Are you as obsessed with the Diana Gabaldon Outlander series as I am? I’ve been reading (and re-reading) these books for close to twenty years now. I love them! It has been so much fun to watch the books come to life through the new tv series on Starz. I love watching these characters I know so intimately come to life and take whole new forms through the show. Have you noticed the knitwear on the show? It seems like there are three stars in this show for me: Jaime, Claire and the knits they are wearing! Every week I tune in and find another piece I want to make!

I started with the cowls that Claire and other female characters wear often to keep warm up in the Scottish Highlands. Back in the 1700’s people were more likely to be knitting on a loom than with needles, so I pulled out my trusty purple rake loom and set to work.

This is LittleMissSunshine modeling (thieving would be a better word) my latest version of the cowl. If you’re new to loom knitting, you can check out my tutorial on loom knitting here. Loom Knitting is so simple even kids can do it–and it is authentic knitting. It was around for centuries before needles came into common usage! Loom knitting is quick too–I can usually knit up a piece this size in just a couple of days. This is big enough that it wraps twice around me as a cowl or once with a twist as a shawl/capelet.

The purple loom is over a foot long, so I only used 14 pegs. This gives it the width you see in Claire’s cowls. I used three skeins of a single worsted-weight yarn to make this. (The skeins were smaller so if you use bigger skeins you may not need more than two.) I used a traditional double knit stitch on the rake loom, but you can use almost any stitch. This braid stitch would bulk it up a bit. I like the traditional knit stitch–it has a beautiful drape to the knit with this single yarn. If you are using a chunkier yarn, one strand is all that is needed–the double knit will make it bulky on its own.

Pattern

Yarn: 3 skeins worsted weight yarn

Cast on 14 pegs.

Knit in stockinette stitch. Repeat until your cowl is 3 feet long. Turn ends together and seam together using a crochet hook or sewing needle. Turn the sides so the seam is inside facing you and wrap!

Altogether it took me *maybe* three days to complete. I tend to knit a couple of hours a day, while watching tv or hanging out with friends. I love it! I can wear this so many different ways. And I feel a bit more like a Sassenach.  <wink>

My inspiration:

If you love the knitwear and want more free patterns, great advice and just plain old Outlander fun, I highly recommend joining the Stitchenachs group on Facebook!

P.S.–My gorgeous little model is also a Sassenach–she’s half British! So I figured I’d let her steal it once in a while. 😀