I can finally share a little secret with you.

  
Samphrey Cowl. A whispy little number in Rowan Fine Lace.

When I first started designing, I was fortunate to work with Jodie on the original Knotions magazine and so when she announced that she was resurrecting the site I was delighted to have the opportunity to work with her again. This design had been rumbling around in my head for a while, but I never had the time or the impetus to actually get it down on paper, until I saw the submission brief for this Issue.

For those that are into the details, it is started with a provisional cast on, worked in the round and then a knitted on border is added at the top and the bottom. Because it is knitted on a garter st base it is completely reversible and though it is whispy looking it is nowhere near as complicated as it looks, because all the stitch patterns have rest rows, giving much more bang for your buck knitting wise ;-). It takes just one ball of yarn and is knitted on a US#3 ( 3.25mm) circular needle.

  
It can be worn doubled up or draped full length, or even pulled down over the shoulders a bit like a poncho.

For anyone interested, the artwork in the background of the photos was some of the A-level work by one of our students at school. I thought is was the perfect backdrop, even if I did get some odd looks from the students who saw me doing the photoshoot during the lunch hour.

Also for anyone interested, the cowl is being modelled by Destiny the cow. 

  
A couple of years ago, the Island did a charity art project where some plain white, life sized, Guernsey cows were offered to groups to decorate to be auction. The proceeds of the auction obviously, were then given to charity.

Our then Head of Art at school thought it would make a great group project for some of our students, and so a cow was acquired  and decorated with the signs of the zodiac and nicknamed Destiny. 

When it came to the auction, the school alumnae group kindly purchased Destiny for the school and she now stands proudly by the door to the new school art and drama block.

Now that Samphrey is out and the dress for a British magazine is done, it is back to the test knit for Heidi, but waiting in the wings in the Christmas in July design ( which is going to be fabulous) and the Autumn shawl in the Four Seasons club for the Unique Sheep.

Also coming up imminently is my contribution  Bleeping Sock Games which is due out on 11th of April. That one is done apart from a photo shoot, which I hope to do tomorrow.

If the weather stays as nice as it was today, all should be well.

I leave you with a photo of my favourite beach which I took duringa half hour breather this afternoon. The weather was so lovely it was hard to drag myself away.

And yes that is an intrepid bather! The current water temp here is 9 degrees, so you won’t catch me out there without a wetsuit just yet…