Chilton Prep School is the catalyst for bringing together the Gilmore family—estranged for years after Lorelai skipped town with her infant daughter at 16 years old. Viewers realize in the very first episode how infrequently the family sees each other when Emily opens the door and asks, “Is it Easter already?” and again when Richard asks only moments later, “What, is it Christmas already?” Determined to ensure her intelligent daughter gets a spot at the coveted co-ed, plaid uniform–wearing private school Chilton, Lorelai—in a rare moment of setting her pride aside—visits her parents in Hartford to ask for a loan for the tuition. The loan agreements include regular Friday night dinners, and a weekly phone call with updates about both Rory’s and Lorelai’s lives. While scary and overwhelming at first, it’s at Chilton that Rory begins to hone her talent as a writer for The Franklin newspaper, embarks on her rollercoaster friendship with Paris, (almost) joins the secret society, meets her future almost-stepfather, Max Medina, and goes on to eventually become valedictorian.

We get to wear uniforms! Plaid fabric within the confines of a knitted construction can have its limitations but also its advantages, like reversibility! This cowl is worked in the round using double knitting to create a double-layered, double-sided fabric with different plaid patterns on each face. On one side, thin white stripes collide on a navy background, with a medium blue giving the illusion of dark and light overlapping, similar to Chilton plaid. The other side is predominantly medium blue with lengthwise white stripes intersecting shorter navy stripes. Although three colors are used in this multi-sized project, each individual round uses only two colors at a time, making it easier than it looks!