By: Kate Davies Designs
design, Kate Davies Designs, Knitting Wester Ross, Wester Ross, yarn, yarn, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Isle of Ewe (I love you)

A person wearing a knitted vest and a hat stands on a beach, looking out towards the water and islands in the distance, with soft grass and sandy shore visible.

Good morning, and a very happy Friday everyone! Here I am, on wild and windy Firemore beach, looking out towards the island which has lent its name to today’s design – the Isle of Ewe.

A person in a red dress and a blue waistcoat stands confidently on a beach, with hills and a clear sky in the background.

Isle of Ewe is a waistcoat – or vest, if you prefer – with a V neck, buttons . . .and pockets!

A person wearing a red dress and a navy vest stands in a grassy area with a sandy beach in the background, looking thoughtful.

This design is the sleeveless sister of Isle Maree, featuring the same armscye and neck shaping.

Close-up of the back of a sleeveless vest featuring a navy blue knitted section with a white colorwork pattern along the bottom, worn over a red dress.

Isle of Ewe also features a steeked colourwork band, and pocket linings which neatly squirrel away and contain the steek edges.

A close-up of a person wearing a sleeveless navy vest with a patterned colorwork band, paired with a red shirt and tie, set against a natural landscape.

The edging treatment of Isle of Ewe, is however, a little different to Isle Maree: in this design, a band of garter stitch and i-cord is worked all around the armscyes and neckline.

A person wearing a navy blue waistcoat with a patterned lower band, over a red shirt and tie, showing the waistcoat's pockets.

My Isle of Ewe has also been worked to a proportionately shorter length than the Isle Maree sample I showed you last week. This shorter length results in a neat yet easy silhouette that sits equally well over high-waisted trousers or a dress (but remember that you can work the body of Isle of Ewe to any length that works for you!)

A person walking along the beach wearing a red dress with a navy blue waistcoat featuring a patterned band, and a navy beanie hat.

You’ll have noticed that there are a lot of vests and waistcoats, gilets and tabards around in this season’s collections, and I’m very much enjoying incorporating sleeveless garments into my own wardrobe – and design work.

A person wearing a sleeveless navy vest with a patterned hem and a red shirt, looking out at a scenic landscape with blue skies and clouds.

I enjoy a crisp shirt (or crisp shirt waister) with a waistcoat, and adding a masculine tie allows you to just about imagine you might be channelling the inimitable style energy of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall.

A woman stands on a beach wearing a red shirt and a blue waistcoat with a patterned band, looking toward the ocean.

I actually designed, graded, and knitted Isle of Ewe before I began work on Isle Maree, wanting to combine a slightly tailored, set-in sleeve silhouette with a comfortable fit under which a variety of layers might easily be worn.

A woman wearing a navy blue vest with a white patterned band over a red shirt, standing by the beach with a body of water and hills in the background.

This fit involves a bit more ease in the garment than you might imagine: I’m wearing the first size, here, with 5 inches of positive ease. Essentially, you want to be able to close the buttons, and have the garment skim the body and clothing underneath without stretching out.

A person stands on a beach, wearing a red dress and a blue vest with a patterned band. They are accessorized with a blue beanie and a blue tie, surrounded by grassy dunes and a sandy beach in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

I chose a classic two-tone colourway for my Isle of Ewe, combining the Crowdie and Faded Overalls shades of our Schiehallion yarn. We have kits in this colourway in the shop, but I know that my predictable blue and white palette is not everybody’s choice. If you’d like to knit up an Isle of Ewe with your Wester Ross club discount but would prefer a different colourway, we can easily make up a kit for you in your preferred shade combination: just email Maylin, who will sort this out for you: help@katedaviesdesigns.com

A person stands on a grassy area wearing a red outfit and a dark blue vest with a patterned back. They are looking away with a blue beanie hat on, against a backdrop of a blue sky and distant hills.

I’m enjoying wearing my Isle of Ewe, and have found that it’s a garment that also works really well, worn much more casually, as a body warmer over winter base layers. This heart-warming design certainly provided a surprising amount of protection from a chill breeze on Firemore beach!

A person in a red dress and navy vest walks along a sandy beach, holding the leash of a black dog, with a scenic backdrop of hills and mountains under a blue sky.

This is such a great place to get out and about in glorious surroundings, and I’ll be back with club members on Sunday to share some of my favourite Wester Ross short walks.

A person wearing a red outfit and a blue hat walks along a sandy beach next to two black dogs, with a scenic coastal background and clear blue skies.

Until then, enjoy your Friday!

A person in a red outfit is walking on a sandy beach with two dogs, with a scenic coastal backdrop including hills and a clear blue sky.

Isle of Ewe Ravelry pattern page

Isle of Ewe kits in the KDD shop

Discover more from KDD & Co

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