I just want to begin by saying thank you! I was overwhelmed by the amazing support that you have shown me during my recent pattern releases and sale, and I appreciate it more than I can say!

I’m beyond grateful for all the support, love and kindness you have all shown me over the last few years!*

The chequered cowl draws its inspiration from the chequered flag. Motorsport has held a special place in my heart, as I used to watch with my dad when I was a young girl. Motorsport was, and still a huge part of my dad’s life, and growing up F1, Moto GP and Superbikes were a weekend TV fixture. When I was started to take an interest Michael Schumacher was an up-and-coming young racer, who was challenging the legend Aryton Senna, while I was too young to really know Senna – I was intrigued when I saw the movies that were made about him and Schumacher. Watching these documentaries, opened my eyes to something I would never have seen as a child, watching racing I saw these legends, heroes who were at the top of their game – but I never saw/understood the motivation. I think growing up when I did, I had this fictionalized idea that I could be anything that I wanted, and that this would be something easy – I had a mistaken idea that a person was simply born with gifts and that they would simply materialize on their own. But as I have gotten older, I have realized that greatness never arises from living a comfortable life. All these champions that I admired and looked up too, they each faced their own challenges, hardships. They did not become champions because they were great, they became great because of the responsibilities that they had to carry, the hardship they faced and often because they felt they had something to prove.
At the time of Aryton Senna’s rise to fame, Brazil was facing hardship, poverty was rampant and this young F1 driver, he became the hope of an entire nation. More than one fan in the film spoke of how he was the best thing about Brazil, the core of his success was not simply the desire to be the best – it was about being a light and a symbol of hope for millions.
Michael Schumacher, was born into very humble circumstances, and grew up driving go-karts with his father, in a poor family, he often looked after his brother, and when he raced, he tried to do this under the most difficult circumstances – using tires he found in the trash, for example. His brother spoke of how the used to ride on slick tires during the rain, which helped him develop unparalleled skills for racing in rainy weather.
So, for me, this cowl is a remember that a person is not born great, they become great – by shouldering responsibility, by overcoming hardship, it is about not giving up and learning how important it is to be a light for others in difficult times.
For the design, while I did not want to have a simple chequered design, I wanted to encapsulate the black and white check, however, and the challenges of the overcoming hardships, or riding through a chicane is embodied by the sharp edges and the staggered illusory image of the central image the design features two distinct chart options. The sample was knitted using chart A.

Materials:
• One 4mm / US size 6 circular needle, 60cm / 24” in length, or size needed to obtain gauge.
• One 3.75mm / US size 5 circular needle, 60cm / 24” in length, or one size smaller than needed to meet the required gauge.
• 5 (6) Stitch markers, optional, one of which is used to mark the beginning of round.
• Tapestry needle for sewing in threads.
• Blocking materials.
• Worsted weight yarn in two colours, approximately 150m (180m) / 164yds (197yds) of the main colour and approximately 120m (145m) / 131yds (159yds) of the contrast colour. The sample is shown in size 1 using Chart A and is worked in Malabrigo Rios - 100% Superwash Merino Wool, 192m / 210yds per 100g, in colourways Vaa (Main Colour) and Natural (Contrast Colour).

Gauge:
22 stitches and 26 rows = 10cm / 4” in stranded knitting, worked with larger needles in the round and blocked.

Size:
Two sizes: 1 (2): The cowl measures 55cm (65cm) / 22” (26”) in circumference and 26cm / 10” in height.