Wicken Fen

Wicken Fen Luxurious Lace Snood by Judy Furlong

What is Being Made

The Wicken Fen is a luxurious lace snood designed by Judy Furlong and first published in The Knitter, Issue 1 (April 2017). A snood is a closed-ring cowl that can be worn around the neck or shoulders, combining elegance with everyday wearability. This particular design creates a sophisticated accessory through the interplay of delicate lace patterning and thoughtful construction.

Construction Method and Techniques

This snood employs a sideways knitting construction method that offers both flexibility and visual interest. The garment is knitted flat from a temporary cast on, worked horizontally to the desired length, and then grafted to form a closed ring. This sideways approach allows knitters to easily customize the finished dimensions without major pattern adjustments. The grafting technique joins the two ends seamlessly, creating a professional finish. Alternatively, knitters who prefer not to graft may use a three-needle cast off or simply sew the edges together after casting on and off loosely.

Stitch Pattern and Lace Details

The lace stitch featured in this pattern is the Japanese Feathers pattern, which is worked repeatedly across the depth of the cowl. The pattern is described as fairly simple, making it an excellent introduction to lace knitting for relative beginners seeking to develop their skills. In the model garment, the Japanese Feathers pattern is repeated 6 times across the cowl's width. The stitch repeat is based on a multiple of 11 stitches plus 4 additional stitches for the right-hand border, with a minimum cast-on of 15 stitches (11 stitches for the pattern repeat plus 4 edge stitches).

Customization Options

The Wicken Fen pattern offers significant flexibility for personalization:

• Length: Knitters can make the snood as long as desired, with the important requirement to finish with Row 27 to leave one row for grafting. If using alternative finishing methods, work the final Row 28 instead.
• Width: The cowl can be made as wide or narrow as preferred by adjusting the number of pattern repeats. Simply maintain a multiple of 11 stitches plus 4 edge stitches.
• Pattern Repeats: While the model shows 6 repeats of the Japanese Feathers pattern across the depth, knitters can increase or decrease this number according to their preferences.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

This pattern is designed for 3-ply lace weight yarn, which creates the delicate, refined appearance characteristic of luxury lace snoods. The lightweight nature of lace-weight yarn allows the intricate Japanese Feathers pattern to drape beautifully while remaining breathable and comfortable for extended wear. Appropriate needles for 3-ply lace weight yarn should be selected according to the specific yarn's recommended gauge.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, the Wicken Fen is accessible to knitters with foundational skills who are ready to explore lace knitting. The Japanese Feathers pattern, while creating an elegant visual effect, uses straightforward lace techniques that build confidence without overwhelming complexity. The sideways construction and grafting technique add intermediate-level skills to the project, making it an ideal stepping stone for advancing knitters.