MOLLY CARDIGAN
Molly cardigan is made from 100% British wool which was spun and knitted in the UK. She is incredibly snug, cosy and soft and is designed to be worn and loved for many years.
Molly's shape echoes that of 1950s ski cardigans. Her pretty mandarin collar adds a touch of elegance and the colourfulness of her fairisle pattern makes her distictly Palava. Her buttons are made of pewter and are especially made for us by a lovely lady called Lizzie.
Molly is a limited edition knit. Only 50 of her have been made so she's really rather special.
Naomi is 5'4 and is wearing a size Small.
We suggest you hand-wash or dry clean Molly.
THE MAKING OF MOLLY
We made a little documentary about the making of Molly. It shows our ideas and thoughts behind the her creation and also some of the stages and people that we worked with along the way. If you'd rather read than watch, there is also some more information about her below. Enjoy!
Molly is made from the combined wool of Masham and Blue faced Leicester sheep. It is the combination of wool from these Heritage English breeds that makes a yarn that is both soft and durable - exactly what you want from an a piece of knitwear.
Among the farmers rearing these specialist breeds are Louise and Martin. We visited their farm in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales where they breed the most lovely flock of Masham sheep. A Masham sheep's fleece is crinkly and long and and a soft golden colour - it's really a very beautiful thing to behold. The harsh Yorkshire climate encourages a resilient and strong fleece - the perfect thing for a piece of knitwear designed to last and last.
A sheep's fleece goes through quite a few processes before it is recognisable as the balls of wool we might be familiar with. The fleece must be washed, combed, brushed and combed again. It looks like fluffy clouds of marshmallow at this point. The wool is then spun and twisted. If the wool is to be dyed, this would happen now, too.
Once our yarn is spun, it's sent off to the factory where our design is turned into reality. Technicians work their wizardry on giant knitting machines which are threaded up with all the right colours. The cardigan emerges shape in its component pieces : sleeves, back, front. These pieces are carefully joined in a process called 'linking'.
As soon as the cardigan has been linked together, it goes for a quick wash. We don't use any chemicals or detergents for this - just water. Washing the cardigan in gentle heat makes it fluffy and soft - just way we want it. All that's left now are the finishing touches - buttons are added (ours are hand-cast in pewter by a lovely lady called Lizzie) and labels are stitched. And there you have it! A British jumper, ready to be worn and loved.
