We’ve a new pattern release today: Horology! This is a cardigan I designed as part of a collaboration with my friends at Laxtons, who are about to release some wonderful new yarns for hand-knitters. I’ll explain a bit.
Laxtons are a Yorkshire yarn manufacturer who develop and spin many wonderful yarns, with many different purposes. They specialise in working with British wool, and a yarn of which Laxtons are rightly very proud of developing and producing is their own Sheepsoft – a blend of local Masham and Blue Faced Leicester fleeces. It’s a very woolly wool (quite obviously sheepy) but careful blending and worsted spinning also makes the yarn surprisingly smooth and very soft. Overdyeing the grey-ish masham fleeces creates a slightly marled and beautifully muted palette which is immediately appealing. It’s lovely stuff. Laxtons spin yarn for many purposes – including fashion and furnishing – and sheepsoft has regularly been used in high-end ready-made knitwear: for example Brora featured it in a British wool sweater they recently produced. When Alan at Laxtons introduced me to this yarn back in 2018, I immediately loved it, and wanted to work with him to develop something interesting.
That something turned out to be Coracle – a pullover whose local materials, short supply chain, and foregrounding of manufacturing sustainability and traceability won the 2019 award for Business and Product innovation from FSB Scotland. As well as loving the oversized pullover we designed and produced (it is my constant cold weather staple) the coracle project (and what it stands for) is something of which I’m really proud.
When Alan mentioned that Laxtons were now developing the yarn at the heart of Coracle into their own-brand range for hand-knitters, I was really excited, because I knew this gorgeous yarn was something knitters would really enjoy working with and wearing. I thought I’d like to celebrate Laxtons new hand-knitting yarn with a pattern, and so I designed this cardigan – Horology
Horology is worked from the top down. Beginning with a few cast on stitches, panels of hour-glass cables (which give the design its name) are established first over the back and sleeves . . .
and then at the front edges
The cables are of the totally intuitive kind, making for a smooth and straightforward knit with just enough variety.
The cardigan is edged with twisted rib
And i-cord gives a clean finish to the front bands and buttonholes
This is a cardigan that feels relaxed and comfortable to wear
But which also has a neat and smart appearance
I’m really pleased with this design!
I chose the Carleton shade of Sheepsoft – which, like many shades in this palette, is a beautifully complex neutral, part of the appeal of which is that it is so difficult to define. There’s something of sand, and something of lichen about it too.
Horology is graded across an extensive range of 11 sizes (from 33 to 60 inches) and the pattern is now available on Ravelry or, for those who are unable to use Ravelry, as a direct download from the KDD shop.
Now, I have, as they say, jumped the gun somewhat with this release, as Laxtons have not even launched their new sheepsoft yarn and webshop just yet. This will happen in the next couple of weeks, so if you are interested in sampling this beautiful new British wool yarn, and knitting yourself a Sheepsoft Horology keep your eyes peeled (I’ll be sure to post a link as soon as the yarn goes live). The reason why we’ve released this pattern today is that the coming weeks promise to be very busy here at KDD: we have our own lovely new yarn to launch; a new book about to be published (People Make Glasgow) and another exciting launch of our brand new club (with weekly pattern releases running from the last week of September right through to Christmas). The planning required behind the scenes for these three launches is quite considerable, and we intend to take the KDD shop offline for a few days while we complete some necessary work. So here is your advance warning that the KDD shop will be offline and out of action from September 3rd – and that when we reapppear it will be with news of all the fun stuff that’s to come! We obviously won’t be taking orders during this time, so if you have any urgent knitting requirements that we can help you with, I suggest you get your shop orders in this weekend before we go offline.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Horology and have a lovely weekend!
Happy knitting
Have you ever read The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins? My sister says Audible do a wonderful version narrated by Ian Holm. We have had mice rave in the pea row. They picked all the peas and ate them in the beetroot row.
Take care
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Thanks for this rec Eleanor – I read that novel back when I was 18 – love Ian Holm – I think its definitely time for a re-read / listen. Those pesky mice sound like they were having a whale of a time!
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The other of my favourite Victorian novels are the Palliser novels and I admit to finding Dracula really good.
If you are allowed to say do you have a favourite knitting needle brand?
Take care
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This pattern is so lovely and the colour shown reminds me of different shades of lichens and moss in the autumn. Congratulations Kate on this work of art!! I’ve just bought the pattern and have to decide the yarn colour.
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The perfect little cardigan, I love it! I can’t wait to see all the colors in the Sheepsoft palette! Better get cracking on my current sweater to make room for this one next!
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This is very pretty – the cables are so elegant and fluid. In terms of the lovely colour, I’d say it reminds me of a light and delicious celery soup.
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yes! that is a great colour comparison!
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Wow nice design!
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Absolutely love thus cardigan. Gorgeous design
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Beautiful cardigan, love the cables, will be adding this pattern to my knitting queue especially as both my husband and father in law are Horologists.
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Lovely pattern which motivates me to order it and cast on this autumn! Kate, you are beautiful artist and the photography is spectacular and so inspiring.
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I just put this design into my Ravelry favorites and then rushed over here to see the story and guaranteed great photography. Have been holding onto some very nice DK wool hand dyed by a friend… Well, I’ve actually tried to knit three other patterns and not felt any were right for the yarn. Horology looks like just the thing!
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All things gorgeous is this.
100% delightful
Cheers
Karin
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Love at first sight!
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Top down – hurray! Such a lovely piece!
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This new pattern is stunning, I can see my daughter in it……..I knitted the Deco for her from my hand spun yarn and she loves it. May have to get this!!
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Love at first sight with Horology! Beautiful classic shape with interesting cable bits and forgiving raglan sleeves. I’m already thinking about what colour I should use to make it. Suggestions are very welcome; I’m mousey blonde turning white rather too quickly.
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Horology – a wonderful celebration of one-by-one ribbing, twined into perfection as the cables rise up the garment.
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Love the new cardigan! I especially like how the cables and ribbing blend.
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This is a gorgeous pattern, Kate, I just love it. The cables add just the right amount of embellishment.
Wishing you all the very best for the upcoming releases – all sounds very exciting!
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Love the sweaters but have to admit we were studying your lovely haircut. My spouse has followed your sheering instructions and is delighted with the results. She wanted a close look at the back.
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I love a cable, I love a cardi- it’s almost like a neat jacket.
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Kate I have instantly fallen in love with this pattern. It is an absolute ‘cracker’! Being a Yorkshire lass I loved hearing about your collaboration with Laxtons and I will certainly be keeping my eyes open for when they launch this lovely looking yarn.
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I love both sweaters! Especially, that all of the components are locally made. I am excited to see all the new things coming to KDD. ❤
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Wow I love this design how I wish to obtain it for my mum!
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Love the new pattern, love the yarn and the collaboration with Laxtons – supporting British Made, British Manufacturing & Yorkshire! What’s not to like…
Looking forward to the new club being revealed 🙂
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Love this new pattern Kate. It will definitely be going into my ever growing collection of patterns I want to knit.
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