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Knit Along with Downton Abbey

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downton cowlLots of knitters and other crafters have become enamored with the British drama “Downton Abbey” (which I lovingly call a soap opera with a British accent), and Shannon at Luv in the Mommyhood is so excited for its return to American TV that she’s hosting a Downton Abbey knit and crochet along when the series returns next month.

She’s a big cheater and has been watching as it airs in the UK, but for the rest of us this will be a fun time to cozy up with our needles and hooks and see what the Crawleys and their servants have been up to.

The idea is to knit or crochet a Downton-inspired project while the series is airing (it begins Jan. 9, 2013). Those who register for the knitalong and start a project (it doesn’t have to get finished) during the almost month of the knitalong will be eligible for prizes. You can learn more and get in on the project discussion at Luv in the Mommyhood’s Ravelry page. If you need inspiration she’s even got a cowl pattern you can purchase for the project.

I don’t know about you, but I could really use some fun knitting to kick of 2013, so I might be joining in on this one. If you do, too, I’d love to know it.

[Photo via Luv in the Mommyhood.]

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Comments

  1. I am way behind and need to START watching Downton. I’m always late. 🙂

    I almost always have a knitting project going while watching TV at night. Not sure I’ll join the knit along but will be knitting while I watch!

Have you read?

Knit a Blanket with the Texture of a Ceiling

Knitwear designers can get inspiration from almost anything when it comes to re-creating a color scheme, an image or a texture in stitches. Sometimes the inspiration isn’t always obvious in the finished project, but sometimes it’s more literal. 

That’s the way it is with the Tin Ceiling Blanket from Purl Soho. Not just because the inspiration is in the name, but if you’ve ever seen one of these old ceilings you can see that the design of the blanket is quite similar to the pattern of the tin tiles. 

This is also a good example of the idea that you don’t have to use fancy stitch patterns or lots of color to make a big impact with your knits. This single-color blanket (designed by Gianna Mueller and inspired by a washcloth and towel set designed by Sandi Rosner) is made completely with knits and purls, other than slipped stitches at the beginning of rows to make neater edges. 

The pattern is written out row by row, but there’s also a chart, which means this project is a great opportunity to practice reading a chart where you can check your work against the written pattern if you need to. 

It comes in two sizes, a crib blanket and a throw. The yarn used in the sample is an organic cotton sold by the cone, which is a great way to get a large quantity of yarn and have fewer ends to weave in. In fact, you can knit either size of the blanket with just one cone of yarn, which isn’t inexpensive but makes you a great, sturdy, heirloom quality but still washable blanket you’ll use for years to come. (Of course you can use any sport weight yarn you like to make this blanket.)

Check out all the details and grab the free pattern from Purl Soho. 

[Photo: Purl Soho]