Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 1 day ago
Newfoundland knitter’s cardigan gains attention on Netflix
Barbara Harpur, an 81-year-old knitter in Newfoundland and Labrador, is gaining new attention after her cardigan appeared in Netflix’s mini-series Below.
The design is a Newfoundland version of the traditional British fisherman’s sweater, and Harpur created the original pattern more than 25 years ago.
Costume designer Courtney Mitchell found the pattern online and asked Harpur to knit copies for filming; actor Andy Jones wore one in a purplish shade called Pitcher Plant.
Below drew more than 17 million views in its first week, giving the design a much larger audience.
A local yarn shop has been selling kits based on the pattern and is struggling to keep them in stock.
Harpur has also prepared three new variations and a printed pattern book, More NL Guernsey Patterns, which is set to arrive soon.
Barbara Harpur, an 81-year-old knitter from Newfoundland and Labrador, is gaining attention after her cardigan appeared on Netflix’s mini-series Below.
The cardigan is based on Harpur’s Newfoundland Guernsey pattern, which is more than 25 years old.
Below costume designer Courtney Mitchell found the pattern and asked Harpur to knit copies for filming.
Netflix said the series drew more than 17 million views in its first week.
A local yarn shop has been selling kits for the pattern since the show’s release and has struggled to keep them in stock.
- Who
- Barbara Harpur, an 81-year-old knitter from Newfoundland and Labrador.
- What
- Her knitted cardigan appeared on Netflix’s mini-series Below and has drawn attention to her pattern.
- When
- The articles were published October 19, 23 and 24, 2026. The series debuted in October.
- Where
- Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador; the cardigan appeared on Below.
- Why
- Costume designer Courtney Mitchell found Harpur’s pattern and selected the cardigan for the show.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Harpur’s original Newfoundland Guernsey pattern was created.
Harpur knitted several copies of the cardigan for the production.
Below debuted on Netflix and drew more than 17 million views in its first week.
Cast On, Cast Off has sold kits for the pattern and struggled to keep them in stock.
- Knitter
- Barbara Harpur, 81
- Pattern
- Newfoundland Guernsey, more than 25 years old
- Series
- Below, on Netflix
- First-week views
- More than 17 million
- Yarn shop
- Cast On, Cast Off
3 sources
What people are saying
a separate sort of god in Newfoundland who must be specific to knitwear