fave’d Harriet when you released her earlier this year. And while I love the bright green and bouncy shetland that you used, sadly, my ultra sensitive skin can’t handle that fiber. Earlier this year I picked up 875 yds BFL/silk 80/20 lace in a soft green melange and I’ve been trying to decide what to do with it. Well this post sealed the deal, and I cast on yesterday. Thank you!
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I love your classic style in clothing. I too own pieces that I’ve had for decades that still look great. IMO, there is no “in” or “out” of style anymore — good style is what is classic and happens when form follows function in attire and makes one feel and look at their best, and Kate, you’ve got that down in spades.
It always cheers me up to see the outfits that you wear when you go for walks, especially the dresses paired with tights, boots and great walking apparel. I wish that I looked so stylish and jaunty on my hikes.
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Hey Kate,
The shawls are beautiful, and especially the Grey color shawl is looking super good, the pattern is superb.. I really wanna try it now but crocheting a couple of items, but will definitely going to make one for me this weekend but in Grey color. I will be subscribing to your blog for more posts like this in my inbox.
Xoxo
Hannah
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I like these two shawls! They are beautiful! I think they might need in air-conditioned room. Because my city is also hot in summer, but it can be cold in air-conditioned room.
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I have to laugh about needing a Summer shawl…here Summer means day after day over 40 degrees Celsius! They are so, so beautiful, though. ( “Here” is Australia)
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I agree! (Though it’s not quite that hot in Kentucky, USA. Today it got up to 32 Celsius.) The concept of a “summer coat” or a “summer shawl” or both. . .! [sigh] It sounds so dreamy.
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Ah – in Scotland, a decent June day can be just 12 degrees.
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Just had to prepare dinner and when I came back to the iPad to order Hap for Harriet – it was already out of stock! Will you get more kits, Katie?
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Hi Hanne, sorry about that – we should have more kits in stock by the end of the week
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Thank you Kate.
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Already ordered and pattern received, thank you. A challenge ahead of me as it is the first time I am going to knit a pattern in English! Am from Denmark.
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Lovely all around: models, shawls, coats, lake . . .
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Almost enough to make me want to knit a pattern written by someone else – just that I am too lazy to follow the hard work of someone else! They are beautiful though.
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I’m halfway through my Hap for Harriet, and love how easy the pattern equation, if you will, is to memorize. I am not one for frogging, but luckily the two mistakes I made are difficult to see in this garment. One of my favorite projects given I have three kids underneath five, and am easily distracted.
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Truly beautiful. Mmmm. A dilemma. Maybe both.
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“Coats are not included.”😃
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It was fun to see these photos, since I have both of these patterns on my needles! I love working on them.
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Beautiful patterns, yarn and pics … What a coincidence .. I just started my Hap for Harriet last week and love knitting this pattern. Once into the rhythm of the pattern, it is so relaxing to knit it. I’m using, from my stash, Madelinetosh Prairie in a great colour called Coquette. C&R , love it ..
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lovely photos! I knit Hap for Harriet in a fingering weight wool of a similar color and just love it. It goes from good to everyday so easily.
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Two beautiful shawls. I was thrilled to see that you made the Hap for Harriet in the Fyberspates Yarn, Tweed Imps colourway. It is exactly the same Yarn and colourway that I knitted my Hap for Harriet when the pattern was first published. I wear mine often and it never fails to draw appreciative comments. I am very tempted to make my own Fantoosh after seeing it modelled here.
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I have knitted three Hap for Harriet shawls in Road to China lace; they are soft and luxurious and are my favourite shawls. My daughter is called Harriet, so knitting the pattern was a must.
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I’ve knitted both these patterns in Old Maiden Aunt yarn. And I can vouch for them being great patterns. Well written and satisfying to knit.
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I have knitted the Hap for Harriet with handspun Ryeland and just love it. I have the Fantoosh pattern so it will be next.
thanks for the model!
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Just gorgeous. And thank you for at last naming the C&R clothes that people are usually so curious about so we can concentrate on the lovely knitting!
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