One of my treasured possessions is an old set of A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner my parents gave me when I was a child. I reveled in the stories, and I still do. As an adult, I grin at the idea that Pooh lived under the name of Sanders, which meant that he had a sign that said Sanders and he lived under it—or that Piglet’s grandfather’s name was Trespassers Will (short for Trespasser’s William). As a child, I accepted these ideas with equanimity and moved right along.

The Forest (which contains the Hundred Acre Woods) was and is an enchanted place, full of friends and gentle adventures. So when I was invited to submit a design with a Forest theme, my mind went there. I did consider other beloved forests—the forests of Middle Earth, Narnia, or Sherwood Forest. But no. Pooh and his friends called to me.

This shawl is a rectangular sampler shawl. There are several different stitches and several different techniques. There is textured knitting, lace knitting, some cabling, and slipped stitch colorwork. It will keep you entertained as you make an accessory that is fun to wear. It was designed for four colors, but it is perfectly possible to do it in more colors if you wish. Sections can be added, subtracted, or expanded as you like!

About the Designer: Jill Bickers

The fact that Jill Bickers is obsessed with knitting is more of a tribute to her stubbornness than anything else. Although her grandmother and her great grandmother were notable knitters, it was not immediately apparent that the knitting gene had been handed down to her knitting.

She felt clumsy and confused, but not to be outdone by a pair of needles and yarn, she kept at it until she “got it.” Having “gotten it,” she put her needles and yarn aside for almost twenty years. The knitting gene reared its head when she picked up her needles once more. She felt like it was coming home and hasn’t looked back.

Though she loves other textile arts, knitting is the one that feels most “right.” She thinks her grandmother and great-grandmother would be pleased.

Jill loves beautiful yarn and has the stash to prove it. She also has a bad habit of starting too many projects and has the project bags to prove that, too. She knits while watching TV, listening to audiobooks, Zooming, in waiting rooms, and in the car (but not when she’s driving).

You can find her designs on Ravelry.