Meet my new favorite yarn, Brooklyn Tweed Quarry!

Hello,

It has been quite a while since we have written a blog post! Life has gotten in our way a bit, and we have been pretty busy in general at the boutique (not complaining)! In the last few months, we have taken on some amazing new yarns, brands and lines. There was one that I was particularly excited for... one that stood out, that I knew would be my favorite yarn to work with and wear! That yarn did not disappoint, and it is Brooklyn Tweed Quarry! I am huge into instant gratification knits, but I also love to knit sweaters. This yarn is perfect for both! My first project with this amazing yarn, was the Carbeth Sweater by Kate Davies. For the size small, it took 4 skeins, which isn't a lot for a sweater. This bulky weight yarn has 200 yards per skein, that is way more than your average skein of bulky weight, and the price point is the same! I knit the sweater in just 2 weeks flat. I opted for a longer body than the pattern called for, and decided to go with a crew neck instead of a turtleneck. I still have plenty of yarn left over, so if a turtleneck is calling my name in the future, I can tear back and add on. There is a lot of other great projects out there for this yarn, and I cannot wait to cast on another project with it! Meet, Quarry...

Quarry is a chunky brother to Shelter and Loft inspired by roving-style “unspun” yarns, offered in pillowy 100-gram skeins. We begin with three strands of the same lofty, woolen-spun Targhee-Columbia fleece, but rather than twisting the individual plies we nestle them together and gently spin the whole trio. The result is a plump yarn that looks like a single ply and has greater tensile strength and stitch definition than a true unspun yarn. Quarry has a soft and rustic hand; since we never subject our wool to harsh chemical scouring, you’ll find the occasional fleck of vegetable matter that remains as evidence of the sheep’s life on the Wyoming rangeland. The yarn’s one-directional twist may cause it to twirl between the needles and the ball while you’re knitting, but the fabric will be well balanced with no biasing. Quarry knits will bloom to become cohesive and supple after a wet blocking. You shouldn’t notice any change in gauge. This yarn loves to cable and beautifully renders all kinds of textural stitch work. Despite its soft structure, it can be worked at looser gauges without loss of integrity to the fabric. We think it’s ideal for sweaters, coats, blankets, and cozy accessories.

Quarry is offered in a new palette of fifteen heathered colors. The structure of this yarn blends the hues in a slightly striated way, reminding us of geological formations, so we gave each color the name of a mineral or gemstone.

Wrist Ruler: A Functional Accessory

If you are like me, you are always taking a project with you wherever you go. Sometimes, you just really wish you packed your tape measure too! This problem has a fun and fashionable solution and it is at Yarns By Design…the Wrist Ruler- a bracelet that doubles as a ruler. The bracelets have both inches and centimeters etched on them and are made in the USA.

This bracelet easily measures up to any of your other accessories. 

They come in two lengths of either 15 or 17 inches and designed to be wrapped around your wrist twice for a stylish look that goes with everything.  The genuine leather bracelets will look good on everyone as they come in three shades: medium brown, dark brown or black. I think the leather looks great with anything denim and can be dressed up or down (of course with your favorite handmade top, shawl or pullover).

Prepared for any project on the go. 

Are bracelets not your look but you like the idea of having a ruler with you on the go? We also have the keychain ruler,  you can find them at our boutique in both light brown or black.

Ruler Keychains.

What other accessory or tool do you not leave home without when taking your project with you? Leave a comment here or stop in and tell us about it! 

Warmly,

Sarah with Yarns By Design

100% American made Brooklyn Tweed has arrived!

It's here! We are thrilled to announce our latest addition to Yarns By Design:
Brooklyn Tweed.

This Portland, Oregon based company started in 2010 and they use only 100% American made Targhee wool. Their mission includes "we are passionate about wool, knitting and design" and it shows with their true "sheep to skein" story. The Targhee sheep is the 2nd breed to be developed by the USDA. They were bred to have the perfect mix of fine wool with long wool to make for a soft, silky, and strong yarn. The herds of Brooklyn Tweed reside on the plains of Wyoming where they grow their fleece for shearing. Once baled and cleaned, the fleece travels to Pennsylvania for cleaning and dyeing to create an abundance of lovely palettes. Next stop is New Hampshire where the dyed yarn is spun and finished to create skeins ready for you to knit.

Happy sheep make pretty skeins. 

Yarns By Design customer and knitter, Mary stopped by Yarns By Design and couldn't resist giving this yarn a try. She got right to work on her project and had this to say about the "Loft" fingering weight yarn: "I LOVE this yarn so much! I haven't been this excited about a new yarn since I discovered Madelinetosh years ago!" and "the colors are beautiful, the yarn is so soft yet has a nice body and is a joy to knit".

Customer Mary Mervis works up a pattern using Brooklyn Tweed Loft for the first time.
Photo by Mary Mervis

Our boutique is proud to be one of only two retail stockists in the state. We offer fingering weight "Loft", DK weight "Arbor" and worsted weight "Shelter" all in a variety of colors. Brooklyn Tweed also offers an abundance of gorgeous patterns that mix both traditional and modern looks.
Stop by in-store to see the collection in person or shop Yarns By Design online -either way it's yarn you want to check out!

Welcome, Brooklyn Tweed.

Be sure to share your feedback and projects about Brooklyn Tweed with us once you give it a try. We love to hear from our customers. 

Warmly, 

Sarah with Yarns By Design