Brooklyn Tweed Blog — Vale

This year we’re welcoming the highly-anticipated return of fall with two new pattern collections, the first of which is now ready for you to immerse yourself in today — Early Fall 18. The conception of this collection began with a curious attraction to the quiet yet compelling colors, shapes, and textures found in the art of paper folding. Our Design Team took this inspiration to their drawing boards and created an exciting collection that embodies those first feelings of intrigue by challenging our perceptions of how a knitted garment can be constructed, assembled, and made. In Early Fall 18, you'll find...

Once you’re feeling confident about your pattern choice, the fun begins: it’s time to gather your supplies and cast on a swatch! Yarn  Most regions of the world with strong lace-knitting traditions used a two-ply yarn for lace pieces because this balanced structure is the most receptive to opening up with blocking to reveal the openwork patterns. Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter, Loft, Vale, and Plains are all constructed on this principle. The worsted preparation of Vale and Plains lends extra strength to the yarn so it can better withstand a stiff blocking, and the smooth alignment of the fibers gives crisp...

By now you may have selected your pattern for the knitalong, or you may still be mulling over a few final contenders. We'll provide you with some additional pattern suggestions throughout this blog post, in case you are searching for some inspiration. Getting to know your pattern is an important first step toward lace knitting success. Take the time to read through the instructions and flag anything that seems potentially confusing or complicated at the outset. Once you’ve covered basics like necessary yardage and recommended needle size, here are some further points we recommend investigating before you even reach for...

We are so very proud to welcome Gudrun Johnston to our design team! Gudrun has been an inspiring presence in the independent knitwear design community for many years and we are thrilled to be collaborating with her. Gudrun was born in Shetland, where her mother ran a successful knitwear design company called The Shetland Trader. Gudrun revived the name to publish two collections kindled by love of her homeland. She now lives in the United States with her family, but returns frequently to Shetland to visit and lead knitting tours. Gudrun’s heritage is prominent in her design work, whether she is...

The designers we selected to contribute to Wool People 11 were among the first knitters to sample our new Rambouillet laceweight, Vale. Today we share their impressions of the yarn as we feature their beautiful stoles. Natalie Servant contributed Prism to this collection. Printed with diamonds and rhombuses, this geometric design can be a lace stole or a cowl. The charted shapes are filled with shifting textures — knit, purl, garter — so there’s more solid fabric than in many lace accessories, which puts Vale’s smooth and balanced preparation on display. Natalie wrote, “I really enjoyed knitting with Vale. I...