An 81-year-old Newfoundland knitter is riding an unexpected wave of Netflix fame

It’s a lovely, heartwarming full-circle moment for Harpur, who has spent decades sharing her craft. It’s also a reminder that the skills Canadians build over a lifetime can find new audiences, and a new market, when they least expect it.

How did a 25-year-old sweater pattern end up on Netflix?

Harpur’s original Newfoundland Guernsey pattern is more than 25 years old, but getting its close-up on Netflix has given her knitted sweater design a new life.

Below’s costume designer, Courtney Mitchell, found it almost by chance. She first learned about the Newfoundland Guernsey — the province’s own spin on the classic British fisherman’s sweater — online, then tracked down Harpur’s original pattern, which was written up by Lisa Chatzikirou. As luck would have it, Harpur lived just five minutes from the pub the team was using as its costume shop. Mitchell joked that there must be “a separate sort of god in Newfoundland who must be specific to knitwear,” according to the Globe and Mail.

Harpur knit several identical copies of the cardigan for filming herself, in Pitcher Plant, a purplish shade sold only at local yarn shop called Cast On, Cast Off and named for the province’s floral emblem. She’d also made a few variations of the design to give the production options, but Jones had his heart set on that pitcher plant colour.

It was a smart bet. Below, which stars Josh Hartnett, broke Netflix records when it debuted in October, and Netflix says it drew more than 17 million views in its first week.

Harpur isn’t the only local maker on Below, either. Hobbyist knitter Abi LeDrew got chatting with one of the show’s costume producers at a local bar and showed her a few photos on her phone. The producer ended up buying two of LeDrew’s pieces, one for herself and one for the production.

What does a Netflix moment mean for a small Canadian business?

The ripple effect is real and it is a boon for Canadians like Harpur. Cast On, Cast Off has been selling kits for the pattern since Below was released, and it’s struggling to keep them in stock.

Harpur, a proud senior Newfoundlander, has kept community spirit front and centre. She took her new book to Blackwood Printing, about a kilometre up the shore, and asked for an inexpensive print run so her fellow Newfoundlanders could afford it. She has also published on Ravelry, a popular online knitting marketplace, previously, but chose print this time because many people her age aren’t comfortable downloading and printing patterns.

The instinct to help her fellow Newfoundlanders runs deep for Harpur. After Newfoundland and Labrador’s cod moratorium put tens of thousands out of work, Harpur became a teacher, passing machine-knitting skills to women displaced from fish plants across the province.

When does a crafting hobby become a business for the CRA?

Harpur’s story does raise a practical question for any Canadian whose hobby suddenly starts making money.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), business income includes income from any activity you do for profit, and that you must start reporting income once your business starts.

It’s not always obvious when you’ve crossed that threshold. According to the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC), a hobby pursued without the intention of earning a profit generally isn’t taxed, and its expenses aren’t deductible. A hobby that qualifies as a business is reported on Form T2125, and related expenses could be deductible. There are no hard-and-fast rules.