Showing posts with label chunky yarn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chunky yarn. Show all posts

Monday, March 18, 2019

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.




Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Knitting Olympians

Who has been enjoying the Olympics so far? What a great excuse to grab your yarn and a spot on the couch and enjoy the events! I can't help but think  about what these athletes have endured to get to The Games…the grueling workouts, the financial burdens, the injuries, failures and disappointments. Enough to give even the most seasoned athletes a body full of jittery nerves. Well, the Finnish Olympic Team (including the coach) decided to use knitting to help calm these nerves. It began in the 2014 Sochi games where they made a giant scarf, now they are working on a blanket for their president's newborn son.
The Finnish Olympians knitting their nerves away. 

In other knitting Olympic news, we have had several customers chatting about the Gold Medal Hat seen on Team USA's snowboarder Chloe Kim. Click here to find the knit and crochet patterns to make your own!

Chloe Kim in her chunky pom pom hat. Photo:Time. com

If you're in the Olympic spirit but the chunky pom pom hat isn't quite the look you were going for, try these Lion Brand Team USA knitted mittens or this team spirited Crochet Neva Hat by Whistle and Ivy.

Team USA Mittens by Lion Brand. Photo copyright: Missy Marshall. 
Crochet Neva Hat by Whistle and Ivy 

What are you working on during the Olympics? Have you made anything inspired by these athletes? Does knitting or crocheting calm your nerves? We'd love to hear from you! Stop by the boutique or comment below.


Warmly,
Sarah with Yarns By Design