Rowan Spring Summer 2020 Newsletter

Spring Summer 

2020

WELCOME 

EST 1978 

Dear Rowan Knitter, 

At Rowan we are all thinking about family, friends and colleagues and the wider knitting 

community and our working partners at this very difficult and uncertain time. 

We are taking all advised precautions to keep everyone as safe as possible and are following 

Public Health Guidelines. At Rowan's Head Office, we have moved the team to homeworking 

and hope to be able to continue to offer a good level of service and support to our 

customers. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will adapt as necessary 

should the situation continue to develop and change. 

It has become increasingly apparent over the last few weeks that keeping in touch with 

each other through online communication has become very important to us all. We hope 

that through our social media and e-newsletters, we can keep in touch and continue to 

share stories and inspiration. In times of need, knitting and crochet can be the source of 

great comfort and we hope you are finding solace through your love of craft, as are we. 

This latest edition of the Rowan e-newsletter contains some of the usual features, plus some 

ideas to keep you busy whilst at home - ARNE & CARLOS have designed a brand new 

collection of cushions and Lisa Richardson’s Elder Throw Knit Along has now launched. 

The excitement surrounding the launch of this new Knit Along inspired us to take a look 

back at the archive and revisit some of our favourite past KALs and CALs too! 

We take a retrospective look at the recent Rowan Kidsilk Haze Design Contest, in 

cooperation with Vogue Knitting and Mohair South Africa, and its exciting finale at 

January’s Vogue Knitting Live, and we also check out the work of Jordan English, the winner 

of a recent Rowan design competition in conjunction with Crochet Now Magazine. Don’t 

miss our regular feature from Knitting For All’s Kerry Kimber and Rosee Woodland takes 

us on a scenic tour of Portloe in Cornwall, our location for Magazine 67’s Twinset story. 

Some of the regular features may make reference to a yarn store, an event or an organisation 

who maybe experiencing some disruption to their normal offer – please keep following 

them and checking in for the latest updates. 

We wish you and your loves ones well. 

The Rowan team 

www.knitrowan.com

Cover Image | Earhart 

by Annika Andrea Wolke from Magazine 67 

Image | Bolzano 

by Lisa Richardson from Magazine 67 

CONTACT US 

© Copyright 2020 

MEZ Crafts UK Ltd | 17F, Brooke’s Mill | Armitage Bridge | Huddersfield | HD4 7NR 

Web: www.knitrowan.com | Email: mail@knitrowan.com | Tel: + 44 (0) 1484 668200 

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or any part of all material is strictly forbidden. No part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by 

any means electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the copyright owners having been given in writing. 

Yarn quantities are approximate and are based on average requirements. Images and shades are for guidance only as colours may not display accurately on screen or in printed format. 

Contact your local stockist to view a fringed (not digital reproduction) yarn shade card. 

3

CONTENTS 

EST 1978 

CONTENTS 

Spring Summer 2020 

Spring Summer Review 

32 | Round up of the Spring Summer Season 

Features 

6 | Contributors 

8 | Kidsilk Haze Design Contest 

10 | ARNE & CARLOS Cushion Collection 

12 | Knit one Fashion Show 

16 | Rowan Knit Along Elder Throw 

18 | Rowan Knit | Crochet Alongs Past and Present 

22 | Spring Overview 

50 | Wollfestival 

54 | Crochet Now Competition 

56 | Knitting for All 

58 | Rowan Knitting Needles 

65 | What's On 

26 

FREE Pattern 

60 | Pierre & Marie by Georgia Farrell 

32 

4 April 2020 | Spring Summer

8 

54 

56 

10 

18 

12 

16 

April 2020 | Spring Summer 

5

CONTRIBUTORS 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Annika Andrea Wolke 

Annika Andrea Wolke is a knitting designer who has been published 

by Rowan and MODE at Rowan, as well as other international 

knitting magazines. She is originally from Germany and one of 

the few people in the Rowan design office who knits Continental. 

Kerry Kimber 

A former art and design teacher, Kerry developed Knitting 

For All in 2010 to deliver knitting and crafting classes around 

the UK and Ireland. She is currently developing online 

courses to equip more teachers to meet the rising demand for 

her programmes. 

Linda Pratt 

Handknitting industry veteran Linda Pratt has done it all - 

be it shop owner, designer, or sales and/or marketing 

managers for three yarn companies in the United 

States. Currently, Linda spends her days working for Rowan, 

executing marketing strategies for our North American 

market and maintaining Rowan’s Ravelry presence. 

Rosee Woodland 

Rosee Woodland is a knit and crochet designer and technical 

editor who is fascinated by Britain’s textile heritage. She 

previously edited The K and KT magazines and is currently 

writing her first book. 


7

CONTEST 

ROWAN KIDSILK HAZE 

DESIGN CONTEST 

In cooperation with Vogue Knitting and Mohair South Africa 

Rowan was pleased to co-sponsor the Rowan Kidsilk 

Haze Design Contest, in cooperation with Vogue Knitting 

and Mohair South Africa. The contest ran during the 

autumn of 2019 and the final judging held at Vogue 

Knitting LIVE In New York City on 18 January 2020. 

Over 80 entries were received, all original garments made 

from Rowan Kidsilk Haze. From all of these beautiful 

entries, 13 finalists were selected by a panel of judges from 

the three companies. The finalist’s designs were modelled 

on the runway at Vogue Knitting LIVE. 

The Grand Prize was a five-night Rowan Experience: 

a trip to the United Kingdom, including a visit to the 

Rowan offices in Huddersfield, plus $1000 in spending 

money from Mohair South Africa. Other prizes included 

packages to a future Vogue Knitting LIVE event and gift 

baskets of Kidsilk Haze. Winning designs would also be 

featured in Vogue Knitting Magazine. 

The Grand Prize Winner, a New York City - based 

designer known as Alex is Crafting, created Gown on 

Fire, a floor-length dress design inspired by the character 

of Caldifer in Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne 

Jones. The flame coloured lace motifs were worked in 

four shades of double stranded Kidsilk Haze to create a 

beautiful fire effect. 

First Runner Up was Sixian (Angela) Wu from Toronto, 

Ontario Canada. Her Tiffany Dress is a finely knitted lace 

garment in vanilla Kidsilk Haze, and featured intricate 

shaping, beading and finishing in an A-line silhouette. 

Second Runner Up was Leah Maruska from Ardsley, New 

York, who created an amazing Ode to Haze cape and scarf 

design featuring all 42 current shades of Kidsilk Haze. 

Knit in the round and worked from the top down in a 

chevron pattern, the center front and armholes were later 

steeked, and both garments finished with whip-stitching 

and fringe. 

Lastly, the Third Runner Up, Nicoletta Csák from 

Nagymaros, Hungary, created Effervescence in singlestrand 

Kidsilk Haze. This honeycomb-inspired design, 

with neck and sleeve detailing, is fresh and bubbling using 

classic Kidsilk Haze shades of Jelly and Blackcurrant. 

The garments will be featured in the Early Fall issue 

of Vogue Knitting, with the Runners Up patterns as 

downloads on their website. Knitters in the United 

Kingdom will be able to see these in the Early Fall issue 

of Designer Knitting. 


Winner: Alex is Crafting with Gown on Fire 

1st runner up: Sixian (Angela) Wu with Tiffany Dress 

2nd runner up: Leah Maruska with Ode to Haze 

3rd runner up: Nicoletta Csák with Effervescence 


9

NEW 

ARNE & CARLOS 

CUSHION 

COLLECTION 

Introducing ARNE & CARLOS' second cushion 

collection for Rowan, using Softyak DK which is 

a favourite for colourwork. 

Youtube Facebook Website 

Influenced by ARNE & CARLOS’ rich textile heritage and 

reimagined using classic and contemporary colourways, the 

collection features four floral and four geometric patterns with 

differing scales and joyous pops of colour. Each can either be 

combined with a plain cushion back or paired front and back 

to spectacular effect. 

The patterns for these beautiful designs are available on 

ARNE & CARLOS’ website https://shop.arnecarlos.com 



11

FASHION SHOW 

EST 1978 

KNIT ONE 

FASHION 

SHOW 

Knit one, Dolgellau Wales 

Nestling in the foothills of Cader Idris, Snowdonia is the small 

town of Dolgellau. It was noted in the 19th Century for its 

successful woollen industry and outstanding natural beauty. 

Today it is a noted area for gentle and extreme outdoor activities 

attracting many visitors whatever the season. Dolgellau is also 

home to a rather popular wool shop, Knit one... now in its 

10th year of existence. We, at Knit one ..., are proud and loyal 

supporters of the Rowan brand and have attracted over the 

years, a number of returning customers who, having become 

friends, regularly pop in to see “what’s new on the Rowan 

horizon”. (The ‘look-books’ we now receive in advance of the 

season’s collections are so useful in this regard.) 

During 2018 Rowan celebrated a momentous anniversary 

in participation of which Knit one... joyously embarked 

on a week of celebrations. We put on exhibitions, drop in 

sessions (inviting visitors to eat cake, drink tea and try new 

yarns), a public talk on the history of the woollen industry 

in Dolgellau and a fashion show. The fashion show featured 

archived Rowan garments, loaned to us by the Rowan Team, 

and early Kaffe Fassett designs, loaned to us by the models. 

This event was hosted by the proprietors of our local wine bar 

Gwin Dylanwad’s where Knit one ...’s fans and passing visitors 

meet once a month for ‘Gwin a Gwlan’ (‘wine and wool’). 

Having hosted one successful fashion show we modestly 

assumed that would be it. However, we did not get off so lightly! 

By popular demand 2019 saw Knit one... team up with the 

proprietors of an upmarket family run hotel on the outskirts of 

Dolgellau and our second fashion show was arranged. 


13

The fabulous team at Rowan gave us a date when the Mode 

collection would be available and on the evening of Tuesday 

17 December Knit one ... presented the “MODE at Rowan 

Collection” to an eagerly awaiting public at Penmaenuchaf Hall. 

We took over the sumptious lounge, which had been richly 

decorated for the season, and using the elegant staircase near 

the traditional log fire we were able to give full commentary 

on the garments being presented in a dignified manner. Our 

wonderful models, Shan, Linda, Mair, Gay and Mark had plenty 

of room to mingle with the guests, giving them the time to 

examine with care the lovely garments. All this against the 

gentle background strains of Dave’s clarinet upon which he 

played generously an endless repetoire of jazz favourites. This 

treat for our guests was made possible by a fabulous team of 

waiters, waitresses and Jane, our backroom girl, who dressed 

the models and made sure their lipstick was the right way up, 

of course grateful mention must be made of our unobtrusive 

photographer Malcolm who made for us a beautiful record of 

the event. 

14

What an evening! What a start to the Christmas season! 

The feedback from those who attended a viewing of the Mode 

collection has been interesting from our perspective as retailers 

at Knit one... Of course the event was much appreciated, but 

what was noted particularly was the careful attention given by 

the guests to the designs presented and the questions asked. 

For instance, the detailing on the apparently simple “sweater” 

(design 014) by Georgia Farrell was remarked on by those 

across the generations not only at the event but afterwards at 

Knit one... The ‘MODE at Rowan Collection’ has brought 

a timeless glamour to the world of hand knitting in our 

rural community. I am sure this is not the end of the story, 

already I am being asked what Knit one ... will be doing next 

- and when. 

We at Knit one ... would like to extend a Big Thank-you to all 

the team at Rowan for all the support you gave. Your patience, 

your kindness and your encouragement makes these events so 

joyful and special to us all ... 


15

KNIT ALONG 

ROWAN 

KNIT ALONG 

Elder Throw 

by Lisa Richardson 

Instagram 

Facebook 

Website 

Shopping List 

The latest Knit Along is here! Have you downloaded the 

shopping list yet? The shopping list and first pattern release are 

both available now (links above!) and the second pattern will 

follow on 17th April. 

Lisa has chosen to complete the Knit Along in Rowan Felted 

Tweed. This much-loved yarn has been part of the Rowan range 

for many years and continues to delight knitters everywhere 

with its beautiful and ever-evolving palette of colours. Lisa has 

carefully selected 13 stunning shades to bring this heirloom 

project to life. 

Lisa says….. “I have 

used a number of different 

techniques from garter 

stitch mitred squares to slip 

stitch and simple lace. It’s 

a great way to try a new 

technique and build your 

knit skills, also perfect for 

a more advanced knitter as 

the technique used changes 

at each stage, always 

keeping things interesting”. 


KNIT 

ALONG 

Elder Throw 

by Lisa Richardson 

using Rowan’s Felted Tweed 

Shopping List Available Now 

Next Pattern Release | 17th April 


17

KNIT ALONG 

ROWAN 

KNIT|CROCHET 

ALONGS 

PAST AND PRESENT 

Lisa Richardson’s Elder Throw Knit Along launched 

on the 3 rd April (see page 16 for more details). The excitement 

surrounding the launch of this new Knit Along inspired 

us to take a look back at the archive and revisit 

some of our favourite past KALs and CALs too! 

What better way to bust that stash! 


Felted Tweed Blanket 

The Summer of 2017 saw the launch of Lisa’s Felted Tweed 

Blanket Crochet Along. It used 12 shades of Felted Tweed (2 

balls of each) and the patterns were released in thirteen stages, 

as Lisa guided us through a wide variety of textured stitches 

and colourwork. A great project for learning new skills whilst 

creating a stunning piece of homeware. 

Pattern 


19

Martin Storey’s 

Beaded Cushion & Throw 

We don’t have to go quite so far back in the archive for Martin 

Storey’s popular Knit Along of 2019. Using Pure Wool Worsted 

Martin designed cushions and a throw using textured squares 

and bead detail. Choose to knit either a cushion or a large 

throw depending on how big that stash is! 

Pattern 


Summerlite 4ply Crochet Along 

Back in 2015, relatively new yarn Summerlite 

4ply was the focus for Lisa’s latest Crochet Along. 

There were different projects to choose from and 

three different colourways. The projects included 

a scarf, shawl, cushion and a baby blanket and the 

colourways were ‘Pastel’, ‘Bright’ and ‘Blue’. Use 

your stash to create your own versions of these 

versatile designs. 

Florence Scarf 

2018 saw the release of another Crochet Along and this time 

Lisa designed a stunning scarf called Florence. Using Kidsilk 

Haze and Cotton Cashmere Lisa combined these two yarns 

in subtle shades, using a combination of crochet and weaving. 

There were two colourways to choose from and only small 

quantities of yarn were needed - two each of your main Kidsilk 

Haze and Cotton Cashmere shades and then just one of each of 

the others. Could this be the answer to your latest stash-buster 

project? 

Pattern 

Pattern 


21

COMING SOON 

EST 1978 

COMING SOON 

MAY 2020 

B Y 

QUAIL STUDIO 


23

AVAILABLE NOW 

EST 1978 

MAKO COTTON BABY 

K EEPSAKE BOX 

AVAILABLE NOW 

The perfect gift for a new arrival! Knit or crochet this beautiful 

snuggle blanket, designed by Lisa Richardson, in our special 

palettes of super-soft Mako Cotton Baby. Then place it in the 

beautifully simple keepsake box, add a ribbon, and your gift is 

complete. 

This adorable limited edition kit is part of the Rowan Selects 

range and so get it whilst you can! 



25

NEW 

EST 1978 

ROWAN 

FADE PACKS 

AVAILABLE NOW! 

One of the beauties of yarns such as Kidsilk Haze and Felted 

Tweed is the huge colour palette that both are available in 

- a paintbox of shades which often leaves us spoilt for choice! 

Our new Fade Packs each contain six shades, carefully curated 

by Rowan designer Lisa Richardson, which blend together to 

create eye-catching combinations. There are blue, pink and rust 

packs in Felted Tweed and turquoise, sky and rust in Kidsilk 

Haze. Both come with a free pattern for a beautiful scarf 

using one fade pack and the Felted Tweed one also includes 

a wrap version of the scarf using two packs. Which one will 

you choose? 



27

NEW YARN 

EST 1978 

ROWAN 

ISL 

Did you know that the merino wool 

in our Island Blend yarn is from the 

Falkland Islands? 

The Falkland Islands are considered to be a superior wool 

producer and produces some of the finest merino wool in the 

world. Sheep have been bred there for more than 150 years and 

merino has been produced for decades. 

The Falklands Islands cover 4,700 square miles and a 

population of just 3,200 means there is plenty of open space 

for grazing flocks. In fact, there are some half a million sheep 

on the Islands producing some of the greenest merino in the 

world, as farmers there have been using organic methods for 

more than 100 years. 

Both Island Blend and Island Blend Fine sees this exquisite 

merino blended with baby alpaca and silk. 


AND BLEND 


29

The Fine, which is new for this season, is available in 

eleven gorgeous shades and accompanied by a collection 

of designs by Lisa Richardson, Martin Storey and Georgia 

Farrell. They have created a medley of design including 

accessories, scarves, wraps, hats and ponchos plus some 

exquisite garments that you will treasure for years to come. 

Lima Cowl 

Ecuador Hat and Mitts 


The original Island Blend is a slightly heavier version of the 

Fine, in a versatile palette of ten shades and is perfect for both 

garments and accessories. Designs Lima and Ecuador won’t fail 

to keep you cosy as we wait for the warmer weather to arrive. 

These patterns are available to download now from knitrowan. 

Other designs for Island Blend can be found in Rowan 

Magazine 66 Focus, including the fantastic Rhythm cardigan 

(pictured below) with bobble detailing on the sleeves. Rowan 

Ambassador Dayana Krawchuk fell in love with the zesty 

Lemon shade. Read Dayana’s blog to hear more about this 

project and for her top tips on how to knit the perfect bobble! 

Dayana's Blog 

Lima Scarf 

31

SPRING REVIEW 

EST 1978 

MAGAZINE 67 

by Rowan 

Twinsets and Crochet 

Rowan Magazine 67 brings you two stories. The first story 

takes a look at the traditional twinset and gives it a 

contemporary twist, using a range of our designers favourite 

Spring Summer yarns. The second story is a dedicated 

Crochet collection by Lisa Richardson using Summerlite 4ply, 

Creative Linen and Cotton Cashmere. 

COLLECTION YARN STORE LOCATOR 

32


33

SPRING REVIEW 

EST 1978 

HIDDEN 

TREASURES 

Words by Rosee Woodland 

Portloe, a stunning coastal hideaway 

The Rowan team are always seeking new locations for their 

photo shoots, and landed on a real gem for the Twinsets story 

that appears in magazine 67. 

The tiny village of Portloe lies on Cornwall’s picturesque 

Roseland peninsula and was described by the poet Sir John 

Betjeman as “one of the least spoiled and most impressive of 

Cornish fishing villages”, an evocation that remains true to 

this day. 

Tumbling down a hill overlooking a sheltered cove, Portloe 

is bordered on both sides by a steep-sided green valley. 

While it’s quiet now, it was once a busy harbour, with pilchard 

fishermen launching from its waters throughout the 17th and 

18th century. 

Later, taxes on the salt used for packing the fish made it harder 

for the fishermen to earn a decent living and so locals turned 

to smuggling to make up the difference. French brandy was 

the most popular contraband, and its illicit import became 

such a problem that in 1824 Customs ordered the building of 

a watch, boathouse and slip at Portloe, to keep a closer eye on 

the enterprising residents. But the smuggling continued for as 

long as money could be made, with brandy barrels hidden in 

the dark corners of many a local farm or fish cellar. 



35

While much of the Cornish coast is exposed, enduring 

a constant battering from the wind and waves, Portloe is 

relatively calm, thanks to its horseshoe shape. The RNLI built 

two lifeboat stations here in the 19th century, but neither were 

ever launched from, and were eventually converted into a 

church and a school. 

Some local landmarks have also made an appearance on screen 

- Porthpean House, the Georgian villa appears in Richard 

Curtis’ film About Time. Portloe itself also appears in the movie, 

its whitewashed granite houses making an idyllic backdrop for 

the village wedding of Tim and Mary, played by Hollywood 

stars Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams. 

Visitors to the village today will find the smugglers long gone, 

but everything else feels largely unchanged. Narrow streets 

slope steeply to a small harbour beach, where a few fishing 

boats still land crab and lobster. There are the classic Cornish 

attractions to enjoy too - blue waters to swim in, cream teas 

to indulge in and (hopefully) some seasonal Cornish sunshine. 

36


37

SPRING REVIEW 

EST 1978 

CAPE BAY 

by Martin Storey 

Softyak DK 

A collection of contemporary and relaxed handknits for the 

family and home by Martin Storey. Fresh coastal-inspired 

colours and nautical influences are the hallmark of this New 

England inspired brochure using Softyak DK. Softyak DK has 

some lovely new shades introduced for this season, all of which 

feature within this collection. 


38


39

SPRING REVIEW 

EST 1978 

KIDS SUMMER 

BRIGHTS 


Baby Cashsoft Merino & Baby Merino Silk DK 

A mix of textures, prints and patterns for boys and girls aged 

3-10 years. A fun collection of kids garments, featuring pops 

of colour that will not only suit the summer months but carry 

on throughout the year too. Designed by Lisa Richardson, 

Martin Storey, Dee Hardwicke and Georgia Farrell, using Baby 

Cashsoft Merino and Baby Merino Silk DK. 


40


41

SPRING REVIEW 

EST 1978 

4 PROJECTS 

FELTED TWEED 

by Quail Studio for Rowan 

Felted Tweed 

One of our best-loved yarns is perfect for this collection of 

stylish everyday knitwear, brought to you by Quail Studio. 



SPRING REVIEW 

EST 1978 

4 PROJECTS 

DENIM REVIVE 

by Quail Studio for Rowan 

Denim Revive 

Quail Studio bring you a relaxed collection of cardigans and 

sweaters using our recycled yarn, Denim Revive. 



43

SPRING REVIEW 

at 

MODE 

SPRING 

SUMMER 

2020 

The eagerly awaited second season 

from MODE at Rowan introduces 

MODE Collection Two, 

4 Projects Summer Crochet and 

4 Projects Summer Knits. 

Read on to discover more… 


45

SPRING REVIEW 

at 

MODE AT ROWAN 

COLLECTION TWO 


Summerlite 4ply, Handknit Cotton, 

Cotton Cashmere, Creative Linen, Kidsilk Haze 

Spring Summer 2020 is the second season from MODE at 

Rowan. Following on from a much loved Autumn Winter 

range, we bring you MODE Collection Two, showcasing 

stunning summer knits for your wardrobe. 


46


47

SPRING REVIEW 

at 

MODE AT ROWAN 

4 PROJECTS 

SUMMER CROCHET 

by Quail Studio 

Creative Linen 

A relaxed crochet collection of garments and accessories, 

perfect for the summer months, all using Creative Linen. 



SPRING REVIEW 

at 

MODE AT ROWAN 

4 PROJECTS 

SUMMER KNIT 

by Quail Studio 

Summerlite DK & Cotton Cashmere 

Summery pullovers and accessories worked in Summerlite DK 

and Cotton Cashmere will become essential wardrobe pieces 

this season. 



49

YARN FESTIVAL 

EST 1978 

THE BEST 

YARN FESTIVAL 

IN GERMANY 

Wollfestival in Düsseldorf 

15-16 August 2020 

Information correct as of 1st April 2020. Please check with the organisers for updates. 

The origins of the Wollfestival go back to 2013 when it was first 

held in the German Sports and Olympia Museum in Cologne. 

It has since grown to a regular and well-loved knitting event 

in Germany. Yarn enthusiasts from across Germany and even 

further afield, travel to spend a weekend surrounded by yarn 

and fellow wool lovers. 

By 2017 the Wollfestival had outgrown the original location in 

Cologne and organiser Daniela Johannsenova decided to move 

the event to the Rheinterrasse, a stunning venue built in the 

1920s, right next to the river Rhein in Düsseldorf. 

This year’s Wollfestival is already highly anticipated by many of 

the visitors who attended the event in previous years. Luckily, 

they don’t have to wait much longer! It is only a few months 

until the weekend of the 15-16 August when the Wollfestival 

will open its doors to a paradise for all yarn enthusiasts. 

Time at the Wollfestival is spent knitting, crocheting, spinning 

and simply talking about all things yarn. Exhibitors and 

designers from Germany are joined by international colleagues 

from the UK, Poland, Hungary and Austria. Combined 

with lovely food and plenty of seating for knitting and 

talking, the Wollfestival promises to create a comfy and 

companionable atmosphere. 


51

To shorten the long wait until the Wolllfestival opens its doors 

again, Daniela always designs a beautiful collection of hats 

using yarns provided by exhibitors. The hat using Rowan yarns 

is a lovely and versatile accessory and is knitted in our popular 

Felted Tweed Aran. The hats will be displayed in the hallway 

of the exhibition venue to give the visitors plenty of time to 

admire the designs and feel the yarn qualities for themselves. All 

patterns are made available for free on Ravelry and the finished 

samples from the Wollfestival will be donated to local cancer 

patients undergoing chemotherapy. For those unable to wait 

for the Wollfestival to start without casting on some knitting, 

Daniela also organises a #WollfestivalKAL which started with 

a cosy cowl in Rowan’s Island Blend yarn. The pattern is 

available on the Wollfestival website for free and is the perfect 

little luxury to knit. 

Cowl Pattern 

Hat Pattern 

Supporting charities has always played a key role when planning 

and organising the Wollfestival. For this reason, Daniela includes 

various charities as exhibitors each year. Last year, the German 

ovarian cancer charity and a charity from Cologne supporting 

breast cancer patients, exhibited on the centre stage of the 

main exhibition hall and gave visitors the opportunity to craft 

with them. 


Rowan will be represented at the 2020 Wollfestival and is 

delighted to have designers Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably 

join us at the event. We will talk about Rowan’s history and 

show some pieces from our archive, as well as introduce our 

new 2020/21 Autumn Winter collection and give knitters the 

opportunity to try some of our most popular yarns. 

The first 3000 visitors receive a blue bag with the Wollfestival 

logo that gives plenty of space for all the goodies you will be 

able to buy on the day. So make sure you grab one before they 

are all gone! Tickets are available to purchase on the Wollfestival 

website now or on the day at the door. 

Make a note in your diary and remember to have plenty of 

time to explore all the colours, textures and general love for 

all things fibre! 

Wollfestival Webseite: www.wollfestival.de 

Hashtag: #wollfestival, #wollfestivaldüsseldorf 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wollfestival/ 

Date: 15.8.2020 10-18 Uhr (12€), 16.8.2020 10-16 Uhr (10€) 

Location: Rheinterrasse, Joseph-Beuys-Ufer 33, 40479 Düsseldorf 

Contact details of the organiser: Daniela Johannsenova, 

info@wollfestival.de, Tel. 0170-2103648, Hans Peter Keller Str. 

54, 41470 Neuss 


53

COMPETITION 

CROCHET NOW 

COMPETITION 

Last year, we teamed up with the fabulous team at Crochet 

Now magazine to run a Crochet design competition. The 

brief was to design a garment or accessory in a Rowan yarn 

whilst being original, creative and also considering style and 

presentation. 

Judging took place in the summer and the standard of entries 

was extremely high. The Rowan team, including renowned 

crochet designer Lisa Richardson, together with the team from 

Crochet Now set about selecting a shortlist of submissions 

from which the final winner was chosen. The lucky and very 

talented winner – Jordan English - was announced earlier this 

year in Issue 51 of Crochet Now. 

Jordan’s winning design – Southwestern Wrap - uses Rowan 

Alpaca Soft DK. The pattern will be published in Crochet 

Now Issue 55 which will be on sale 23rd April, available 

from supermarkets, newsagents, craft stores and online at 

www.craftstash.co.uk. Digital copies can be purchased at 

www.pocketmags.com 

The Southwestern Wrap is very wearable with a good colour 

combination that will have great impact. Crocheted using the 

two-colour tapestry crochet technique for a weighty, draping 

wrap. 



55

At the heart of our mission at 

“Knitting For All” is the belief 

that knitting really is for everyone. 

KIDS KNIT 

by Kerry Kimber, Founder & Director of Knitting For All 

Knitting For All 

At Knitting For All, we are passionate about teaching 

children to knit. Our flagship programme is “Kids Knit”, 

an exciting and imaginative course, especially designed for 

boys and girls aged 5-12. We deliver Kids Knit in schools, 

community centres, village halls and cafés around the UK 

and Ireland. They are popular classes where imagination 

and creativity flourishes. 

The Kids Knit Programme features four levels of knitting: 

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert. Within 

each level, there are many projects the children can choose 

from which are specifically designed to be appropriate for 

that level and ability. Each project aims to consolidate 

skills learned in the previous project whilst introducing 

a new one. Confidence is the key to success in learning 

any new skill, so most of the projects are fairly quick to 

knit, especially in the Beginner Stages. As teachers, we 

are careful not to correct too many mistakes, but instead 

encourage children to complete their projects quickly. 

This allows the children to take satisfaction from having 

achieved something and motivates them to get started on 

something new. 

In a short while children develop confidence as they use 

their hands to make and do. They see that they are capable 

of achieving things themselves and that trying something 

new is a rewarding challenge. They start to see that they 

are creative and imaginative, and this has a huge impact on 

their self-esteem. 

Kids Knit teacher, Fiona Campbell from Edinburgh says, 

“Teaching children is so much fun. You teach them 

a few simple skills and it’s amazing what they do with 

them! Their imaginations are boundless. They surprise 

themselves sometimes, which does wonders for their 

confidence. “Can I make a unicorn?” Of course you can! 

A rocket becomes an elephant – why not?!” 

The educational benefits of learning to knit are numerous. 

It helps in the development of fine motor skills, maths 

and spacial recognition (understanding how things fit 

together). Knitting can be wholly absorbing and therefore 

increases the ability to concentrate and apply oneself to 

a task. 

56

There are lots of other great things going on under the 

surface of our Kids Knit classes. Knitting For All teacher, 

Eilidh Scott from Portobello in Scotland reports that her 

classes regularly enjoy sing-alongs together while they 

knit. This encourages a lovely sense of togetherness and 

ease in each other’s company which Eilidh says is one of 

the best things she observes in the friendships that are 

formed in her Kids Knit classes. 

“There are so many lovely moments in the classes. We 

have great chats, comedy moments and the occasional 

deep and meaningful. Often the kids start to sing together 

spontaneously and it gives me goose bumps every time! 

It can be songs they have learnt at school or current stuff 

they are all listening to; it’s just lovely, everyone sitting 

around the table, needles working away and breaking 

into song. It makes me think of the groups of girls and 

women throughout history who have sung together 

whilst they worked with their hands. One especially 

memorable moment was a rendition of “Silent Night” 

in German – beautiful.” 

Knitting has been proven to reduce stress and increase wellbeing. 

Claire Pereira from Kings Heath in Birmingham 

values the sense of wellbeing the rhythmic nature of 

knitting generates in her students. 

“I love that I’m helping them learn a skill that will be 

helpful to their mental health growing up, providing 

them with a perfect activity to practice mindfulness and 

promote self-efficacy.” 

Being a Kids Knit teacher is profoundly rewarding. 

We love helping the children develop skills, grow in 

confidence in their creative abilities and enjoy the 

company of their knitting friends. And it’s all the more 

meaningful to know how knitting as a life-long hobby 

will benefit them in the years to come. 

If you would like to learn more about our Kids Knit 

classes, visit knittingforall.com. 

https://www.learnrowan.com/knitting-for-all-courses 


57

ACCESSORIES 

EST 1978 

ROWAN 

KNITTING 

NEEDLES 

We are incredibly excited to have launched our 

first ever range of Rowan Knitting Needles. 

Store Locator 

Manufactured from FSC certified wood sourced from 

sustainable forests, our Rowan Birchwood needles are a delight 

to work with - extremely light, yet exceptionally strong 

and durable. 

The super-smooth wood surface does not contain any lacquer 

and works effortlessly without slowing down your knitting 

rhythm. The flawlessly tapered, perfect points are ideal for all 

yarn types and the elegance of the rich deep brown colour casts 

a magical hue that turns these needles into a statement piece. 

Unlike other needles made of bamboo or natural wood, the 

laminated densified Birchwood wears exceptionally well over 

time. Rowan needles offer knitters an even knitting speed, 

a smooth finish and a warmth and softness to the touch. 



59


FREE PATTERN 

EST 1978 

PIERRE & MARIE 

By Georgia Farrell 

Sweater 

SIZE 

To fit bust 

81-86 91-97 102-107 112-117 122-127 cm 

32-34 36-38 40-42 44-46 48-50 in 

Actual bust measurement of garment 

90.5 100 109.5 121 130.5 cm 

35¾ 39¼ 43 47¾ 51½ in 

YARN 


A Pumpkin 651 

3 3 4 4 5 x 100gm 

B Oasis 652 

1 1 1 1 1 x 100gm 

C Natural 621 

1 1 1 1 1 x 100gm 

D Mustard 647 

1 1 1 1 1 x 100gm 

E Stormy 635 

1 1 1 1 1 x 100gm 

Cowl 

SIZE 

Completed cowl measures 66 cm (26 in) all round and is 

27.5 cm (10¾ in) deep. 

YARN 


A Pumpkin 651 1 x 100gm 

B Oasis 652 1 x 100gm 

C Natural 621 1 x 100gm 

D Mustard 647 1 x 100gm 

E Stormy 635 1 x 100gm 

NEEDLES 

1 pair 4mm (no 8) (US 6) needles 

1 pair 4½mm (no 7) (US 7) needles 

TENSION 

21 sts and 28 rows to 10 cm measured over st st, 21 sts and 

30 rows to 10 cm measured over patt, both using 4½mm 

(US 7) needles. 

Pattern note: When working patt, all slipped sts should be 

slipped purlwise with yarn at WS of work – this is at back of 

work on RS rows, and at front of work on WS row. 

Sweater 

BACK 

Using 4mm (US 6) needles and yarn A cast on 95 [105: 115: 

127: 137] sts. 

Row 1 (RS): K1, *P1, K1, rep from * to end. 

Row 2: P1, *K1, P1, rep from * to end. 

These 2 rows form rib. 

Work in rib for a further 12 rows, ending with RS facing 

for next row. 

Change to 4½mm (US 7) needles. 

Beg with a K row, cont in st st throughout as folls: 

Cont straight until back meas 28 [28.5: 29: 29.5: 30] cm, 

ending with RS facing for next row. 

Shape raglan armholes 

Cast off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 

89 [99: 109: 121: 131] sts. 

Next row (RS): K2, sl 1, K1, psso, K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. 

Next row: P2, P2tog, P to last 4 sts, P2tog tbl, P2. 

Rep last 2 rows 1 [4: 6: 9: 11] times more. 

81 [79: 81: 81: 83] sts. 

Next row (RS): K2, sl 1, K1, psso, K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. 

Next row: Purl. 

Rep last 2 rows 21 [20: 20: 20: 20] times more, ending with 

RS facing for next row. 

37 [37: 39: 39: 41] sts. 

Break yarn and leave sts on a holder (for neckband). 


61

FRONT 

Work as given for back until 43 [43: 47: 47: 51] sts rem in 

raglan armhole shaping. 

Work 1 row, ending with RS facing for next row. 

Shape front neck 

Next row (RS): K2, sl 1, K1, psso, K5 [5: 7: 7: 9] and turn, 

leaving rem sts on a holder. 8 [8: 10: 10: 12] sts. 

Work each side of neck separately. 

Working all raglan armhole decreases as set, cont as folls: 

Dec 1 st at neck edge of next 3 [3: 4: 4: 4] rows, then on foll 

0 [0: 0: 0: 1] alt row and at same time dec 1 st at raglan 

armhole edge of 2nd and foll 0 [0: 1: 1: 2] alt rows. 4 sts. 

Work 0 [0: 1: 1: 1] row, ending with RS facing for next row. 

Next row (RS): K1, sl 1, K2tog, psso. 

Next row: P2. 

Next row: K2tog and fasten off. 

With RS facing, slip centre 25 sts onto a holder (for 

neckband), rejoin yarn and K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. 

8 [8: 10: 10: 12] sts. 

Working all raglan armhole decreases as set, cont as folls: 

Dec 1 st at neck edge of next 3 [3: 4: 4: 4] rows, then on foll 

0 [0: 0: 0: 1] alt row and at same time dec 1 st at raglan 

armhole edge of 2nd and foll 0 [0: 1: 1: 2] alt rows. 4 sts. 

Work 0 [0: 1: 1: 1] row, ending with RS facing for 

next row. 

Next row (RS): K3tog, K1. 

Next row: P2. 

Next row: K2tog and fasten off. 

SLEEVE STRIPE SEQUENCE 

Rows 1 to 4: Using yarn B. 

Rows 5 to 8: Using yarn C. 

Rows 9 to 12: Using yarn D. 

Rows 13 to 16: Using yarn E. 

Rows 17 to 20: Using yarn A. 

These 20 rows form stripe sequence and are repeated. 

SLEEVES 

Using 4mm (US 6) needles and yarn A cast on 53 [55: 57: 

57: 59] sts. 

Work in rib as given for back for 14 rows, ending with RS 

facing for next row. 


Beg with a K row, work in st st for 4 rows, inc 0 [0: 0: 1: 1] st 

at each end of 3rd of these rows. 53 [55: 57: 59: 61] sts. 

Joining in and breaking off colours as required and 

referring to pattern note (above), now work in patt as folls: 

Row 1 (RS): Using yarn B, (inc in first st) 0 [0: 1: 0: 0] 

time, K2 [1: 1: 3: 2], sl 1 (see pattern note), *K3, sl 1 

(see pattern note), rep from * to last 2 [1: 2: 3: 2] sts, 

K2 [1: 1: 3: 2], (inc in last st) 0 [0: 1: 0: 0] time. 

53 [55: 59: 59: 61] sts. 

Row 2: Using yarn B, P2 [1: 3: 3: 2], sl 1 (see pattern 

note), *P3, sl 1 (see pattern note), rep from * to last 

2 [1: 3: 3: 2] sts, P2 [1: 3: 3: 2]. 

Row 3: Using yarn B, (inc in first st) 1 [1: 0: 0: 1] time, 

K to last 1 [1: 0: 0: 1] st, (inc in last st) 1 [1: 0: 0: 1] time. 

55 [57: 59: 59: 63] sts. 

Row 4: Using yarn B, purl. 

Row 5: Using yarn C, (inc in first st) 0 [0: 0: 1: 0] time, 

K1 [4: 1: 0: 1], sl 1 (see pattern note), *K3, sl 1 (see pattern 

note), rep from * to last 1 [4: 1: 1: 1] sts, K1 [4: 1: 0: 1], 

(inc in last st) 0 [0: 0: 1: 0] time. 55 [57: 59: 61: 63] sts. 

Row 6: Using yarn C, P1 [4: 1: 2: 1], sl 1 (see pattern 

note), *P3, sl 1 (see pattern note), rep from * to last 1 [4: 1: 

2: 1] sts, P1 [4: 1: 2: 1]. 

Row 7: Using yarn C, (inc in first st) 0 [0: 0: 0: 1] time, 

K to last 0 [0: 0: 0: 1] st, (inc in last st) 0 [0: 0: 0: 1] time. 

55 [57: 59: 61: 65] sts. 

Row 8: Using yarn C, purl. 

These 8 rows form patt and rows 1 to 8 of stripe sequence 

(see above). 

Beg with stripe sequence row 9, cont in patt, shaping sides 

by inc 1 st at each end of 3rd [3rd: next: 3rd: 3rd] and every 

foll 10th [8th: 8th: 6th: 6th] row to 67 [69: 75: 81: 85] sts, 

then on 0 [1: 0: 0: 0] foll 10th row, taking inc sts into patt. 

67 [71: 75: 81: 85] sts. 

Cont straight until sleeve meas 32 [32: 33: 33: 33] cm, 

ending with RS facing for next row. 

Shape raglan 

Keeping patt correct, cast off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 

61 [65: 69: 75: 79] sts. 

Next row (RS): K2, sl 1, K1, psso, patt to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. 

Next row: P3, patt to last 3 sts, P3. 

Next row: K3, patt to last 3 sts, K3. 


Rep last 4 rows 5 times more. 49 [53: 57: 63: 67] sts. 

Next row (RS): K2, sl 1, K1, psso, patt to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. 


Rep last 2 rows until 21 sts rem, ending with RS facing 

for next row. 

Break yarn and leave sts on a holder. 

MAKING UP 

Press as described on the information page. 

Join both front and right back raglan seams using back 

stitch, or mattress stitch if preferred. (Note: Due to difference 

in row tensions, there are 4 more rows in sleeve 

raglan edge than in body raglan edge but edges should be 

same length.) 


Neckband 

With RS facing, using 4mm (US 6) needles and yarn A, 

K across 21 sts on left sleeve holder, pick up and knit 

5 [5: 7: 7: 9] sts down left side of front neck, K across 

25 sts on front holder, pick up and knit 5 [5: 7: 7: 9] sts up 

right side of front neck, then K across 21 sts on right sleeve 

holder, and 37 [37: 39: 39: 41] sts on back holder. 

114 [114: 120: 120: 126] sts. 

Beg with a P row, work in st st for 11 rows, ending with 

RS facing for next row. 

Cast off. 

See information page for finishing instructions, reversing 

neckband seam for last 7 rows (for roll back). 

52 rows, ending after 4 rows using A and with RS facing 

for next row. 

Break off contrasts and complete cowl using yarn A only. 

Change to 4mm (US 6) needles. 

Beg with row 1, work in rib as given for cast-on edge for 

8 rows, ending with RS facing for next row. 

Cast off in rib. 

MAKING UP 

Press as described on the information page. 

Using back stitch, or mattress stitch if preferred, 

join row-end edges to form a loop. 

See information page for finishing instructions. 

Cowl 

STRIPE SEQUENCE 

Rows 1 to 4: Using yarn B. 

Rows 5 to 8: Using yarn C. 

Rows 9 to 12: Using yarn D. 

Rows 13 to 16: Using yarn E. 

Rows 17 to 20: Using yarn A. 

These 20 rows form stripe sequence and are repeated. 

COWL 

Using 4mm (US 6) needles and yarn A cast on 139 sts. 

Row 1 (RS): K1, *P1, K1, rep from * to end. 

Row 2: P1, *K1, P1, rep from * to end. 

These 2 rows form rib. 

Work in rib for a further 6 rows, ending with RS facing 

for next row. 


18 [19: 21: 23: 24] cm 

(7 [7½: 8¼: 9: 9½] in) 

Beg with a K row, work in st st for 4 rows, ending with RS 

facing for next row. 

Joining in and breaking off colours as required and 

referring to pattern note (above), now work in patt as folls: 

Row 1 (RS): Using yarn B, *K3, sl 1 (see pattern note), 

rep from * to last 3 sts, K3. 

Row 2: Using yarn B, *P3, sl 1 (see pattern note), 

rep from * to last 3 sts, P3. 

Row 3: Using yarn B, knit. 

Row 4: Using yarn B, purl. 

Row 5: Using yarn C, K1, sl 1 (see pattern note), *K3, 

sl 1 (see pattern note), rep from * to last st, K1. 

Row 6: Using yarn C, P1, sl 1 (see pattern note), *P3, 

sl 1 (see pattern note), rep from * to last st, P1. 

Row 7: Using yarn C, knit. 

Row 8: Using yarn C, purl. 

These 8 rows form patt and rows 1 to 8 of stripe sequence 

(see above). 

Beg with stripe sequence row 9, work in patt for a further 

32 [32: 33: 33: 33] cm 

12½ [12½: 13: 13: 13] in 

45 [50: 55: 60.5: 65] cm 

17¾ [19¾: 21¾: 23¾: 25½] in 

18 [19: 21: 23: 24] cm 

(7 [7½: 8¼: 9: 9½] in) 

length less top of sleeve 

46 [47.5: 50: 52.5: 54] cm 

(18 [18¾: 16¾: 20¾: 21¼] in) 

32 [32: 33: 33: 33] cm 

12½ [12½: 13: 13: 13] in 

45 [50: 55: 60.5: 65] c 

17¾ [19¾: 21¾: 23¾: 25 


63

R 

Our Rowan App is available to download 

on the App store and Google play. 


NEWS & EVENTS 

CALENDAR 

For the latest News & Events and 

up to date Knitting Workshop schedules for 

2020 near you please visit knitrowan. 

Due to the current and ongoing situation, we 

recommend that you contact the retailer/venue 

to check the status of an event. 

Calendar 


65

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Rowan Spring Summer 2020 Newsletter

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