The City Sophisticate Cowl is the design that starts it all.

Featured in Purls and Peril, the first Maeve Lynch Knitting Mystery, this is the cowl Maeve designs before a quiet knitting group — and a quiet life — unravel into something far more complicated.

Worked in a classic A-line shape using mistake rib, the cowl is narrower at the neckline and gently flares as it widens, creating a flattering drape that sits comfortably over the shoulders without bulk. The texture is simple but elegant, making it an ideal everyday knit that feels polished whether you’re commuting across the city or settling in with needles and tea.

Knit in worsted-weight yarn, the pattern is approachable, adaptable, and forgiving — perfect for relaxed knitting sessions or easy travel projects. The mistake rib stitch creates depth and stretch, allowing the cowl to shine in a wide range of fibers and colours.

Simple to knit, cozy to wear, and endlessly versatile, the City Sophisticate Cowl is a modern classic — and a small but meaningful piece of Maeve’s world you can knit for yourself.

Pattern details:

• A-line cowl with gentle flare

• Mistake rib stitch pattern

• Worsted-weight yarn

• Easily adaptable for length and fit

• Suitable for confident beginners and beyond

Designed by Maeve Lynch for the knitting competition featured in Skeins & Secrets, the Tulip Scarf is an elegant, wearable lace piece with quiet drama and rhythmic ease.

The pattern features a repeating lace motif inspired by a classic stitch from Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary, reimagined into a flowing scarf that balances structure with softness. Knit holding fingering weight yarn and mohair together, the fabric has gentle halo, depth, and beautiful stitch definition without feeling heavy.

Once the lace repeat is established, the scarf becomes a soothing, meditative knit — perfect for confident beginners looking to try lace, or experienced knitters who enjoy watching a pattern bloom row by row.

Pattern details:

• Repeating lace pattern

• Fingering weight yarn held with mohair

• Written instructions with clear repeats

• Designed as a scarf, easily adaptable in length

Inspired by competition, craftsmanship, and the quiet conversations that happen over knitting needles, the Tulip Scarf is a piece that feels just as at home wrapped around your neck as it does on the page.