Jaime Made Another Sweater!

I love knitting sweaters, I just can't stop myself! This one came about when we had a Brooklyn Tweed trunk show here at Fancy Tiger Crafts and of course I tried everything on. I didn't think I needed this sweater, but as soon as I put the sample on, I knew it would be my next project. 

Pattern: Jules by Julie Hoover for Brooklyn Tweed Fall 2013
Materials: Shelter in Snowbound, 6 skeins
Size made: 42 3/4 and 46 1/2
Alterations: I graded the pattern from the size 46 1/2 on the bottom to size 42 3/4 on top. 

Like all Brooklyn Tweed patterns, this sweater by Julie Hoover was wonderfully written and interesting to knit, keeping my attention the whole way. It is knit bottom up and seamed. The subtle hi-lo hem is achieved with short row shaping. Once the sweater is seamed, the neck, arms, and bottom are picked up and finished with some ribbing. A simple cable pattern runs up either side on the front and back for an interesting touch and the sweater is worked with the reverse stockinette showing on the right side so the cable pattern pops.  

Even though I've made three items out of Loft, this is my first time working with Shelter, Loft's worsted weight big sister. It has the same soft, springy hand as Loft and great stitch definition. I obsessed over neutrals for a long time and finally picked Snowbound, a pale, heathered gray.

I'm not super comfortable with seaming and have only done it a few times, but this was the best seaming I've ever done! While I'd like to take all the credit, I'm pretty sure I owe most of it to Julie Hoover who included a one stitch selvedge edge worked on all seams. This little slipped stitch on the row ends made for easy-peasy and perfect seaming. The sweater is made to have the seams show on the outside so you can show off all that beautiful seaming work.

Look at those seams! 

This sweater is meant to be worn with tons of positive ease in the bust (well over 12"), but I was scared to have so much ease! I decided to combine the first two sizes, starting with size 46 1/2" on the bottom and grading up to the size 42" on the top. While the sweater fits and looks great, I think I could have just knit the size 46 1/2" throughout and been fine with the extra fabric. Overall, I love this sweater and am so glad we had the trunk show to convince me to make it.

Spring is the perfect time for a short-sleeved wool sweater. A cool spring day and this sweater will keep you cozy, but not too hot. Okay, now on to the next one...sweaters forever!

Amber's Reverb Cardigan

When we recently hosted the Wool People 5 trunk show from Brooklyn Tweed, I have to admit, I tried on every single sweater. That's the great thing about trunk shows--you get to see in person and try on the handknits that you are considering spending a considerable amount of time making. (Note to reader--we have the BT Men trunk show coming at the end of this month, so come try on some knits!)

The sweater I fell hard for is Tanis Lavallee's Reverb cardigan. I didn't want to take it off. I needed it to be mine all mine. So I swatched and cast on immediately.

This tweedy cabled cardigan only took me about a month to knit, if you account for the couple of weeks that our Aranami KAL took me away from it. The worsted weight yarn knit up quickly and the zig-zag cables kept it interesting and kept me knitting "just a few more rows" every evening.

I chose nine leather knotted buttons to accentuate the grandpa-chic style, and I love it!

One thought on the pattern--were I to knit this sweater again I would deviate slightly from the pattern by knitting the button bands along with the body of the sweater. I think this makes for a neater finish and a more satisfying construction for those of us that don't love seaming.

I do love my new sweater and you'll probably see me wearing it next time you are in the shop!

Thanks to Bread Bar in Silver Plume for the beautiful photo setting!

Shelter is here from Brooklyn Tweed!

New at the shop, we are super duper excited to welcome Brooklyn Tweed's Shelter to our store!

Shelter is a rustic, woolen spun 100% American worsted weight yarn that comes in 32 magical heathered Brooklyn Tweed colors! We are so inspired and can't wait to start knitting with this lovely yarn.

It's pretty perfect timing, as the newest collection from Brooklyn Tweed, BT Men, was just released! Check out the lookbook below! We also offer all of Brooklyn Tweed's other knitting patterns for purchase at the shop. Happy knitting!

Brooklyn Tweed Loft Yarn at Fancy Tiger Crafts!

A few weeks ago we received an email from Jared Flood which included the most exciting news of all time. Fancy Tiger Crafts was chosen to be one of ten shops in the US to carry his Brooklyn Tweed yarns, Loft and Shelter. We are so honored to be chosen and are thrilled to be able to share this lovely yarn with our customers here in Colorado! Welcome Loft!

Loft is everything you could love in a yarn. It is grown in Wyoming and milled in the historic Harrisville mill in New Hampshire. You can read an extensive look at the mill process here on the Brooklyn Tweed blog. Loft is a woolen-spun, fingering weight yarn made up of soft and springy Targhee-Columbia X wool. The color palette is heathers in 10 neutrals (you know how I love that) and 22 beautiful hues. The colors are absolutely gorgeous, and the names of the colors perfectly encapsulate their mysterious tweedy shades. Postcard is a pale tweed that looks like a found stack of vintage french love letters, Foothills is the color of Leprechaun tears, and Sap is reminiscent of a Maple Tree Fairy's hair. Can you even imagine what color Old World is? or Bird Book?! Here are the 32 tweedy, woolly yarns that are just waiting to become your next project! You will have to stop by to check them all out in person to see just how magical they are.

One of the best things about this yarn is the amazing pattern support. Jared Flood and his team of designers at Brooklyn Tweed are constantly releasing patterns that are sophisticated, smart, and beautiful. Whether you want to knit a shawl, scarf, cardigan, or baby blanket, we can help you find the right Brooklyn Tweed pattern. Jared and Leila were kind enough to send us a few samples to display in the shop to help welcome Loft. Please stop by to have a look at these lovelies in person!

Burnham Mittens by Leila Raabe

Farthing Scarf by Jared Flood

Leaves of Grass by Jared Flood

Thayer by Leila Raabe

Sakura Shawl by Leila Raabe

Stonecrop by Jared Flood

Stay tuned for Brooklyn Tweed Shelter's arrival this summer!