Rowan Knitting Patterns

The Rowan look, and the yarns behind it

Rowan patterns have a recognisable character: restrained colour, texture doing the decorative work, and shapes that stay wearable long after a season passes. Much of that comes from the yarns the designs are built on, and it is worth knowing them because the yarn choice tells you what the finished garment will feel like. Felted Tweed is the house classic, a light wool-alpaca-viscose tweed that softens with washing and flatters cables and colourwork; the Maple Cardigan and Tidings sweaters here are typical of it. Kidsilk Haze is the mohair-silk lace yarn used for featherweight sweaters such as the Bonny. Brushed Fleece is loftier and quicker, behind the Belle, Harper and Brooklyn sweaters. Summerlite DK, Cotton Glace and Handknit Cotton cover the summer end, Softyak DK sits soft and drapey in between, and Baby Cashsoft Merino and Cotton Wool carry the baby designs.

Choosing a Rowan pattern by what you want to learn

• A first Rowan project: a baby cardigan such as Cutie Pie or Poppet, small enough to learn the pattern conventions on.
• Speed: a Brushed Fleece sweater, where a chunky lofty yarn covers ground fast.
• Texture: a Felted Tweed cardigan with cables or a textured yoke.
• Drape: a Summerlite DK or Cotton Glace top for warmer months.
• A challenge: a Kidsilk Haze garment, which is beautiful, weightless and unforgiving if you have to rip back.

Reading and sizing a Rowan pattern

Rowan patterns give a full schematic with finished measurements for every size, and that schematic is the thing to trust, not the size label. Measure a garment you already wear across the chest, double it, and match that number to the finished chest measurement to see the ease the designer intended. Tension is stated over 10cm in a specific stitch; if the design is textured, swatch in that texture rather than in stocking stitch, because a cable or a moss stitch panel pulls in significantly.

Substituting yarn

Because these patterns are written to Rowan's yarns, substituting is possible but needs care. Match tension first, then fibre behaviour. Felted Tweed has a dry, slightly rustic hand and blooms when washed; a smooth superwash merino at the same tension will produce a much slicker, heavier fabric. Kidsilk Haze cannot be swapped for a plain 4 ply without changing the whole character of the garment; if you must, hold a fine merino together with a mohair-silk to get near it. Always buy to the metreage listed for your size, keep one dye lot, and add a spare ball if you intend to lengthen the body or sleeves.

Techniques that come up often

Rowan designs lean on a handful of skills repeatedly: neat increases and decreases at raglan lines, picking up stitches evenly for a neckband at roughly three stitches to every four rows, mattress stitch seaming in the project yarn, and simple cable crossings. Colourwork appears in the tweed designs, where stranded floats should be kept loose enough that the fabric still stretches over your hand.

Blocking and care

Block every piece to the schematic before seaming; Felted Tweed in particular relaxes and evens out beautifully when wet, and cables open up. Wash by hand in lukewarm water with a wool wash unless the ball band says otherwise, squeeze out the water in a towel, and dry flat. Kidsilk Haze should never be agitated, since mohair felts. Fold garments for storage rather than hanging, and keep wool with a moth deterrent.

Rowan pattern questions

Are there free Rowan patterns to download? Yes, Rowan releases free downloadable designs and they sit alongside the paid patterns in the LoveCrafts library.

Do I have to use Rowan yarn? No, but the patterns are written to Rowan tensions and quantities, so any substitute must match the stated tension.

Are Rowan patterns suitable for beginners? The baby garments and simple sweaters are very approachable; the textured and colourwork designs assume some experience.

What is Felted Tweed like to knit? Light, slightly dry in the hand, and it softens noticeably after its first wash and block.

How do I choose a size? Use the finished chest measurement on the schematic rather than the size label.