Hand Knits from TV Land

Hand knits have been popping up throughout TV land. This is enjoyable, but frustrating.

Why? Because the camera rarely zooms in close enough to pin point the pattern, stitch combination, gauge and yarn type. It's exasperating.

The surge in TV land knits may in part be due to the Downton Abbey series, which regularly includes some character traipsing about in a knit hat or sweater or shawl. It explains why so many knitters are so passionate about the series. On Ravelry, there are three Downton groups with thousands of members, and at least 39 patterns named after characters or designed to emulate items from the show. If the producers are as savvy as they seem to be, the official Downton Abbey Book of Knitting Patterns is already in the works.

                                                                                                  

The hand knit phenomenon is alive and well in TV land on this side of the pond, too.

In Blue Bloods, Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (played by Tom Selleck) has an ever-growing wardrobe of shawl-collared Aran cardigans. I’ve mentioned the gray one before, and this year, he’s sporting one in a lovely camel shade. (You can see the gray cardigan here.) 

On Elementary, the hip US version of Sherlock Holmes, Lucy Liu plays Watson. Since it’s winter, she wears an ever-changing array of scarves and hats. Are they hand knit? I don’t know, and for some incomprehensible reason the show website doesn’t answer that important question.

Don’t TV executives understand how vital these details are? Or am I the only knitter with this strange obsession?

Earlier this week, I found myself watching a show called … wait while I Google it … The Middle. What was so riveting? One character was wearing an eyelet sweater with an interesting stitch pattern and construction. As soon as the sweater disappeared from the screen, I clicked to a different channel.

Are you paying attention, TV executives? Because you’re missing several significant growth opportunities.

• Want more knitters to watch your show? Dress your characters in interesting hand knit items.
• Want to drive traffic to your websites? Add a section called “See the Hand Knits from Our Show.” 
• Want to generate more revenue? Sell the patterns for all the hand knit items.

There, I’ve shared three highly profitable ideas. (And yes, if you implement these ideas, I expect to see a healthy commission check in my mailbox.)

Now, if it’s not too much to request, would you please ask the cameraman to zoom in on that lovely hand knit cardigan (scarf, hat, cowl, sweater, sock) …