This is the final installment of our 2023 Celtic Knits Club journey, and I think you’re going to love the final two patterns!
Are you ready for a deep dive into celtic cables?
These two patterns have been very difficult to keep under wraps because we’ve really enjoyed the process of designing them. The extra halo from the mohair in the Deas yarn has really added an extra dimension to the cables, giving them a soft depth that we haven’t achieved with our other yarns.
Abhainn agus Talamh (the River and the Land) is our club theme for 2023 and each of the below patterns really embodies the spirit of the club. The Oscail cardigan, pictured in our Sap colourway, echoes Ireland’d twisted trees and earth like that of ancient oaks and hawthorns, while the blue ‘Barrow’ of the Livia Wrap has serpentine rivers travelling along the length of the wrap.
So let’s take a closer look at our celtic cable patterns for 2023:
Oscail Cardigan
The dominant feature of this cardigan is the large, open cable that is entwined up the back. The two front cables are smaller echoes of this larger one that divide the big cable in have for each side of the front.
Oscail is the Irish for ‘open’, and this is echoed in this cable, which is large but very open and expansive, creating an interlocking trellis. If you’d like to know more, just press play on this video:
Oscail Cardigan Construction
This cardigan is worked in one piece from the bottom up, straight until the underarm gussets where extra room is added. Then the upper body opens up into a v-neck shaping with a dropped shoulder.
The sleeves are then worked in the round from the top down with a single cable worked on the top. They are generously sized to create a comfortable, relaxed fit. We finish this cardigan off with a front edging worked all the way around, including the buttonholes.
This cardigan is designed to be a relaxed comfortable fit, and generously sized. For the adventurous knitter it would even be possible to add some short rows at the back of the neck to add a shawl collar!
As always, modification tips and ideas are housed in our accompanying workshops.
Livia Wrap
The Livia Wrap is named after the fictional spirit of the River Liffey – Anna Livia, or Anna Livia Plurabelle.
This river runs through both Eimear’s home town in Co Kildare, and Dublin City where she now lives – both settlements grew in these locations because of this river.
The wrap is worked in a parallologram shape, with tapered ends: adding extra length without bulk, and allowing for more versatility in wearing the wrap.
Behind the Livia Wrap Design
The stitch motifs used in the Livia Wrap are inspired by the theme of ‘Abhainn agus Talamh’ – or River & Land and these cables have a deeper meaning within this shawl design.
The parallel waving cable motifs, to the side of the wrap, are inspired by graphic representations of land and rivers: illustrations of waves of water, animated flowing rivers, wave motifs of sashiko embroidery, curving lines on maps to show the topography of a landscape, distinct layers of soil exposed by archaeological digs.
The course of a river is determined by the landscape.
A river enhances the shape of that landscape, carving into soil and rocks, and depositing silt, affecting land fertility, and animal and human populations.
Historically, human settlements have often been located near rivers for access to water, food and transport. This human activity has further changed the appearance of the landscape.The braid motif, often used in traditional Aran knitting, is a nod to this interwoven relationship.
These cables are worked over backgrounds of seed stitch, and reverse stocking stitch, adding simple textures to highlight the cable motifs.
Will you ever look at cable knitting patterns the same again?
If you’re interested in finding out more about our previous Celtic Knits Club 2023 patterns, you can find more information on the Cape Clear Cowl here and our Inis Beg set here.
Not in the Club?
You’re in luck!
Even if you didn’t join the full club earlier this year, the digital club is still available!
You’ll get 5 patterns with extensive video workshops (over 35 videos for the Oscail cardigan alone!!) as well as access to our exclusive forum.
Will we see you inside?
MEET OUR FEATURE DESIGNER
EIMEAR EARLEY
Eimear lives in Dublin, Ireland, with two small humans and a supportive spouse. Eimear originally learned to knit as a schoolchild, dabbling with leftovers of yarn and absolutely no concept of gauge or ease during her teenage years. After spending her student years playing with molten glass, she now gets her creative kicks from knitting and spinning wool – much more practical pursuits. Eimear loves to reinterpret old Irish things into modern knitwear, from ancient gold artefacts to less ancient cable knitting.
You can keep up to date with all of Eimear’s designs and publications here.