The Muriel Cowl is one of five patterns in the first cohesive collection from Jess Schreibstein and Claire Moskal’s knitting project Mild Woman.
I feel so honored and thrilled to be a part of this collaborative new venture between Jess and Claire, who are amazing in their own rights, and amongst the amazing Designers whose work also honors the groundbreaking work of women Artists and Designers like Anni Albers, Agnes Denes, Helen Frankenthaler, and Lenore Tawney.
As for the cowl, it’s perfectly described by MW via their introductory Instagram post: “[The #MurielCowl] was inspired by the woman who paved the way in digitizing graphic design and redefining the landscape of electronic communication. As the longtime art director of the MIT Press, Muriel Cooper was known as a “humanist among scientists” for her ability to synthesize information and create connections across seemingly unrelated disciplines – like architecture, economics, biology, computer science and sociology – during the dawn of the Digital Revolution. The meditative pattern of knit stitches in the cowl, like pixels or lines of code, is something we think Muriel would appreciate.”
Inspiration
I’m research and process nerd and will spend hour digging into the stories behind disciplines of all kind. So for you dear reader, I’ll shed a little more light on my design process while developing the Muriel Cowl.
Designed by non-other than Muriel herself, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Press logo was what first caught my eye when I discovered Muriel’s work. It’s such a strikingly recognizable and simplistic icon, the colorwork motif practically designed itself, as happens when there’s a quality design to draw inspiration from! It seems like quite a literal interpretation when you see the logo, but I enjoy (and hope you do to!) the abstraction, and pixelated quality that takes shape with the circular and vertical repeat of the pattern.
The inspiration, and original layout of the logo that I stumbled upon.
The original image of the logo I found looks like it’s possibly a press-proof, and features light caramel squares (probably aged masking tape) in each corner of the portrait layout. This served as a perfect second contrasting color to break up the repeating black and white lines. DK weight also served in defining the colorwork without needing to knit multiple rows to create each stripe of the motif. Intending to knit the sample in an organic wool that offered vivid colors, De Rerum Natura’s Ulysse checked all the boxes and Voila! The rest probably speaks for itself.
The original swatch prior to changing the caramel band to solid stockinette, creating a smooth transition between the motif repeat. Sample was knit with Swans Island Organic DK which is no longer in production.
Each pattern in this collection is artfully designed and has a noteworthy woman who drove the inspiration. All the patterns can be found and purchased directly from Mild Woman’s site, or here on Ravelry.
Update: As of 2022, the pattern rights have been released back to me. I plan on re-releasing the design in the coming months, most on Ravelry and Payhub.
If you’re eager for a copy, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly via megan.barrett.designs@gmail.com