b r o o k l y n t w e e d
9.18.2008
Porom
This season's second hat is quite different from the first, but a fun knit nonetheless and an interesting shape and silhouette to spice up any handknit hat collection. Porom is a shapely hat worked in Shetland wool. The simple, elegant lace repeat and healthy dose of slouch make it a great Fall accessory.
The hat is worked with approximately 190 yards of DK-weight shetland wool. This sample was knit with Jamieon's Double Knitting (the 3-ply version of the ever-popular Spindrift) and I highly recommend it as the ideal yarn match for this particular design. Shetland is light and warm and hard to beat where woolie lace is concerned.
The simple lace rib repeat makes for an intuitive knit, while still yielding an elegant and subtle texture with a great, light-weight drape. Shaping at brim and crown is integrated into the stitch pattern to avoid any unsightly visual hiccups.
I'm really happy with how this project came out - the undyed wool and the stitch pattern made a texture I really like, despite it's simplicity. It reminds me of coral or a bleached sea-urchin's hollowed shell. The woolen-spun yarn traps air and is a super insulator, despite all those eyelets.
A quick note about yarn choices - DK weight yarns come in a lot of shapes and sizes with a relatively wide weight-shift within their specific classification. Some DK weight yarns are slightly heavier and generally have a gauge of about 20 sts to 4 inches (Rowan Scottish Tweed DK is an example of this) - these slightly heavier DK weight wools are not recommended for this pattern. Gauge for this pattern is set at 22 sts to 4 inches and I highly recommend something on the lighter side of the DK spectrum for best results. Lightly spun yarns and animal fibers with great drape would look particularly nice. As a reference for stashbusters - Jamieson's Double Knitting is a woolen-spun 3-ply yarn.
The pattern is available as a PDF download and priced at $4.75. You can obtain this pattern in one of two ways - if you are a Ravelry member, Porom is available in my Pattern Store as a Ravelry Download. The pattern is also available directly through PayPal for non-ravelry members or for those who prefer to go that route in general. A preview of the PDF layout can be seen below, with buttons to both methods of download following. Pattern instructions for lace motifs are charted.
A short disclaimer: As a self-publishing designer, I strongly feel that it is my responsibility to you to present a quality product free of errors that is pleasing both from an aesthetic and practical point of view. All patterns that are self-published here at Brooklyn Tweed have been test knit by multiple knitters using various manufactured yarns to ensure the most pleasurable and intuitive knitting experience. I have personally prepared all diagrams and charts as well as knit/photographed samples and designed pattern layouts - soliciting the opinions of knitters prior to publication in an effort to streamline this product. I have done my very best to bring you a pattern that I am proud to stand behind fully. I do my best to respond to concerns or comments as soon as possible and, as always, thank you for your support and encouragement. Happy knitting! -Jared
¶ 12:52 PM 49 comments
The hat is worked with approximately 190 yards of DK-weight shetland wool. This sample was knit with Jamieon's Double Knitting (the 3-ply version of the ever-popular Spindrift) and I highly recommend it as the ideal yarn match for this particular design. Shetland is light and warm and hard to beat where woolie lace is concerned.
The simple lace rib repeat makes for an intuitive knit, while still yielding an elegant and subtle texture with a great, light-weight drape. Shaping at brim and crown is integrated into the stitch pattern to avoid any unsightly visual hiccups.
I'm really happy with how this project came out - the undyed wool and the stitch pattern made a texture I really like, despite it's simplicity. It reminds me of coral or a bleached sea-urchin's hollowed shell. The woolen-spun yarn traps air and is a super insulator, despite all those eyelets.
A quick note about yarn choices - DK weight yarns come in a lot of shapes and sizes with a relatively wide weight-shift within their specific classification. Some DK weight yarns are slightly heavier and generally have a gauge of about 20 sts to 4 inches (Rowan Scottish Tweed DK is an example of this) - these slightly heavier DK weight wools are not recommended for this pattern. Gauge for this pattern is set at 22 sts to 4 inches and I highly recommend something on the lighter side of the DK spectrum for best results. Lightly spun yarns and animal fibers with great drape would look particularly nice. As a reference for stashbusters - Jamieson's Double Knitting is a woolen-spun 3-ply yarn.
The pattern is available as a PDF download and priced at $4.75. You can obtain this pattern in one of two ways - if you are a Ravelry member, Porom is available in my Pattern Store as a Ravelry Download. The pattern is also available directly through PayPal for non-ravelry members or for those who prefer to go that route in general. A preview of the PDF layout can be seen below, with buttons to both methods of download following. Pattern instructions for lace motifs are charted.
A short disclaimer: As a self-publishing designer, I strongly feel that it is my responsibility to you to present a quality product free of errors that is pleasing both from an aesthetic and practical point of view. All patterns that are self-published here at Brooklyn Tweed have been test knit by multiple knitters using various manufactured yarns to ensure the most pleasurable and intuitive knitting experience. I have personally prepared all diagrams and charts as well as knit/photographed samples and designed pattern layouts - soliciting the opinions of knitters prior to publication in an effort to streamline this product. I have done my very best to bring you a pattern that I am proud to stand behind fully. I do my best to respond to concerns or comments as soon as possible and, as always, thank you for your support and encouragement. Happy knitting! -Jared
¶ 12:52 PM 49 comments
9.09.2008
Regrouping
September, for me, seems to consistently be a time for re-assessing my knitting direction. Time to circle the wagons, see what we've got after all that summer knitting and see where we're going. This year, as with last, it also happens to be the time when my schedule undergoes a rather severe change and I find I have new knitting needs that need to be met.
I've been floundering a little bit over the last week trying to transition from having the time and brainpower to work on intricate, detailed knitting, to striking a new balance with simpler, more intuitive projects. Things are still up in the air, but I did do a bit of spinning to help aid the confluence.
I pulled out a bag of natural brown shetland and set myself on auto-pilot. Lately more and more I've been craving natural, undyed sheepswool, and spinning this has been just the ticket for me in the last few days. As for knitting with it, I'm dreaming of some in-the-round knitting with steeks - something simple that shows off this beautiful wool. For now, though, I'm happy with endless plying.
I've said it before, but Shetland is one of my all time favorite things to work with on the wheel. I think it gets lot of flack for being typically scratchy and unwearable, but I think it is quite the opposite - so light and lofty, it spins up into a yarn that is fluffy, soft and warm - not to mention looking beautiful. I never tire of it.
In other news, as I was trying to physically organize my knitting this week, I was able to collect up all my swatches from this summer into one place (they were stuffed in many a nook and cranny) (oh the places you'll go, little swatches!) and had to take a photo. Is this a way to measure progress?
I have a scarily low number of projects on the needles (that's a relative "low"). After having finished up some design projects that were needing attention, I realized I may be closer than ever to digging myself out of the deep ditch of WIPs I seem to have created for myself last year.
Oh yes, and the woolly lace is progressing without delay and should be all ready for the click of the seasons that I'm expecting here any day now...
Until then, though, I'll be doing my share of knitterly spring-cleaning in hopes of reaching a balance which I can ride right into the thick of our favorite season for wool-wearing. It really is just around the corner. ¶ 12:54 PM 41 comments
I've been floundering a little bit over the last week trying to transition from having the time and brainpower to work on intricate, detailed knitting, to striking a new balance with simpler, more intuitive projects. Things are still up in the air, but I did do a bit of spinning to help aid the confluence.
I pulled out a bag of natural brown shetland and set myself on auto-pilot. Lately more and more I've been craving natural, undyed sheepswool, and spinning this has been just the ticket for me in the last few days. As for knitting with it, I'm dreaming of some in-the-round knitting with steeks - something simple that shows off this beautiful wool. For now, though, I'm happy with endless plying.
I've said it before, but Shetland is one of my all time favorite things to work with on the wheel. I think it gets lot of flack for being typically scratchy and unwearable, but I think it is quite the opposite - so light and lofty, it spins up into a yarn that is fluffy, soft and warm - not to mention looking beautiful. I never tire of it.
In other news, as I was trying to physically organize my knitting this week, I was able to collect up all my swatches from this summer into one place (they were stuffed in many a nook and cranny) (oh the places you'll go, little swatches!) and had to take a photo. Is this a way to measure progress?
I have a scarily low number of projects on the needles (that's a relative "low"). After having finished up some design projects that were needing attention, I realized I may be closer than ever to digging myself out of the deep ditch of WIPs I seem to have created for myself last year.
Oh yes, and the woolly lace is progressing without delay and should be all ready for the click of the seasons that I'm expecting here any day now...
Until then, though, I'll be doing my share of knitterly spring-cleaning in hopes of reaching a balance which I can ride right into the thick of our favorite season for wool-wearing. It really is just around the corner. ¶ 12:54 PM 41 comments
9.01.2008
Habitat
With the light fading outside on the last official day of my summer, I'm quietly mourning the loss of the past three magic months which have been productive and rewarding. The good news is that in the wrapping up of this chapter, I have a few Fall patterns all ready for you! The first of the few that I'll be distributing here this season is a hat that I've really become attached to over the past month - I can't seem to get enough of them, and I'm happy to finally be able to share it with you.
Habitat is a warm, textural hat that's great for both newbie and seasoned cablers alike. The pattern is written for worsted weight wool and includes two adult sizes. The cable motifs are integrated into the hats shaping and the crown decreases come together to form a root-like star motif atop the head.
As I said above, two sizes are offered in the pattern - one for Small to Medium adult head sizes and one for Medium to Larger noggins. The smaller size is approximately .5" shallower and suited for folks who like hats to come just over the tops of their ears. The larger, deeper hat will also fit average adult small heads, but cover your ears to the lobes - in my experience, ear-coverage preferences vary from hat wearer to hat wearer, so both options are included for an optimal fit for everyone.
Samples shown in these photos show both sizes - the Green version is the smaller, shallower size. Blue and burgundy versions are the larger, deeper size. Again, which size to knit is wholly preferential and depends on how you like your handknit hats to sit on your head.
Yarns shown in the samples include: Sundara Yarns Worsted Merino in "Green over Gold" (Green), Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran in "Bramble" (Burgundy) and Jamieson's Shetland Heather in "North Sea" (Blue).
More photos of the pattern can be found here in my Habitat Gallery. The pattern has also been test knit in various yarns including Debble Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed, and the ever popular Malabrigo. There are a whole lot of worsted weight yarns out there, so creativity is encouraged!
The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and priced at $4.75. You can obtain this pattern in one of two ways - if you are a Ravelry member, Habitat is available in my Pattern Store as a Ravelry Download. The pattern is also available directly through PayPal for non-ravelry members, or those who prefer to go that route. A preview of the PDF layout can be seen below, with buttons to both methods of download following. Pattern instructions for cables are charted.
A short disclaimer: As a self-publishing designer, I strongly feel that it is my responsibility to you to present a quality product free of errors that is pleasing both from an aesthetic and practical point of view. All patterns that are self-published here at Brooklyn Tweed have been test knit by multiple knitters using various manufactured yarns to ensure the most pleasurable and intuitive knitting experience. I have personally prepared all diagrams and charts as well as knit shown samples, photographed and designed pattern layouts - soliciting the opinions of knitters prior to publication in an effort to streamline this product. I have done my very best to bring you a pattern that I am proud to stand behind fully. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement - and happy knitting.
Habitat is a warm, textural hat that's great for both newbie and seasoned cablers alike. The pattern is written for worsted weight wool and includes two adult sizes. The cable motifs are integrated into the hats shaping and the crown decreases come together to form a root-like star motif atop the head.
As I said above, two sizes are offered in the pattern - one for Small to Medium adult head sizes and one for Medium to Larger noggins. The smaller size is approximately .5" shallower and suited for folks who like hats to come just over the tops of their ears. The larger, deeper hat will also fit average adult small heads, but cover your ears to the lobes - in my experience, ear-coverage preferences vary from hat wearer to hat wearer, so both options are included for an optimal fit for everyone.
Any worsted weight yarn will work, although wools are recommended most highly. Tweeds, heathers and subtly variegated yarns all look wonderful with the cables (one of each of these yarn types is shown here in the photos.) Pattern gauge is given in Stockinette stitch for ease in swatching and is a standard 4.5 sts per inch for worsted weight yarns. Suggested needle sizes are US7 and US8 - keep in mind, though - this is only a suggestion! Use whatever needles give you accurate gauge for best results.
Samples shown in these photos show both sizes - the Green version is the smaller, shallower size. Blue and burgundy versions are the larger, deeper size. Again, which size to knit is wholly preferential and depends on how you like your handknit hats to sit on your head.
Yarns shown in the samples include: Sundara Yarns Worsted Merino in "Green over Gold" (Green), Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran in "Bramble" (Burgundy) and Jamieson's Shetland Heather in "North Sea" (Blue).
More photos of the pattern can be found here in my Habitat Gallery. The pattern has also been test knit in various yarns including Debble Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed, and the ever popular Malabrigo. There are a whole lot of worsted weight yarns out there, so creativity is encouraged!
The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and priced at $4.75. You can obtain this pattern in one of two ways - if you are a Ravelry member, Habitat is available in my Pattern Store as a Ravelry Download. The pattern is also available directly through PayPal for non-ravelry members, or those who prefer to go that route. A preview of the PDF layout can be seen below, with buttons to both methods of download following. Pattern instructions for cables are charted.
A short disclaimer: As a self-publishing designer, I strongly feel that it is my responsibility to you to present a quality product free of errors that is pleasing both from an aesthetic and practical point of view. All patterns that are self-published here at Brooklyn Tweed have been test knit by multiple knitters using various manufactured yarns to ensure the most pleasurable and intuitive knitting experience. I have personally prepared all diagrams and charts as well as knit shown samples, photographed and designed pattern layouts - soliciting the opinions of knitters prior to publication in an effort to streamline this product. I have done my very best to bring you a pattern that I am proud to stand behind fully. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement - and happy knitting.
-Jared
¶ 6:03 PM 64 comments
