One thing I love about knitting is its functionality. When I knit a thing, I intend that thing to be used, worn, and handled. So when we received our first skeins of Cumbria, I was super excited to design something that would do the heartiness of the yarn justice.
I live in drafty old carriage house and in the winter time I often find myself wrapped in a large lap blanket. Although all my knitted lace shawls are lovely and keep my shoulders warm, I prefer my whole torso to be covered as I let the dogs in and out of the yard or when heading down to the basement. My day-to-day chores and activities inspired me to design a full, torso-encompassing cape.
With buttons that go all the way up to the neck and vertical slits for your arms, Dovenby is designed so that the only thing you need to expose is your hands. It was also designed with lots of positive ease so that it can be worn over layers and work as outerwear for brisk Spring and Fall days. For strength and silhouette stability, the side openings, hem, collar, and armholes are finished with i-cord edging. The firm edge will withstand the normal tugging and stretching caused by wearing it constantly October through April, as I plan to do while working on chores and letting the animals inside and out. One of the lovely attributes of The Fibre Co. Cumbria is it’s resistance to pilling and its bounciness. Before storing for the summer months, a quick soak and re-blocking will bring new life to the cape and it will be fresh and ready for the following winter!
Happy Knitting! -Meghan
