Laura Penrose introduces her glorious new Midland Cardi
We have been long-time fans of the lovely Laura Penrose, of Penrose Knits, so ever since we found out that she was whipping up a brand-new pattern in our yarn – we have been waiting with bated breath to see the finished result.
No surprise, her new Midland Cardigan pattern is a stunner, and we think it looks utterly divine in our Appledore DK, ‘Golden Knob’.
If you ask us, there’s no better way to spend your time than knitting a beautiful item that you know you’ll wear and love year after year. The Midland Cardigan is just that – an oh-so-versatile piece with clean lines and simple, but elegant construction. It’s a year-round staple that will be just as easy to throw over a summer dress or shorts on a chilly spring evening, as it is to layer over cosy winter basics.
We love it in our bright and joyful ‘Golden Knob’ – a sure way to jolly up a dreary winter’s day!
We wanted to catch up with Laura, to ask her about her new Midland Cardigan and see what she has in store for us next!
Hi Laura, could you tell us a wee bit about yourself for any folks who don’t already know you?
Hi! I’m a knitwear designer and content creator and I live in the Midlands, hence the Midland Cardigan! It all started 4 years ago when I randomly decided to film a knitting podcast, now I work full-time designing knitting patterns and sharing my work and life online, whilst also taking care of my two young children. I love creating patterns that not only give a beautiful, finished object, but are enjoyable to knit, I think this is probably the biggest influence on my design choices. I love a challenge, but it still has to be fun!
We are so in love with your new Midland Cardigan, what made you decide to create a pattern like this one?
This design came to me as many of my ideas do, in the small hours of the morning when I should be asleep! I wanted a classic v-neck cardigan that was super wearable, but I didn’t want to purl every other row, so I thought garter stitch could be a good option. I’m still not sure why I went with a sideways construction, but I’m glad I did as it is that perfect combination of challenging and fun. I was a little ahead of my time though, as I didn’t yet have the skills to grade it well enough, so it was put on hold for a year (or two!) while I worked on improving my design skills. It was probably my most challenging design yet, but I’m so pleased with the result and learned a lot about myself as a designer along the way!
How did you find working with Appledore, have you tried it before?
I LOVE Appledore, it was my second time working with it and I think it lends itself so nicely to garter stitch. It blooms so beautifully and the shadow created by the texture of garter stitch really emphasises the depth of colour, particularly with Golden Knob. I am most at home with my neutrals so Golden Knob was a massive step out of my comfort zone, I discovered it’s impossible not to feel happy when wearing such a bright a cheery colour!
I think it works so well with the Midland Cardigan as there is space between the face and the neck line, meaning it doesn’t overwhelm. I’m usually wearing either black trousers or light blue jeans and it pairs so well with both those options.
If you were going to make one in another colour, what would you go for next?
I would love a bright red Midland Cardigan, I think the Exmoor Sock in ‘Peggles’ held double would work really well! A lot of my testers went for warm earthy autumnal colours, so Yarnadelic Worsted in ‘Galleta Guitar’ would be another beautiful option! The gauge of the Midland is really flexible when it comes to yarn weight, though you want to make sure you’re sticking to strong woolly fibres!
You always style your knits so well, how do you like to wear your Midland Cardi?
I usually reach for my Midland Cardigan when I want to feel comfortable but also want to feel put together. I love wearing it with smart trousers and trainers for that elevated casual look, or sometimes I’ll pair it with a mid length satin skirt and some gold jewellery for an evening outfit.
What have you got on the horizon next?
After focusing on homeware and accessories for the past year or two, I’m really looking forward to getting back into garment design in 2025. I have plans to expand the Midland range and I’m really feeling the pull towards texture so perhaps we will see some cables and rib this year! I always prioritise following what makes me happy and when you do that you never really know what’s going to happen next, which is so exciting! I also really want to challenge myself this year by taking part in more events and applying for publications, I might even finally start work on my book, but we will see where the dopamine takes me
Thanks so much for chatting with us Laura!
Here’s where you can find more from Laura and her patterns –
Feel free to have a gander at our Midland Cardigan Kits over on our website and be sure to tag us in your makes!
All photos featuring Laura and her patterns are her own.