We’ve all heard of the slow food movement, but what about the slow wool movement? That’s the inspiration behind These Islands: Knits from Ireland, Scotland and Britain, recently released by Cork publishing house Anchor and Bee.

Featuring seven knitting patterns and one weaving pattern, projects include a preemie baby hat, crossthatched cowl, folklace shawl, mitts and boot cuffs, all inspired and made with locally and ethically processed wool from the fleece of Irish, Scottish and British sheep.

Designers involved in the project include Sara Breitenfeld, Suzanne McEndoo and Evin Bail O’Keeffe, who are well-known within craft circles.

Frontier Shawl

Sara Breitenfeldt of Smudge Yarns in Cork shares her pattern for her frontier shawl from These Islands. Smudge Yarns are available to buy from SmudgeYarns.com as well as The Constant Knitter in Dublin and Knit Midleton in Cork.

This pattern is perfect for those new to knitting shawls. It follows a basic recipe of increases, that results in the classic triangular shape.

The garter stitch rows add just enough variation to catch the eye, but do not detract from the complexity of a hand-spun yarn.

  • • Tools: 5.5mm or 9 US knitting needles.
  • • Materials: 382yds (350m)/200g Smudge Yarns hand-dyed Fractal handspun DK weight yarn (10 wpi).
  • • Gauge for 10cm x 10cm: 21sts high, 14sts wide.
  • • Finished size: 20in long, 50in wingspan.

    • Cast on three stitches.

    1 Purl all stitches.

    2 K1, YO, K1, YO, K1.

    3 Purl all stitches.

    4 (K1, YO) four times.

    5 Purl all stitches.

    6 K1, YO, K3, YO, place marker, K1, place marker, YO, K3, YO, K1.

    7 K2, purl to last two stitches, K2.

    8 K1, YO, knit to marker, YO, slip marker, K1, slip marker, YO, knit to last stitch, YO, K1.

    Continue to work rows seven and eight in stockinette stitch for 5in, then work six rows in garter stitch (knit all stitches on row seven instead of purl), then continue in stockinette stitch for 5in, work six rows in garter stitch, knit three more inches in stockinette stitch, knit four rows in reverse stockinette stitch and bind off. Weave in the ends, then block the finished shawl to help shape it.

    These Islands: Knits from Ireland, Scotland and Britain is available to buy at €10 from Knit Midleton and Anchor and Bee. For further information, visit www.anchorandbee.com.