Barbara Harpur, an 81-year-old from Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, is experiencing a sudden surge in popularity for her knitting designs. This interest follwos the appearance of her Newfoundland Guernsey sweater in the Netflix series Below.
17 million views and the stock shortage at Cast On, Cast Off
Netflix reported that the mini-series Below, starring Josh Hartnett, garnered over 17 million views during its first week in October. This massive audience has translated into a tangible retail boom for the Newfoundland and Labrador knitting shop Cast On, Cast Off. According to the report, the shop has struggled to keep knitting kits for Barbara Harpur's patterns in stock since the show's release.
The demand illustrates how a single piece of costume design can trigger a localized economic spike. For a small-scale operation like Cast On, Cast Off, the visibility provided by a global platform like Netflix creates a scale of demand that far exceeds traditional regional sales.
Andy Jones and the 'pitcher plant' cardigan
The specific garment that captured viewers' attention was a cardigan worn by actor Andy Jones. barbara Harpur noted that while she provided several variations of her 25-year-old Newfoundland Guernsey patterrn to the production, Andy Jones specifically selected the "pitcher plant colour." Harpur believes the cardigan's popularity stems from its versatility, noting that the style is suitable for both men and women.
This preference for the cardigan style highlights a broader consumer trend toward comfortable, gender-neutral knitwear. By selecting a specific, vibrant color like "pitcher plant," the production of Below helped transform a traditional garment into a recognizable fashion statement for a modern audience.
From the cod moratorium to More NL Guernsey Patterns
This moment of fame is part of a lifelong commitment to community resilience for Barbara Harpur. Following the Newfoundland and Labrador cod moratorium—an event that displaced thousands of workers from fish plants—Harpur transitioned into teaching machine knitting to help women regain their livelihoods.. As reported by the source, Harpur is continuing this mission of accessibility by partnering with Blackwood Printing to produce her new book, More NL Guernsey Patterns.
By choosing a local print shop over digital-only platforms, Harpur is intentionally bypassing the digital divide. While she has used the online marketplace Ravelry in the past, she believes a physical book is essential for older knitters in Newfoundland who may not be tech-savvy, ensuring the craft remains accessible to all generations.
Abi LeDrew's bar-room encounter with the costume team
Barbara Harpur was not the only local artisan to benefit from the production of Below. Hobbyist knitter Abi LeDrew also had her work featured after a chance meeting with a costume producer at a local bar . LeDrew shared photos of her work from her phone,leading the producer to purchase two pieces—one for the producer's personal use and one for the show's wardrobe.
LeDrew noted that the "worn and rugged" aesthetic of her knitting was a perfect fit for the series' atmosphere. This suggests that the production team for Below sought authentic, non-industrial textures to ground the show's visual identity in the actual environment of Newfoundland.
The missing details on licensing and royalties
While the visibility has clearly boosted sales for shops like Cast On, Cast Off, several details regarding the financial arrangement remain unclear. The source does not specify whether Barbara Harpur or Abi LeDrew received formal licensing agreements or royalties from Netflix for the use of their intellectual property beyond the initial purchase of the garments.
Furthermore, it remains unknown if the production team for Below intends to establish a long-term partnership with Newfoundland artisans or if these collaborations were purely incidental. Whether this serves as a blueprint for future "hyper-local" sourcing in streaming productions remains to be seen.
Comments 0