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Date: Friday, 21 May 2010 12:02
Brooklyn Tweed is moving to a clean, fresh space -- one that is integrated into the structure of the rest of my website. Please stop by and check out my new digs and be sure to update your bookmarks, feed readers, etc!
Stay tuned in the new space for a pattern or two...
See you there!
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Friday, 07 May 2010 14:21
Today's sweater is a rare and special bird. Last Fall I was given the opportunity to produce an art-sweater for ESOPUS magazine -- a very special publication that is produced by the ESOPUS foundation here in New York (read more about the ESOPUS Foundation here). I spun my wheels on this project for quite a while trying to think of a way of incorporating knitting into the publication in a fresh and interesting way. After enduring a long creative void, I found myself thinking about the Exquisite Corpse process-drawings that were done by Surrealists in the 1920's
The Exquisite Corpse is a collaborative process in which multiple artists create a single image (typically the human figure) in sequence with one another. Each artist is permitted only a glimpse at the contribution of the previous artist without knowing its connection to the whole. The imaginative drawings that are created in this way are spontaneous, random, and very interesting.
With this process in mind came the spark of an idea for a design experiment that resulted in the sweater you see photographed here.
I got in contact with a few of my favorite indie-designers to see if they were up for a design challenge: to create a collaborative garment in random sequence working directly off of the piece or pieces that were presented to them from the previous designer. Starting with a general set of garment dimensions provided by me (so that the garment would fit the body at the conclusion of the process) each designer was given complete creative freedom for their portion of the sweater.
I chose a bulky, rustic sheepswool in hopes that the materials would inspire textural experimentation and highlight the multi-directional quality of the fabrics. As you can see from the images, the garment is a veritable explosion of texture!
The designers who collaborated on this project, each from a different location around the country, were: Connie Chang Chinchio, Tanis Gray, Carrie Hoge, Melissa LaBarre & Elli Stubenrauch.
Below is a schematic of the finished garment, a Dolman cardigan, and how each designers contribution comes together to create the finished whole.
It was a wonderful experiment and created a garment that I find interesting for so many reasons. The magazine is accompanied by a gallery show in which all pieces from the current issue are on view at the ESOPUS space in New York. For those readers who are local, click here for the show information if you'd like to see the physical garment on view at the gallery.
I want to give a special thank you to all the designers who joined me to put this together as well as my lovely model (does she look familiar? Yes, that's famed Cookie A. looking fierce).
The garment is a true one-of-a-kind and the result of each designers immediate response to the garment pieces as they were presented to them. I hope you enjoy it!
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Monday, 03 May 2010 12:48
I'm so happy to share with you a new lace design that was published this week -- I've been itching to show you photos ever since I finished it in January. I designed this lace triangle for Veronik's second issue of St. Denis Magazine and got another chance to use her lovely wool Nordique.
I love yarns that sport rich, full palettes and Nordique sure delivers where color is concerned. In the dead of winter, when nights seemed endless and I had woolly lace on the brain, this amazingly rich burgundy was the perfect inspiration and spurred many long winter evenings of lace knitting.
At the time, I was feeling particularly scrappy and wanted to design a lace project that would give me a good challenge to sink my teeth into. What resulted is a piece that is not for the faint of heart! The majority of the lace motifs are true knitted lace in the traditional sense, meaning that the patterning falls on every row (both RS and WS), with no free stockinette rows in between.
Because the triangle is knit flat (back and forth) and patterned on both sides, it requires a bit more concentration than your average lace project and does involve getting familiar with directional decreasing from the Wrong Side (Slip, Slip, Purl & Purl 2 Together), but if you're up for a challenge this one is for you!
The magazine is a wonderful issue and full of designs from some of my favorite designers -- be sure to check out some of the other patterns from this issue on Ravelry here. To look up project details just for the Juneberry Triangle, click here.
Veronik has also already knit a stunning version of the same pattern in her new, lighter-weight yarn Boreale that is fantastic! How wonderful it is to knit lace in a variety of different gauges and yarn constructions. The Nordique version is warm and woolly with a more substantial 'fabric' feel. From what I can tell of the ice blue Boreal version, it's delicate, feather-light lace at its finest!
The triangle is finished with a wide, traditional knitted-on edging in place of a conventional bind-off to keep every part of the fabric equally elastic and to provide some directional contrast.
Juneberry continues my nostalgic fascination with bobbles... this was an experimentation in bobble-laden lace patterns and has a very berry-like texture as a result. I think it feels sophisticated while remaining fun and playful at the same time. I hope you enjoy it!
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Monday, 03 May 2010 12:45
I've spent a lot of time over the last two months giving the patterns in Made in Brooklyn a complete make over for their release as individual PDF downloads. I'm very happy with the result, and even happier to announce that they are all now available both through my Ravelry store as well as BrooklynTweed proper.
One of the most beautiful things about PDF downloads is that there are no page restrictions. Thanks to my rather verbose style of writing patterns, I really pushed the limit on my page-count when writing the print-version of the book, which ended up significantly affecting the size of the charts which was, while understandable, a real bummer.
That said, the biggest change to the patterns is definitely chart size and clarity -- in most cases they have been re-illustrated and blown up to have their own, spacious page to spread out on. The texts have also been given more breathing room and in some cases have been extended. Each pattern begins with a Pattern Blueprint page which lists all the specifics about the garment and needed materials and includes an alternate photograph as well as a large, clear schematic.
As mentioned above, all the patterns are available either through my Ravelry store or through BrooklynTweed.net -- follow the buttons below to visit either:
I worked closely with a tech editor for all the new layouts and corrected any existing errata that was present in the 1st edition of the print version. I hope you enjoy them and thank you so much, as always, for your continued support!
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
I figure I might as well use this post to discuss a few of the other things that I've been meaning to bring to your attention:
Social Media: I finally got around to setting up a Facebook page (took long enough, right?) -- please feel free to stop by or to become a fan if you're a Facebook user. I plan on using it as an alternate way of posting my teaching schedule and teaching-related announcements (Dates are also always posted on my website), as well as other informal announcements, snapshots, etc.
And if that isn't enough social media for you, you can also catch Brooklyn Tweets (sorry, I had to) on Twitter here, if you're into that sort of thing.
Pattern Wholesale: In the last 6 months I've been wholesaling many of my designs to Local Yarn Shops. If you are a shop owner and interested in wholesaling print patterns, please send me an e-mail and I'll be happy to put you in contact with my distributor.
Phew! I think that's all the housecleaning for the day... although I'll expand this post if I realize there is anything that I've forgotten, which there most likely will be.
Thank you!
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 2010 16:07
Shortly after returning from vacation, I completed work on this simple handspun triangle. Since I was shooting to use up every last bit of this special yarn, I waited until I was home again and armed with my trusty kitchen scale to aid in calculations so that every last yard could be enjoyed, stress-free.
It's probably no surprise to anyone, but a simple shape of fabric with a good wool and suitable texture is a recipe for success every single time in my book. Simple knitting allows for the enjoyment of the special characteristics of our materials and I think this might just be one of the things that keeps me devoted to my knitting. One of the many things.
This piece was worked in the standard method, starting with just 10 stitches at center-top and increased regular along both edges as well as the center 'spine' to create a simple triangle. I love working from the top down (from the top 'out' seems more appropriate in this case) when you know you have limited yardage and want to stay in control of your process. By working with with a scale and measuring the remaining grams of unworked yarn remaining, you have good solid numbers telling you when you need to start thinking about binding off. This scenario is almost always better to me than spending the last 20% of the project wondering if there will be enough yarn to get me across the finish line.
The simple stitch pattern is a subtle variation of garter stitch -- knitting, knitting, knitting, and purling every 6th row (or every 3rd RS row) to create a 'valley' in place of every third Garter Stitch Ridge. I think this stitch pattern is beautiful in its simplicity and highlights the diagonal directional fabric in a sweet way. I kept the first and last 3 stitches of each row (the stitches running along the top, flat edge of the triangle) in pure Garter Stitch and ended with 3 consecutive ridges to give a touch of weight to the outer edge of the shape.
I estimate that I used approximately 275 yards of a very light, handspun 2-ply yarn, the weight of which danced around between a DK-weight and a light-worsted weight, as handspun yarns tend to do. I loved the lightness of this yarn and wanted to play that up by knitting it at a looser-than-average gauge and block the finished piece as for lace. The result is a feather-light fabric that is toasty-warm and wooly-soft. Surprisingly soft for a Romney, but that has a lot to do with the amount of air that is trapped in the finished yarn.
The finished dimensions of the piece came out to about 43 inches across the top, flat length of the triangle, and a 21 inch depth at the center 'spine'. Perfect size for a wool-lovers alternative to a bandana, no?
I don't know if I'll ever stop singing the praises of blocking wires -- their precision in making perfectly symmetrical shapes while blocking brings me an unlimited amount of satisfaction. They really play to my inner Geometer. To maximize the blocking potential, I worked a sewn bind-off for as much added elasticity as possible. Traditional bind-offs, when worked along the perimeter of larger pieces that will be blocked severely is a recipe for disaster. The sewn bind off, while taking a bit longer to execute is so absolutely worth the fuss.
Wool-wearing weather is beginning to slowly retreat, but at least this little triangle will provide a graceful (desperate) transition before the official hibernation of my cold-weather wardrobe.
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Saturday, 10 Apr 2010 14:16
I travel a lot, but rarely for the express purpose of vacationing. My considerations for travel-knitting, in general, are designs that are in-process works that are at a point where a significant amount of mindless, or at least not-difficult-to-record knitting is in store. This way, I get 'work' knitting done without having to sit in front of Illustrator or InDesign, activities which I prefer to do only on the Homefront.
So, when a true Vacation came along I thought my travel knitting should reflect this change, and I decided to bring simple, 100% pleasure-knitting that required no pattern, no notes, and very little brainwork. I wanted projects that were geared towards my hands and allowed enjoyment of the simple act of knitting. And oh how wonderful it was!
I took small amounts of two special yarns that were both worthy of a special occasion. First, one beautiful skein of Buffalo Gals Yarn -- a very special 2-ply Bison/Merino yarn, hand-dyed by Fiber Sage Judith MacKenzie McCuin -- which I was fortunate enough to acquire directly from the source (Judith's hands) and have been savoring ever since. The other, my recently spun Romney 2-Ply, which is as light as a feather and wonderfully woolly.
I fell deeply in love with Judith's dye work, and this rust orange skein stole my breath. Bison, as it turns out, takes dye incredibly well and this skein seemed to almost shimmer with some other-worldly presence (again, I attribute this to Judith's sage-like energy.)
Armed with one beautiful skein, I threw a prized set of Ebony needles into my luggage and started thinking of the possibilities for something luxurious and simple. A feast for the fingers! I ended up deciding to knit a top-down hat in a simple waffle-stitch pattern. The yarn is a sport weight and creates a beautiful, light-weight and butter-soft fabric. A perfect companion for being in the passenger seat of a car for miles of Italian Autostrade.
Alternatively, the skein of Romney created just enough variety to keep me constantly entertained, bouncing between two projects from day to day. For this, I began work on a simple, almost-garter-stitch triangle. Because I had limited amounts of both yarns, I decided to work both projects from the top down (in the triangle's case, from top-center, opposite of Triangle Tip) and work mindlessly until I used up all of my yarn. I love working in this way -- armed with a simple kitchen scale, you can always be sure of using as many yards as is possible without having to spend the last 20% of your knitting time biting your nails, wondering if you'll have enough yarn to finish.
I didn't complete either project on my trip, which was a good lesson toward learning that I often need less yarn than I think I will while on the road. I have, since being home, just about finished both projects with very satisfying results.
Also, upon return, I was stricken by an incredible urge to have some Unspun Icelandic yarn back in my life (this is what happened the last time), and ordered yarn for a new lace project in this lovely stuff. It reminds me of a chocolate layer cake.
Unspun Icelandic Wool ranks high on my list of favorite yarns, largely because it is so unique and unlike anything else out there for knitters. The majority of the yarn is air, after all!
So, it turns out that I ended up learn something important from vacationing -- keeping it simple, even though my instincts were screaming to bring more yarn, was absolutely the perfect choice for enjoying knitting every day and savoring every stitch of these special yarns.
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Thursday, 01 Apr 2010 14:03
I'm home after a wonderful week of adventures -- simple knitting projects, simple foods, and many a click on the old odometer (people drive fast in Italy) -- oh what fun! I took the opportunity of being in the middle of such a visually rich country (texture, texture everywhere) to shoot some new accessory patterns that I've been working on this Winter. I'm happy to introduce Dryad -- which has become an instant wardrobe luxury around BT headquarters, even despite the slow thaw that brings Spring.
In the Fall I found myself frequently experiencing the urge for a serious cabled scarf -- one that pulls out all the stops and doesn't apologize for being dramatic. I wanted something wide and long, with big, plump cables that still retained a non-oppressive weight and elegant drape. As is usually the case, finding the right yarn for the job was the key to solidifying design, and made all of the above listed requirements possible.
The scarf is knit with Blackstone Tweed, new from Berocco last Fall, a yarn that is special and unique and in my opinion stands out among the commercially available tweeds. Blackstone Tweed has a rustic look, but a surprising drape and hand, due in part to its interesting fiber composition (Wool, Superkid Mohair, Angora). Don't be fooled though, this is not your average mohair/angora sneezy fuzzfest. The yarn is prepared with minimal halo and a lightly spun, crisp hand. The touch of angora (just 10%) adds amazing softness and really makes this a luxurious material. The drape that can be achieved, even in heavily cabled fabric is something definitely worth taking a second look at!
All that said, it makes a perfect fit for a scarf that may otherwise be overly heavy or rigid. Even with 6-stitch cables, which begin to be voluptuously plump, the fabric still drapes and moves beautifully, and is quite visually appealing as well. A great color palette doesn't hurt either.
Back to my ever-present desire to be swathed in cables: this one definitely fits the bill. In general, I usually wait to absorb a new piece of knitting into regular wardrobe rotation until the pattern is written and the photo shoot complete... not only as a way to keep the work fresh for its close-up, but also to trick myself into getting the work done faster. This scarf has been burning a hole in my pile of finished knitting and I'll be honest that I've been wrapped up in it ever since we wrapped the shoot. Even indoors. Which makes me think I may have a problem.
The pattern has been provided for three differing lengths: 60, 75, and 90 inches. All sizes have a width of approximately 8.5 inches. The sample shown is the long version and can be wrapped and wrapped if you require a nest of cabled fabric around your face. If you're less about the drama, a shorter version can be worked without problem.
The pattern is now available in my Ravelry Store here, and will be available through BrooklynTweed downloads shortly. Pattern instructions for this piece are charted.
Thanks also to my dear friend Sara for modeling -- a Contemporary Italian Literature Scholar and truly fashionable Tuscan -- she wears knitting quite well, wouldn't you say? We shot these photos on location in a tower-filled, Medieval hilltown outside of Siena.
I hope you enjoy!
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Thursday, 18 Mar 2010 23:21
I've been scurrying around the US so much in the last few weeks that I completely forgot to mention that I have two patterns that are now available as PDF downloads in my store, both on Brooklyn Tweed and on Ravelry.
The Alberta vest was published last year in Wild Fibers Magazine and can now be purchased as a stand-alone pattern.
Upon request I've also made the Wool Leaves Baby Blanket available as well, for any of you who were interested in making one too! There are links below to both Ravelry as well as BT.
* * * * * *
A L B E R T A
on Ravelry | on BrooklynTweed
W O O L L E A V E S
on Ravelry | on BrooklynTweed
* * * * * *
As for me, I'm currently having that frantic moment before a long trip when you have to decide what (oh, what) knitting to bring. I tend to always overcompensate and bring too much, so I'm trying to be reasonable. I won't finish 3 lace shawls on vacation. I know that. And I can exercise control to be away from said shawls for a week... in theory.
I'll be back at the end of the month. Until then, I'll be knitting (and eating) in Italy. Have a wonderful week!
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Wednesday, 17 Mar 2010 17:54
The organization of yarn inevitably meant the organization of projects (major bonus), which meant that I've been stricken by that wonderful feeling of falling-in-love-all-over-again (or what I like to call Knitter's Christmas). When a project that we once fell out-of-love with comes rushing back into our lives and we see it with fresh eyes as we once did. One previously stalled project of mine gave me the familiar rush and has been welcomed back onto the regular roster of nightly knitting with open arms.
My thick-and-thin handspun corriedale lace blanket dates back to circa Spring of 2008, as best as I can tell, and is just the type of project I've been craving lately. It's already large enough that I can use it as a lap blanket as I work. I consider this a major plus.
The construction is almost identical to the Bridgewater Shawl from Made in Brooklyn, and in fact when I was starting work on the book I still had this piece knocking around in my head. Aside from the obvious difference in materials and a simpler knitted-on edging, there is virtually no difference between how the two pieces are constructed. Which is yet another example of my favorite part about lace -- the same piece can be completely different with decidedly different materials. Each more delicious than the other!
I originally put this project aside because I ran out of yarn and didn't feel up to spinning more right away... which in turn meant that this fluffy cloud of handspun got inadvertantly buried and has been lying dormant ever since.
The construction is almost identical to the Bridgewater Shawl from Made in Brooklyn, and in fact when I was starting work on the book I still had this piece knocking around in my head. Aside from the obvious difference in materials and a simpler knitted-on edging, there is virtually no difference between how the two pieces are constructed. Which is yet another example of my favorite part about lace -- the same piece can be completely different with decidedly different materials. Each more delicious than the other!
So, yes -- I've fallen for it again, which leads me to my next admission: I've been having a love session with my Spinning wheel this week. I went back to spin up the remaining Corriedale fiber so I could finish my blanket... but when the yarn came off the wheel and was ready to knit, I didn't feel like stopping. So I consulted my humble fiber stash and just kept spinning.
And I've been spinning all week! It feels fresh and relaxing and is the perfect activity for sitting next to the window and enjoying the wonderful sunlight (after endless days of monsoon rain) that reminds me Spring is almost here.
I've spent the last few days spinning up a some beautiful, smokey Romney that a friend had given me last Summer. The wool is a perfect warm-grey heather and light as a feather while being very warm (my favorite combo.)
I've spun up about 300 yards of dk-weight 2-ply, lightly plied and can barely wait for it to dry so I can get it on my needles and start making fabric. In a few days I'll be leaving for a ... wait for it... VACATION (I can hardly believe it myself) and I think this handspun will be my treat for mindless vacation knitting.
As for the lace blanket -- I'm closing in on her. I have a little less than half the edging to finish, although I'm worried I might run out of yarn (again) just before the end.
But you know what? I'm happy to spin more right now... just in case.
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Monday, 08 Mar 2010 12:07
After days and days of honest (and sometimes tortured) sorting, I feel like I've been through a gauntlet and come out on the other side amazed at what was lurking in the depths. When you commit to giving your stash a deep-cleaning you expect to feel organized afterwards... but what I wasn't expecting was how inspired my own stash has made me. Assessing the whole scope of it caused me to start making connections between yarns that have probably never even been in the same room with one another.
Aside from being organized, I'm now living amongst a beautiful palette of wools that has my head spinning with ideas.
Aside from being organized, I'm now living amongst a beautiful palette of wools that has my head spinning with ideas.
I was lucky enough to be able to find grateful hands for all the yarns that were jettisoned, which is probably the reason for the sense of lightness that I now feel, and ended up donating a small amount of yarn to a local charity. All that remains are yarns that I'm absolutely itching to work with - oh what a feeling!
The crown jewel of them all: I rounded up all my Shetland yarns and put them together in color groups (shown above) -- what a thing of beauty! I couldn't resist taking photo after photo of these amazing colors all lined up together. A kid in a candy store comes to mind.
Better than a box of truffles
It looks like there's nothing left to do but start nibbling...
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Monday, 22 Feb 2010 16:41
Is there anything more humbling, dare I say embarrassing, at least for a knitter than coming face to face with the whole of your Knitting Materials? This would include Stash (all of it), unfinished projects (old, new, and reaaaally old), & Tools both large and small (everything from swifts and winders to all 18 of your floating tapestry needles). Well this is what happens when knitters move. And generally the amount of years you've lived in your own Knitting Paradise exponentially increases the scope of just how many loads you'll be making out to that van.
Aside from about 13 days of travel, my life has been eaten by a stressful urban move. And while I absolutely love the architecture of Brooklyn brownstones, and wouldn't trade them for anything, Moving Day is probably the only time I find myself truly cursing the day I ever heard the term "3rd flood walk-up". And when you move from one "3rd floor walk-up" to another, by my math, it's more like a "6th floor walk-up". Multiply that by every box of yarn you own (knitting books too) and you might find yourself wistful and dreamy for even the smallest of elevators.
Of course it's not all drama, especially in hindsight. I'm in a place with great light and more space (for all that yarn) and while it's easy to complain, I really do appreciate a good purge every few years. Which brings me to today's post about being honest about what we have, and more importantly what we, as knitters, need.
It makes sense that our knitting palettes become more refined as our craftsmanship does. That happens in any artistic discipline. And in studying what I've held onto over the years, I began doing what I do whenever I'm faced with an overabundance of information -- organizing and categorizing. In doing so, I've started to notice that my stash (which I used to brag as very modest... somehow I don't feel comfortable with this description any longer) falling into three main groups.
The first is the group that is most obvious and, I think, most important. Those are yarns that really excite me. Often recent acquisitions, or older, special acquisitions that still retain that spark that gets ideas running around like crazy in my head. These are the yarns that usually live on top of a given pile or drawer, or at least are never far enough away that I can't have immediate access to them. These yarns have no surprises -- I know I have them, I know I want them, and I know I'd make a fuss if someone took them away from me. These yarns have evolved with me and I believe are very valuable in terms of how I use my time as I continue to make projects with my collection of materials.
The second group is actually the hardest for me to reconcile. These are yarns that, at one time or another gave me The Spark, but have not retained it as I've grown as a knitter. These are yarns I definitely still like a lot, but I wouldn't say I love, or couldn't live without (if I'm really honest). These are the yarns I'd be grateful for if I ended up stranded in the arctic with nothing but yarn and time... but the yarns that,over the long run, will probably end up taking up the most room and take the longest time for me to give away because I *might* use them. When I finally do end up stranded in the Arctic and somehow my yarn is magically there with me, maybe I'll kick myself for getting rid of much of this group, but until that happens, I probably will appreciate the extra space (both physical and headspace) they allow.
The third group is easy -- it's the group that randomly finds its way in and sneaks around my generally thorough screening process (which, when you're living small, is very very important). This includes all the yarn that has been given to me when people are cleaning their apartments and know that I'm a knitter, or yarns that were so reasonably priced that I couldn't bear to see them go to waste, even though that's kinda what they're doing anyway. Now they're just doing it in my closet. Or they could just be those few odd mystery "What-Was-I-Thinking" skeins. There are some of those too.
All this to say that I'm being diligent and most of all honest with myself about what I need and what is surely overabundance. Too much yarn sitting un-knit starts making me feel nervous and greedy, especially if I think how much more beautiful this yarn is in the hands of someone who is enjoying every stitch.
Among other things that were lurking in the shadows: baskets of unfinished projects, some of which I promptly frogged for salvaging yarn (Group 1), and others that genuinely got me excited again and have rematerialized alongside my current project baskets.
And then there was my trusty (dusty) minstrel... just waiting to be used to turn all that excess fiber (did I mention, there is fiber too?) into more... yep, yarn.
I'm committing to at least giving this all a good try and passing on some wonderful materials to appreciative fingers. And with the survivors of the purge? Well I think I'll just get knitting with those.
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Wednesday, 20 Jan 2010 16:22
At this point I'm starting to accept that being stranded in an airport due to cancelled flights/blizzards is fast becoming my new holiday tradition. That said, I guess I should also say that off-the-cuff, knitting-is-my-only-sanity gift projects are also becoming a customary form of combat when faced with this unfortunate and mind-numbing fate.
This year, I willed myself to knit through the stress with something simple that would take care of one of the many handknit gifts I had planned on getting done by December 25th but, well, never quite got around to. In need of simple, mindless, therapy knitting, a giant swatch seemed just the ticket. After all, that's all a baby blanket really is, right?
I've been binging on a generous diet of wool lace recently so this was naturally already where my brain was. Since fine yarns and detailed patterns were out of the question under such duress, I grabbed a leftover skein of Ecological Wool, conveniently pre-wound into a center pull ball (always travel prepared), took one end from each side and started knitting a chunky and fast project on 13's with yarn held double.
Instant stress relief.
The result isn't the most heart-stopping piece of knitting I've ever seen, but it served it's purpose, both for me and its little recipient, very well. The center rectangle is a simple Shetland Leaf pattern, trimmed with double-seed stitch on all sides. I really meant it when I said Giant Swatch.
And by the time we finally landed on the other side of the country... it was blocking time.
There's definitely more interesting lace knitting on my needles at the moment, (including a color that I've fallen head-over-heels in love with and must photograph for your viewing pleasure) but sometimes keeping it simple makes for such welcome company.
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Friday, 01 Jan 2010 16:27
A very happy new year from BT Headquarters. Thank you all so much for your continued support and inspiration this year -- I am so very grateful.
2010 has some exciting things in store for us and I'm looking forward to yet another year of woolly projects!
Wishing you the best for a new decade...
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Saturday, 05 Dec 2009 17:56
One of the things I love about knitting is that each project has a story -- a history -- that sometimes only we as the Makers know, but regardless always serves as a secret source of pleasure each time we wear a handknit garment, or better, see a loved one wearing one. Mostly I'm reminded of the places I was at the time I was knitting, or the things that I was thinking about and exploring during that period. It's funny the things you remember based on the texture and fiber you had in your hands at the time.
It's my most favorite time of year for hunkering down at home surrounded by wool yarns and half-knit projects to quietly work and enjoy the start of Winter telling you to stay inside, enjoy what you have, and make beautiful things you feel proud of. Whether gift knitting or diligently keeping pace on long-term heirloom projects, I find the simple act of making stitches even more rewarding than usual this time of year. I hope you're enjoying yours as well.
So today I look at a small project that carries a random collection of memories from the last few years. Not such a long time in the grand scheme of things, but my life has changed so much during this period, that I feel particularly nostalgic and grateful looking back on it.
I'll often remember where I was when I cast-on for a new project. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the whole genesis moment of something you hope will be a lifetime heirloom, or maybe it's just that heightened feeling of excitement when your hands, in anticipatory delight, finally get to test-drive a special new yarn. This memory usually serves as a channel marker for how long a project has been in-process. See, my knitting memory is very random -- it doesn't serve well for dates, durations or time periods but rather sensory and emotional outposts. In this case I know that this scarf has been hanging around for about three years, because I distinctly remember casting on in my old Brooklyn apartment on a Fall afternoon. Funny I thought then that I'd be done with it in time for winter, but projects tend to have their own plan.
The pattern for this scarf is another story too -- which brings back other funny memories. It was a free pattern I found in a random knitter's flickr photostream during one of my many unhappy days at my (former) 9-5 office job with eyes glazed in front of a computer screen. I spent many of those long days wishing I was home knitting and escaping by finding beautiful and inspiring knitting online to dream about.
Well, as it turns out, the pattern was posted on flickr illegally and taken down shortly thereafter by the request of the original author who, despite lots of sleuthing, I have been unable to locate again. [ETA -- the pattern has been found! See the notes at the end of the post for details] At that point, however, I had the pattern in hand (your partially-knitted fabric is the best pattern you can get!) and did little to worry about the fact that it had up and disappeared.
Fast forward to late summer 2009 when I stumbled across this half-knit gem at the bottom of one of my drawers, just in time for giddy Fall knitting -- an almost finished Yak scarf with cables in my favorite shade of grey? Perfection. And back into the light of day it came until its finish just weeks ago.
The yarn is a special one, too: a 50/50 Yak Merino blend with a smooth, 6-ply construction (perfect for popping cables) which I purchased at one of my favorite Manhattan locations, School Products. Because SP carries so many one-of-a-kind yarn imports from Italy, you never know what beautiful things you'll discover behind their doors, often finding yarns you'll never have the opportunity for again (which makes yardage planning more important than usual!)
A good old fashioned cabled scarf is never out of fashion in my mind -- This one is great, super simple - but very elegant and, in the right yarn, a new scarf staple for the steadfast lover of Classics.
ETA: The pattern has been found! Thanks to those of you so speedily joined the hunt! The scarf was designed by Beth Walker O'Brien and is entitled the "Aran Cashmere Scarf" [Ravelry Link] The pattern can be found in the book Simple 1-2-3 Knitting
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Wednesday, 04 Nov 2009 20:24
I'm proud to say that today welcomes a woefully overdue makeover to Brooklyn Tweed Proper. I've been slowly but surely redesigning my website with hopes of finishing it up by the first of the month. I may have missed my mark by a day or two, but I'm happy to show you my new duds at the new fangled www.brooklyntweed.net!
Click the image above for a peek.
Most notably, my travel schedule is now available all in one place for easy viewing, and easy locating! I have all my scheduled workshops through the end of the year listed presently and will be listing 2010 dates shortly. Additionally, the design section of the site has all my patterns in one place for ease in looking up pattern specifics or for purchasing where applicable.
I've gone for a clean, light look with hopes that things are easy to find and the space is nice on your eyes. I hope you like it! As for the blog -- my blogger site is linked directly from the main site at the moment. I intend on a more seamless (har, har) integration in the future, but I think we shouldn't change too much too fast, for fear of overstimulation or disorientation!
As for the knitting. Well. It's cable season.
I've been spending a good portion of my days on airplanes or in hotels and therefore have filled my life with small (portable) cable projects in some of my favorite yarns. Projects that don't require carrying anything other than a good sturdy circular needle and the knitting that's hanging off of it. Leave the cable needles and papers at home. That's my kind of travel!
I even squeezed in a little time for some... wait for it... handspinning. I know. I can hear you gasping from across The Expanse. It's been awhile! It felt wonderful hearing that comforting whirrrr of the wheel and letting the fiber flow.
This is a skein of 70% alpaca, 30% blue faced leicester wool spun rather lazily into a bulky, textural single. I'm new to alpaca spinning so this was a fun experiment. I intentionally fulled the yarn a bit during washing and love the finished texture. Who knows what this skein will become one day... for now I'm happy petting it on my way out the door.
AND. I finished something. (Audible Gasp #2) It's nice to know that when life is spiraling, we can at least finish a little luxuries for ourselves here and there, isn't it? This scarf has been 3 years in the making and will get a post of its own... but here's a sneak preview:
I'm off to Texas tomorrow and then jetting on to the West Coast (home!) to get a little reminder of how great Fall in the Pacific NW is. That and, oh did I mention, I'm an uncle now?! Prepare yourself for the Wool Onslaught, little one! (You have no idea what you've been born into....)
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Wednesday, 14 Oct 2009 13:39
Well. It's been a wild month of travel for me -- from Oklahoma City, to Philadelphia, to Texas, to New England and many a space in between. I've had the wonderful fortune of knitting with folks from all over the country and it has been an absolute pleasure. When I returned to Brooklyn on Monday for a two week break from airplanes, I sat down at my knitting window and realized that transition-time was over and Fall has, in my absence, made itself quite at home here in the city.
The click of the seasons is something that gives me pleasure beyond words, and Summer to Fall, not surprisingly, has got to be the most special time of year for us knitters. It's usually about the second week of October when my fingers start to twitch even more than usual for soft, wool sweaters on my needles and my eyes desire a bath of materials in rich, autumn heathers.
What else does October mean? It's the one time of year that I knowingly cast my self-control to the wind and embrace even my most irrational wool cravings, which means I generally acquire more during this period than any other. So, in the spirit of full disclosure, I might as well share with you some recent acquisitions from my travels and yarns that are frankly keeping me up at night with giddy anticipation.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Historic Harrisville in New Hampshire -- home of some of my very favorite American-milled yarns and a historic treasure for our national textile tradition. I've been on a major lace knitting stint lately (before the sweater monster came to bite) and these are both slated for woollie shawls.
Harrisville Designs is like a wool-lovers paradise: walls of colorful, sturdy wools housed in a 2-century-old brick building nestled directly over a stream (if you peak through a knot-hole in the floor boards you'll see the flowing waters of the stream below). A destination for any knitter's New England itinerary... and a destination I hope to return to in the future.
Another wool that has recently sent me headlong into infatuation comes from the opposite coast and my home region of the Pacific Northwest. Imperial Stock Ranch makes beautiful, Oregon-grown yarns from their 125+ year old flock of Columbia Sheep (the farm, which is a National Historic District, has been responsible in part for developing this wonderful breed). The yarns are minimally processed using antique spinning techniques (a la many other favorite yarns you've heard me wax poetic about in the past -- Beaverslide Dry Goods in MT and Marr Haven in MI, most notably) and come in both two-ply woolen spun yarns (yum!) and a wonderful unspun bulky "puck", similar to Unspun Icelandic Wool. While the company has been in business for decades, their recent push into the world of hand knitting is one that I think is a very welcome addition to the industry.
And no Fall knitting would be complete without a healthy dose of Shetland Jumper-Weight wools straight from the island. You may be sick of me talking about my wool-standby, but I do start to get nervous if I'm away from this stuff for too long. To me, Shetland yarns are truly fine wines in our world of materials. With these? More lace. Always more lace.
I must sound like a glutton at this point, pulling in all this wool for Fall (there's more too...but we won't go there today) but if you can't be a wool glutton in the Fall, when can you be? And there's no better way to spend the afternoon than quietly working stitches in a good, solid wool as you watch the fading golden light play across the increasingly bare branches.
Despite the natural world telling us that Fall symbolizes the end of something, to me it represents a new beginning and a new inspiration. I hope you are feeling inspired by the wools under your roof and the cooler breezes that are causing us to grab our woolens on the way out the door. Lets enjoy it while it's here!
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Tuesday, 15 Sep 2009 20:34
I'm a bit behind on sharing some of the wonderful experiences I've had in the past couple of months -- like, oh I don't know.... the day an original Elizabeth Zimmermann came walking through my door?
Many of you have hopefully already read about the surfacing of this historic garment over at Twist Collective and, if you haven't, don't worry -- I'll be directing you to the good stuff in just a moment.
Back in the spring, the lovely ladies of Twist came a calling with a question: Would I be interested in photographing an Elizabeth Zimmermann sweater that had recently surfaced through an old family friend in New Jersey? I paused momentarily to wonder seriously if I had slipped into one of my many knitting-fantasy-daydreams. When it seemed that, yes, this was actually happening, I mustered all of my self-control in an attempt to respond in a professional manner. "Yes. Yes, that would be fine."
Juuuuust fine.
The sweater, knit with a heathered green, firmly spun, single ply wool, entered the apartment with a palpable silence, and, upon immediate inspection I found myself admiring its industrious, masterful technique. Right away the sheer Integrity with which this sweater was achieved became evident: not just its obvious cleverness, or knitterly construction (EZ's Hallmark) but rather the serendipitous balance of tenacity and care that is so clearly present as your eyes maneuver over mitered hems, prim buttonholes and directional details.
At that point I muttered to myself something colossally obvious yet seemingly so epiphanous: "Elizabeth could really knit!"
Sunday Holm recreated the sweater after it was presented to her at a New Jersey LYS by Joan Morhard Smith, a childhood neighbor and friend of Elizabeth and Arnold. Read Sunday's account of decoding and re-knitting the original here, and Joan Morhard Smith's recollections of Elizabeth ("Betty") here.
What a pleasure to spend an afternoon with this sweater and its re-incarnated version. I was truly grateful for the experience.
The original sweater, so well-worn after two generations of love and adoration under Joan's roof, is a testament to the lasting power of good materials, good technique, and a good home -- all the ingredients for Knitting's finest heirlooms. Elbow holes aside (which I find make the sweater even more endearing, if that's possible) this garment has taken its ardent wearers through two lifetimes with strength and grace. What could be better than that?
Among the other appreciations this garment conjured up that day, it incited me to reflect on one of our loftiest and most noble knitting aspirations -- to spend a life making beautiful, lasting, technique-rich garments whose value and worth can never diminish.
Adding to the the thousands of times I've uttered these same words before in my life, both privately and publicly: Thank you, Elizabeth.
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Thursday, 03 Sep 2009 12:42
I've been doing a fair bit of traveling in the last two weeks and have committed to finishing a gaggle of small projects that I have lying around the house half-done. Knowing that I'll want to tackle lots of large, woolly projects in the very near future (hello, Fall weather!), I feel the need to do a little bit of project-house-cleaning. Consider yourself warned - you may see a few baby knits and old, forgotten accessories cropping up around here in the next couple of weeks. And today - the first one!
If you're interested in knitting a pair, be sure to check out Shibui's Pattern Page - lots of great patterns there to peruse if you have a few minutes! Now... time to send these babies back to Portland, from whence they came!
I put the finishing touches on the baby leggings last week and finally got around to shooting them this morning. Oh how I love those rich, golden colors! Seems fitting for those ghostly hints of Fall crispness that are taunting me these days.
Size: 1 Year Old
Amount: 98g -- skating in at just barely under 2 skeins (Pattern Size calls for 3)
Needles: US 3 Circulars
I made a small number of modifications to the pattern. The original is written to be knit flat and seamed up at center front during finishing. That wasn't gonna fly around here, so the first item of business was to convert the pattern to in-the-round knitting, which wasn't hard at all. I didn't change any stitch counts, just ignored the back and forth instructions in favor of joining the end of the row to the beginning and working circularly.
I also opted for twisted stitch ribbing at the waist band and ankle-cuffs - a choice made to achieve a bit more elasticity - a great little perk of knitting things through the back loops. Since babies have stumpy little limbs, I figured the more elasticity the better.
The rest of the pattern is sweet and simple -- sizing for both 6 mos. and 1 year are given. I like to knit the larger sizes so the little growers can wear them longer. Plus, how cute is a 6 month-year-old in oversized baby pants?
The "diaper shaping" as I like to call it incorporates short rows and increases down center back to create an extra pouch-like space for baby 'bulk' (See Above Photo). The cord running through the eyelets at the waist band is crocheted (nice and firm but still elastic due to the nature of this bouncy, bouncy yarn) -- I tied two small knots on either end to keep it from slipping out of the holes.
All in all, a simple pattern with a charming result. You know I'm not a huge fan of The Superwash, but sometimes you gotta do it for the kids (and the parents, too)! And they really do suck up those saturated colors brilliantly, so there's plenty of hypnotic stitching to be had.
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Tuesday, 18 Aug 2009 15:50
Today we wrap up with a few stragglers from the collection who haven't fit into any other category yet. Both projects make great travel or gift knitting. And while I don't fancy myself an expert crocheter by any means, I thought I'd be crazy and throw something in for fun for the hook-lovers.
Meet Grove.
These mittens are an ornate little treasure for the hands. I've always loved the relief-like quality of twisted stitch knitting (knitting all knit stitches through the back loops) and how sculptural and graceful they look when used in travelling-stitch and lace patterns.
The interesting thing about the main motif on the tops of the hands is that there is no cabling involved - the motif is formed by yarn overs and twisted knit decreases so I guess technically should be considered lace, albeit a well-disguised version. The cuffs on both hands do utilize traveling stitches in a spiral pattern that is mirror-imaged on either side to add that special detail.
There's something enticing about mitten knitting - maybe the way they remind us of childhood winters, or how they don't really make sense for adults who are constantly in need of finger dexterity (mittens are a great way to drop expensive little electronics down a large flight of stairs - ask me, I know), or that they're just more enjoyable to knit than other things for your hands? Nevertheless, it seems that mitten knitting is alive and well, and that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
And finally, Metropolitan.
So these. I spent a lot of time staring at a few big, beautiful hanks of Aspen - a super bulky, heathered wool/alpaca blend that comes in a gorgeous array of autumnal colors - thinking What, Oh What am I to do with you? Super bulky presents a funny problem: it's fun to knit for the instant gratification and larger-than-life sculptural quality of your stitches, but not as practical for daily wear because it's, well... super bulky. The other sticking point is that the yardage isn't exactly what you'd call generous - the fiber you could use for thousands of yards of lace schlumps itself into mere double digits in the super-bulky arena.
So my personal design challenge was this: what can you do with one skein (approx. 51 yards) of Aspen that isn't a hat? And as I was mulling this over on my morning commutes to and from school, I found myself marveling at how all of my fellow commuters, while jammed together on a crowded train, were so perfectly isolated from one another by virtue of a fantastic modern wonder that we call Noise Cancelling Headphones. You know, the big, shell-like headphones that make you look like a cool, urban fighter pilot? Do you see where I'm going with this?
Then: the light bulb. Earmuffs! Inspired by these insular electronic devices! Or even, earmuffs to wear over your insular electronic devices! Well, now I was getting a little carried away, but more or less this is how these things came to be.
Metropolitan is a simple crochet project, worked on two different sizes of giant hooks (Huge and Really Huge) for a structural pair of muffs. The ear "shell" is shaped by changing hook size - trust me, I'm not fancy enough to design other means of shaping in crochet with super-bulky yarn - we're keeping it simple.
But the best news about this is that they use just under one skein (including tassels), can be worked in about an hour or less and are perfect for last minute gifts for that person in your life with quirky winter style. And if I can hook it, so can you - trust me.
And with that, we wrap up our official coverage of Made in Brooklyn - I hope you enjoy the collection and thank you already to all of you who have sent such supportive and wonderful e-mails about the work. It is very much appreciated.
In travel news - I'll be headed out to Western Mass this weekend with the trunk show for some teaching workshops. Be sure to stop by WEBS to see the garments in person if you're a local and need a knitting fix!
ETA: If you've been searching for a copy of Made in Brooklyn and haven't been able to find a retailer, you can use CE's "Where to Buy" page to find local shops that stock it here.
The booklet is also available online through CE's website here.
__________________________________________________________________________
RAVELRY LINKS
Grove on Ravelry
Metropolitan on Ravelry
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
Date: Thursday, 13 Aug 2009 12:43
More sweaters today - this time for the ladies!
OH! Before we get in to that, though, I wanted to remember to mention this: although MiB's sweaters may be written out for men or women, I encourage everyone to experiment! Sometimes the only difference between a men's sweater and a women's sweater is the presence of waist shaping and some simple proportion changes (like yoke depth, arm/body length). If you've fallen for a specific design but it's for the wrong gender, please feel free to use the pattern as a guide: take measurements off of a sweater you love (and whose fit you agree with) and go for it! And with that brief soap-box moment out of the way, I present the sweaters:
Meet Stilwell.
More colorwork. More tweed. When I first got the colorcard for Portland Tweed, I was playing with a lot of combos and this one kept coming back to me as something I'd like to knit with. A rich, chocolaty brown coupled with a very dusty, subtle, almost grey (my favorite adjectives for almost any color) shade of pink.
It's a good old fashioned seamless raglan ("If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind) with some colorwork detailing on the yokes and cuffs. I wanted to do a bit of mixing and matching of styles with traditional Norwegian star motifs and more contemporary elements like a fitted body, 3 quarter length sleeves and shaped collar.
The piece is worked with a henley neck as well. For colorwork patterns, I instruct knitters to use one needle size for one-color stockinette portions, and a larger needle size (2 or 3 sizes up, whatever gets you correct gauge) for all colorwork portions. This is necessary to obtain the same stitch gauge between two different fabrics within one garment. Row gauge is significantly different in colorwork, but that's been accounted for in the design, so stitch gauge is the key - in this way the tension in the fabric is kept constant throughout.
I remember knitting a colorwork yoke sweater from a pattern years ago, all with the same needle size, and how the tension change in the yoke drove me crazy. I've since been experimenting with ways of never making that happen again. This works for me! Anyway - I guess what I'm trying to say is, to save time and frustration when knitting projects with both one-color and two-color stockinette portions, find what gets you the same stitch gauge for each and use those two needle sizes for best results.
Tangents! Tangents! Ahem.
Meet Redhook.
One of the reasons I love Fall so much is the prevalence of layering. People are rocking the layered look everywhere you look and that makes for interesting and inspiring style, not to mention a good way to mix up a wardrobe that can start to feel reeeeaally boring after all those stifling summer months of wearing one thing at a time. Layering is all about contrast: long and short garments, fabric weights and warmths, and maybe most importantly, color! So with all of that in mind, Redhook was conceived as a fun monkey wrench to throw into your layering mix. Vests in general are great for this type of thing because they can be worn under outerwear with no bulk at the arms, and less overheating.
I wanted a garment that could be worn as a stand-alone, or layered easily, had a simple shape and a couple of nice details - like a luxurious collar! I can't get enough of those.
I also fell in love with this color. Moorland is a single-ply heathered yarn that comes in a wonderful group of earthtones (very, very hard to make color decisions on this one). The thing that really floored me about the yarn was the drape after washing - it got super silky and smooth, and very much took me by surprise after I picked it up off the blocking board (who am I kidding, the carpet of a guest room in Portland, Oregon). It was warm and light, and even more perfect for pairing with other clothes. Bonus points!
Redhook involves lots of fun with short-rows. Both sleeve caps and shawl collar/buttonband are all worked directly off of the body fabric from picked-up sts and shaped with short rows.
And finally, Seneca.
Sometimes, scratch that, most times, design ideas hit you at the oddest times. Like when you're sitting, twitching, in jury duty (which makes it even more unbearable, as you're already thinking about how much you'd rather be at home knitting). I had been wanting to knit a rounded yoke pullover with cables that weren't vertical, and desperately wanted to keep it all in one piece. I had been chewing on that idea until BAM! Jury duty brought me to sideways cables.
Sideways cables are interesting - if you've never worked them, here's how they roll: They seem as if to appear out of nowhere on a stockinette or reverse stockinette background. This occurs by a severe increase, usually 5 stitches into one and working the cable directly from that point. When the cable is done, you use a fancy 5-to-1 decrease and you're back to your stockinette fabric. They're like little intermissions from your mindless stockinette meditation.
AND - they perfectly suit round yoke sweaters, which are shaped with intermittent decrease rings throughout the yoke - in Seneca, they're stashed between cable motifs, so that the stitch counts are never interrupted when cabling, which is a major sigh of relief.
A note before I forget about this one: Because of the rather dramatic nature of the fabric manipulation - the severe increasing for the cables and severe decreasing for the round yoke - you'll definitely want to do an official blocking job (I really recommend full-immersion for this) to smooth all of that out after completion. Sweater fabric always looks better after this process, (always) but this sweater benefits from it especially.
Sidways cables are also thrown in on the cuffs for a little extra interest and weight there. Because the sweater is a worsted weight fabric, I generally advise about 3-5" of ease for a classic fit. My model was about 5-6" smaller than the garment and liked the cozy feeling of a little ease added in. I'm a big fan of a little room in my sweaters, especially in warmer fibers like angora.
That rounds out the sweater portion of this tour. Stay tuned for the last two stragglers from the booklet in the next couple of days.
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RAVELRY Links
Stilwell on Ravelry
Redhook on Ravelry
Seneca on Ravelry (Also available as an individual PDF download)
Author: "j a r e d (noreply@blogger.com)"
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