lead or follow

Here at Quince, we're all huge fans of garter stitch—of the many projects currently occupying every last needle and spare cord in my own home, at least half, if not most, are based in garter stitch. There is a soothing quality to both the process and end result of knitting every row, and it's not just about simplicity or convenience. The resulting fabric itself seems alive—bouncy, spirited, eager to warm. Garter stitch, we adore you.

Today we introduce a new pattern with a hearty helping of garter stitch: Leading Bird, designed by Leah Thibault. This half-pi shawl is perfectly wooly and warm in Owl, with pretty elongated-stitch rows interspersed throughout. Clever use of dropped stitches create the graceful fabric in the border.

Just looking at Leading Bird makes us warm and happy, and we're having fun deciding which would be the perfect color to use for knitting our own. A pretty, light neutral, like Abyssinian or Elf? Or a rich, vibrant color like Barred or Huckleberry?

Our Owl colors are continuing to arrive, slowly but surely; if you don't see the one you want in stock, keep checking, as we expect to keep topping them up just as soon as we possibly can. Or consider Owl Tweet—a tweedier version of Owl, and perfect for substitution.